220 PrOCE:EDINGS OF TH^ 



It is unfortunate that in connection with the creation 

 of forest reserves there have been opportunities 

 through the "Heu land" laws and the railroad grants 

 for lands for private speculation running into millions 

 of acres and multiples of millions of dollars which 

 have naturally been taken advantage of, and in the 

 manipulation of these schemes every means, in Wash- 

 ington and out of it, has been made use of. Men 

 have made it their business to go among the people 

 and agitate with extravagant theories and spread false 

 representations by public and private statements and 

 subsidized newspapers, to the great injustice and dam- 

 age of all grazing industries, especially sheep, and of 

 every interest affected except the scheme that was 

 covered with this veneering of pretended interest in 

 forestry. In this way public sentiment was created 

 favoring extended forest reserves where no forest 

 existed, more ''lieu lands," and incidentally more spec- 

 ulation and bitterness and distrust among the people 

 and toward the cause of forestry. 



The field work in connection with forest grazing 

 regulations is new and necessarily handled in many 

 cases by inexperienced and overconfident representa- 

 tives. Many crude and unjust rulings and damaging 

 regulations have been the result of the over-confidence 

 of such representatives. Range allotments must not 

 be arbitrarily changed on the protest of one party 

 without notice to others interested and due regard to 

 water rights and the carrying capacity of the ranges. 

 Stock trails must not be established with regulations 

 that would damage the interests involved and consti- 

 tute a fit subject for the attention of humane societies 

 to prevent cruelty to the animals confined to such trails 

 without adequate feed or water. Regulations as to 

 water development must not discourage and retard 



