PROFITS FROM FOREST RESERVES 

 TO BE SHARED BY COUNTIES 



Ten per cent of Gross Receipts Alloted by Law to Offset Loss 

 in Taxes Nearly Seventy-Seven Thousand Dollars this Year 



YY/ITPIIN the last two years the dition and submitted a bill to grant 10 

 ** area set aside for forest-reserve per cent, of the total receipts from 

 purposes has increased from less than forest-reserves to the counties in 

 50,000,000 to more than 100,000,000 which they are situated. This pro- 

 acres. Such a change caused great posed law was finally incorporated in 

 consternation among those who were the forest-reserve provisions of the 

 not familiar with the objects to be at- agricultural appropriation act of June 

 tained by forest reserves. All the ene- 30, 1906. The clause reads as follows: 

 mies of the National forest policy "That ten per centum of all money 

 made ammunition of it, and many of received from each forest reserve dur- 

 its more timid friends began to fear ing any fiscal year, including the year 

 that the movement was going too far. ending June thirtieth, nineteen nun- 

 Most of the arguments of doubters, dred and six, shall be paid at the end 

 however, could easily be refuted. thereof by the Secretary of the Treas- 

 There were two objections that ury to the State or Territory in which 

 could not be disposed of so readily said reserves is situated, to be expend- 

 first, that this vast area, as large as all ed as the State or Territorial legisla- 

 the New England and Middle States ture may prescribe for the benefit of 

 with Maryland and Virginia thrown the public schools and public roads of 

 in, took away from opportunity for the county or counties in which the for- 

 agricultural settlement and home est reserve is situated : Provided, That 

 building many tracts of land scattered when any forest reserve is in more 

 here and there along the creeks and than one State or Territory or county 

 valleys within the forest reserves, the distributive share to each from the 

 The Forester felt the propriety of this proceeds of said reserve shall be pro- 

 criticism keenly and studied carefully portional to its area therein : And pro- 

 the boundaries of each reserve to elim- vided further, That there shall not be 

 inate as much agricultural land as pos- paid to any State or Territory for any 

 sible. Finding that many small tracts county an amount equal to more than 

 remained, he submitted to the Secre- forty per centum of the total income 

 tary of Agriculture the "Agricultural of such county from all other sources." 

 Settlement Bill," which the latter rec- The proceeds from forest reserves 

 ommended to Congress and which in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1904, 

 finally received the President's signa- were $58,436.19. During the next fis- 

 ture June 11, 1906. cal year the receipts were $73,276.15. 

 Although under this law all land ac- The transfer of the forest reserves to 

 tually usable for home building will be the Forest Service was made February 

 brought within the reach of the people, 1 of that year, and during the five 

 there was another strong objection to months remaining the Forest Service 

 the reserves, namely, that many coun- was busy reorganizing the plans for 

 ties in which reserves lie have much, forest-reserve administration. The re- 

 in some instances more than half, of suit is notable. During the year ended 

 their area withdrawn from the possi- June 30 last the receipts were $767,- 

 bility of private ownership and taxa- 219.96, which was more than a tenfold 

 tion. The Forest Service was not un- increase over the previous year, 

 mindful of the unfairness of this con- The full measure of the importance 



