HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 413 
harm will be done which later effort can never repair. The products 
of lumbering are increasing instead of decreasing, and in other ways 
also the demands upon our forests are growing. 
Mr. Brooxws. One reason, I think, why there is more or less of a 
crisis now is that there is more of a race now between the locators 
of the forest lands and the forest-reserve people. Ina good many 
places where there should be a forest reserve created it will not be 
possible in a few years, because any addition to the reserve will have 
to be impracticable in shape. That is true in the Rocky Mountains, 
and all over. 
Mr. Scorr. Is it not true also that after the President has issued his 
proclamation setting aside the forest reserve it is no longer open to 
settlers? 
Mr. Price. That is true; but the point is, that if a blanket proclama- 
tion were made setting aside all public lands a feeling would be engen- 
dered which would be very inimical to the best interests of the forest 
reserves. 
Mr. Scort. The point that I want to get at is this: I have understood 
that you have no authority to go onto any territory with a view to 
conducting your examinations unless it had already been set aside by 
the President’s proclamation as a forest reserve. 
Mr. Price. No, sir; our examinations have been mainly on lands 
that have not been withdrawn from entry. The withdrawal has been 
the result of our recommendation, and generally has not preceded it. 
We are determining what public lands are suitable for forest reserves. 
Mr. Scorr. And you do not know where the best places are? 
Mr. Price. To know definitely requires an examination on the 
ground. It is very urgent work, by reason of the rapidity with which 
the public lands are being taken up. 
Mr. Brooxs. There are now nine proposed additions in Colorado? 
Mr. Price. I think so. 
Mr. Brooxs. Now, in three of those instances the fact that there 
has been a kind of blanket order, such as you have spoken of, has 
aroused the most bitter hostility, and I have been deluged with letters 
and so has the Department. Now, in order to have the administration 
of a forest reserve successful, the excess in the withdrawals should be 
cut out as quickly as possible. In one instance, by the accident of 
the situation, the town of Salida was included in a forest reserve, and 
they had mass meetings, and it aroused the greatest public indignation. 
Mr. Scorr. To what extent wiil it enable you, if youare given this, 
to complete these surveys? 
Mr. Price. I think it would enable us to go a long way toward that 
in the coming year. The actual completion of the work is some dis- 
tance off. e have to be content with reserving smaller and smaller 
areas, and, instead of several hundred thousand acres, the time is near 
when we will be glad to get a reserve of several thousand acres. This 
is work which brings in very large returns upon the investment. It 
costs only the living and traveling expenses and the salaries of trained 
men. In return it yields forest reserves for the nation. 
Mr. Scorr. When you were before us last year you spoke of the 
difficulty of obtaining trained foresters. 
Mr. Price. Yes, sir. ; 
Mr. Apams. Has that been overcome to the extent that you can find 
men enough to put in the field? 
