78 FOREST RESERVES IN IDAHO. 



in my official constitutional capacity in the Senate and continue to 

 A\ork for such legislation as will, in my judgment, best preserve the 

 rights of the State and its people in the present and at the same time 

 jjreserve to the future its fair inheritance of assets. I have certainly 

 given no ground for even a suspicion that my sympathy is with 

 the fraudulent or pretended homesteader, either on the plains or in 

 the forest. ^'\^iile I have not the slightest doubt of your intention 

 to do what is best for the interest? of Idaho, I can not agree that this 

 will be accomplished by the withdrawal from bona fide settlement of 

 such large areas as indicated by the inclosed map of the State, which 

 I have had prepared from the notes of withdrawal to date. The for- 

 ests of the earth have in all ages afforded the habitation of the greater 

 proportion of the human race. There are still many details of infor- 

 mation and reason properly affecting this question which I will 

 reserve for future consideration. 



The State's grant of sections 16 and 36 for school purposes within 

 the withdrawn areas amounts to 704,000 acres, at the price of $10 per 

 acre fixed by law as the minimum, amounting to $7,040,000. The 

 remaining unreserved land does not and never will enable the State 

 to complete lieu selections to the amount of Congressional grants to 

 the State for educational and other public purposes. I Avas instru- 

 mental in a large measure in securing the construction of State wagon 

 roads into and through the section now withdrawn as forest reserves 

 at an expense of over $300,000, in order that immigration might be 

 directed to these very portions withdrawn. The members of more 

 than one legislature of Idaho thought the inducement to settlement 

 therein sufficient to warrant the expenditure. 



There is no politics in the question. I did not send the clippings 

 referred to in your letter to indicate partisanship, but general senti- 

 ment of a people on the ground. However, you have announced as 

 fixed policy the line of action indicated by your recent withdrawals, 

 and I have only the suggestion to make at this time that the existing 

 rules shall be modified so as to make the burden on settlers within the 

 influences of forests reserves as light as possible. I assure you of my 

 most sincere appreciation of your high standard of personal and 

 public duty and conduct and congratulate you upon your great 

 achievements in the performance of the duties of your high office. I 

 believe you have done more than any other Chief Executive to place 

 the nation upon the highest seat in the council of the nations of the 

 earth. 



While we may not always agree as to the details of method in gov- 

 ernment, I do believe, Mr. President, we will concede to each other 

 sincerity of purpose and proper motive in performance of every pub- 

 lic or personal act. A^aiether I approach you as a citizen in private 

 life or as a colleague in government I do so with confidence in your 

 JList intentions and your toleration of honest difference of opinion 

 between men, each of whom bears a measure of responsibility. 



With high regards for you and sincere wishes for the welfare of 

 the nation in your Executive care, I am, very sincerely, yours, 



W. B. Heyburn. 



