564 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



December 



best welfare of the forest. Moreover 

 the land, which remains in the Gov- 

 ernment's hands, is kept productive, 

 instead of going to waste after lum- 

 bering as is too often the case when 

 it falls to private ownership. 



The vast public domain of the West 

 has been given up to the stock busi- 

 ness for pasturage in common. The 

 forests, forming a part of this domain, 

 have been subject to this unrestricted 

 pasturage. The result has been disas- 

 trous to the domain both open and for- 

 ested, but the forests have suffered the 

 most injury. Restricting forest graz- 

 ing by means of reserve regulations 

 and inspection will eliminate the dan- 

 ger from overgrazing, will ultimately 

 greatly benefit the business, and will, 

 most important of all, enable the for- 

 ests to perform their highest function 

 for all the people. A few grazers may 

 have their rights slightly abridged or 

 more closely regulated, but the busi- 

 ness as a whole is conducted in a more 

 orderly way. 



Prospecting and mine development 

 are not at all restricted by reserve es- 

 tablishment. Miners require in their 

 work both timber and water. Their 

 demand for timber is comparatively 

 not great, and they cut it somewhat 

 more carefully than lumbermen have 

 done. Their interests do not suffer in 

 the least by forest reserve establish- 

 ment. On the contrary, in the long 

 run they will be greatly benefitted by 

 the protection which assures their fu- 

 ture timber supply. 



The greatest industry affected by 

 forest reserves is farming. In many 

 parts of the West it depends absolue- 

 ly on the water flow from the forest. 

 If ill usage impairs its storage capac- 

 ity, and "the stream flow, in conse- 

 quence, alternates between flood and 

 drought, or is permanently lessened, all 



the dependent farm land suffers se- 

 verely. Every farmer has the right 

 to insist that his water supply be not 

 decreased, and the industry as a 

 whole, the foundation stone of our na- 

 tional prosperity, commands and will 

 receive the highest protection it is pos- 

 sible for the Government to afford. Ir- 

 rigation for the arid West can not be 

 successful unless the headwaters of all 

 streams are kept under ample forest 

 cover. 



Reserves are for use, not for orna- 

 ment. They are not private forest 

 parks, but are open to all persons with- 

 out distinction. Free transit across 

 them is always allowed. Pleasure or 

 health seekers and hunting parties are 

 privileged to enter them at all times 

 and enjoy their resources to the full- 

 est legal extent. The most important 

 injunction laid on them is that the 

 greatest care must be taken to extin- 

 guish all camp fires, since fire is the 

 worst scourge of the forest, and of all 

 its enemies the most dreaded. 



The temporary withdrawal of lands 

 pending a careful inspection to deter- 

 mine their suitability for permanent 

 reserves affects seriously no private 

 right other than that of entry as a set- 

 tler upon some claim. No entry can be 

 made after such temporary withdraw- 

 al. If lands settled upon are finally 

 included in the permanent boundaries, 

 the rights of the owners are as has 

 been set forth. If such lands are ex- 

 cluded from the boundaries, their stat- 

 us has not been affected, except as it 

 is improved by being so near a forest 

 that will now be protected and man- 

 aged for the general welfare. The 

 whole theory of reserve practice is. 

 special injury or advantage to none, 

 but the greatest good to the greatest 

 number. 



