CHAPTER XII. 77 



western forests give a premium to violence and invite to crime. The 

 forests are important resources of the entire people. The integrity of 

 mountain forest areas must be maintained in the interest of the body 

 of the people. The Nation's strength demands it. Yet here insensibly 

 has come upon us in our western mountains an unmoral condition. 



In some places in these semi-arid districts a man will enter and pur- 

 chase the few springs over an immense area of territory and fence them 

 in. In this way control is obtained over empires of land by the purchase 

 of a few quarter sections. In all pasture land cases the nation is never 

 paid for more than a fraction of the land used. Generally none is paid 

 for. Taxes to support both the nation and local community are evaded. 

 The herders pay no land tax and rarely any other tax and in addition 

 to all these shortcomings, their usual operations, their carelessness and 

 their vendettas, so often accompanied by setting fire to each other's 

 ranges, all go to destroy the capital and productive power of the com- 

 munity. It is the sheepmen with whom the forester has the greatest 

 quarrel. All over pasture of any district deteriorates the value of the 

 pasture. When these pastures are in forests or brush lands the injury 

 to the pasture by over stocking sinks into utter insignificance compared 

 to the injury of the forests and the injury of the water-sheds. Such in- 

 juries to water-sheds in the south of Europe, in Africa and in Asia 

 have ruined rich districts, depopulated towns and destroyed nations. 

 In no case of these fatal consequences coming from forest destruction 

 on hill and mountain water-sheds is there an instance of topography 

 and climate Indicating more danger from such action than in Southern 

 California. Whatever damage and cost has come elsewhere from a 

 neglect of water-sheds we in Southern California must anticipate 

 greater damage and cost. In fact, we have no reason to expect any- 

 thing short of eventual annihilation in case we go on burning and 

 wasting and baring our steep mountain water-sheds. 



The public land system as a unit can be self-supporting and reve- 

 nue producing. All interests can be fairly dealt with, and the country 

 brought to its highest productive power. 



Those who engage in promoting this great work have strenuous 

 efforts before them; They deserve the garlands of reward as civic 

 patriots as much or more than those who foment distant foreign wa,rs. 

 The conquest of this empire within our bounds for our own children 

 is more useful, more profitable, more secure and more glorious than 

 any foreign conquest can ever be. 



