14 TIMBER ON THE PUBLIC LANDS. 



incurred exceeded the receipts, the deficiency ^as made up from the judi- 

 ciary fund. 



In 1872 appropriations were made for the pay of agents, and these 

 have since been continued, the sum for four years past being $5,000 a 

 year, and the whole amount thus granted making 8i5,G2-i.76. The re- 

 ceipts in all, from stumpage and other payment for timber taken from 

 the public lands have amounted to $109,998,50, leaving only a balance 

 of $154,375.74 for the many millions' worth of timber taken from the 

 public domains. 



The Commissioner of the General Land Office has repeatedly called 

 attention to this very unwise and improper policy, and in his report for 

 1874-'75 — repeating the language of. his last report — in reference more 

 particularly to our pine lands, he says : 



The product of these lands is of universal use, and forms the staple of commerce of no 

 inconsiderable portion of the nation. The difference between the government price 

 and the actual value thereof is large, yet Congress provides that these lands shall be 

 disposed of under the pre-emption laws at i|1.25 per acre, or under the homestead laws 

 by commutation, under the eighth section of the act of 186-2, at the same rate. It is 

 true that the law provides that in the discretion of the President this class of lands 

 maybe proclaimed and sold at public outcry to the highest bidder; but the experience 

 of this ofSce shows this method to be entirely ineffectual for the reasons, first, that 

 under the ordinary system of surveys the field-notes cannot disclose, with any degree 

 of accuracy, which are pine lands and which are not ; and second, that there is little 

 room for doubt that combinations are formed among purchasers at government pub)ic 

 sales -whereby prices are kept down to a merely nominal figure. The usual result is, 

 therefore, the government receives the minimum price of the lauds, less the large ex- 

 j>ense of three months' advertising required by taw. Another and greater evil results from 

 public sales under existing laws. This oQice having, as I have before stated, no reliable 

 means of distinguishing pine lands, is reduced to the necessity of including in the pro- 

 clamation all lands supposed to contain pine. It results that only such small proportion 

 of the tracts proclaimed as are kuowu to the purchasers to contain pine are sold, while 

 the great mass of them, receiving no bid, remain with the government as "offered 

 lands," subject thenceforth to private cash purchase iciihout settlement, and become the easy 

 prey of non-resident speculators, thus defeating the now well-established and benefi- 

 cent policy of the government in that regard. The remarks here made apply as well 

 to the " tir lands " of the Pacific as to the piue lands east of the Rocky Mountains, and 

 are indeed of more importance as bearing on the question of the future disposals of 

 "fir lands," since the quantity of "pine lands" remaining unsurveyed and unsold is 

 now comparatively limited. Under this state of facts I would urgently recommend 

 the passage of a law providing — 



First. That pine and fir lands shall not be subject to entry under the pre-emption 

 and homestead laws. 



Second. That a system of survey shall be devised by which the quantity of piue or 

 fir in each smallest'sub-division of a section may ba at least closely approximated. 



Third. That an immediate exploration by experts of the unsurveyed portions of 

 those States and territories known to contain pine or fir, be authorized, with the view 

 of ascertaining the geographical situation of piue and fir districts on fields. 



Fourth. That the reports of such explorations be followed by immediate eurvey of 

 these districts. 



Fifth. That the survey be followed by immediate appraisal, proclamation, and sale, 

 at not less th.T,n the appraised value, and for cash only. 



As I have indicated in the foregoing suggestions, I am strongly of the opinion that 

 the wisest policy the government can pursue in respect to this class of lands is that 

 -which will most speedily divest it of title in the same for a fair consideration, for the 

 reason that depredations to an enormous extent are constantly occurring, w^hich ex- 

 isting laws are powerless to prevent, and seemingly equally powerless to punish. 



In reiterating this advice, the Commissioner remarks : 



It is among the traditions of this office — certified indeed by its records — that from a 

 very early day, eagerness to acquire title from the government to these exceptionally 

 valuable lands for speculative purposes has led to the perpetration of innumerable 

 frauds. It is notorious that, as a rule, the soil itself of these lands possesses but limited 

 fertility ; and it is equally certain that such of them as are entered upon under the pre- 

 emption and homestead laws, are not generally so taken with the purpose of adding 

 value to the tract by cultivation, but rather with the expectation of profiting by the 

 after sale of the timljer growing upon it. Through the facilities furnished by that pro- 

 vision of the pre-emption laws which, for uuoffered lauds, extends to ajiiilicauts a credit 



