364 REIPORT OF THE FORESTRY COMMITTEE 



possible measure in the industrial upbuilding of the local communities, at the same 

 time that they^serve their broader public functions. In classifying the agricul- 

 tural lands the aim is to get people to make permanent homes in the forests. 

 Every consideration in the development of the States, and in the upbuilding of the 

 forests themselves makes for the encouragement of a greater local population. 

 When there are people to create a demand for the timber and other resources, the 

 real development of the forest becomes possible, and the forest begins to render its 

 greatest service. 



To encourage this development the Forest Service is promoting the sale of 

 its ripe timber to build up local lumber industries of a permanent character ; it is 

 opening to entry land chiefly adapted to agriculture ; it is further helping the set- 

 tler by providing free such timber as he needs and protecting him in the use of 

 the range needed for his stock ; and in every way it undertakes to make the for- 

 ests of public service and the country in the long run a better place for men and 

 women to live in. 



That a long step has already been taken toward this end is indicated by the 

 very extraordinary change in sentiment in the West in the last few years. I have 

 this year been able to analyze in detail the sentiment on the individual forests 

 and now know just where opposition in each case exists and the extent to which 

 the work of the Federal Government is valued. I have been astonished at the 

 overwhelming preponderance of sentiment among the local communities in favor 

 of the forest system. Frequently there are objections to certain regulations, or 

 difficulty and friction in specific transactions. But every year these local troubles 

 are being adjusted on the ground. There is still definite opposition to the forest 

 system and the principles of our administration from certain groups, and certain 

 interests. There are still certain water power interests which are carrying on a 

 fight against the Forest Service. Many speculative interests oppose the forest 

 system because the resources are not open to private acquisition under the general 

 land laws. Certain men are opposed to the national forests because they can not 

 secure privileges that would be possible if the forests were unprotected. For 

 example, in the Southwest I find a well-defined opposition among those who 

 desire to run herds of goats on the forests without restriction. The desire to 

 secure valuable timber for speculation is now, and always will be, a source of 

 opposition to the public control of our forests. 



One proof of the present favorable sentiment is the fact that there are now 

 relatively few breaches of the regulations. For example, in the Fourth Adminis- 

 trative District, which includes Utah, Nevada, northern Arizona, southern Idaho 

 and southwestern Wyoming, over 11,000 permits were issued last year, each 

 involving some regulation. There were only 35 cases of trespass, about half of 

 which were innocent and the majority of the remainder not very important. 

 Such a record would be absolutely impossible if the people themselves were not 

 right behind the regulations. In other words, it was public sentiment that made 

 it possible to carry out the procedure with such success. 



In the national forest districts it is now seen that the aim is to make the 

 national forests serviceable at present as well as in the future, and people are 



