Forestry Notes. 



117 



But this national policy is not without its enemies, and they are 

 numerous and powerful. In almost every instance, the opponents of the 

 Forest Service are found to be directly interested in some form of 

 special privilege which would flourish with less interference should the 

 strong hand of the Nation be withdrawn. Cloaked under various dis- 

 guises, one of which is the plea that agricultural lands are being de- 

 liberately withheld from deserving pioneers, these interests are en- 

 deavoring to secure : 



1. Free and unregulated grazing, which would enable owners of large 

 bands of sheep to monopolize the public range and drive out the small 

 owner and cattleman. 



2. Freedom from close inspection of mining claims, which would per- 

 mit the patenting of wildcat mines or the acquiring of valuable timber 

 under false pretenses. 



3. Throwing open of large areas of land containing timber of immense 

 value, in order that title may pass from the Nation to individuals and 

 thence to large lumber companies and corporations. 



4. Removal of restrictions on cutting, so that full exploitation of the 

 forests may take place immediately with no provision for securing re- 

 production and a future crop of timber. 



5. Encouraging an influx of settlers upon lands regardless of their 

 agricultural value, in order to boom communities for the benefit of 

 railroads, real estate values and trade. 



Attempts to break down the national forest administration and secure 

 these objects have largely failed, due to the high standard of integrity 

 and ability that has so far been maintained in the Forest Service from 

 the chiefs down through the rank and file to rangers and forest guards. 



Despairing in this effort, the political opponents of the national forest 

 policy now advance the plea that these resources belong by right to the 

 States and should speedily be turned over to them. No one need mis- 

 understand this argument for an instant. It is urged with the hope that 

 the States will prove less obdurate and will permit the exploitation of 

 these national reserves in a manner more in keeping with the desires of 

 the larger interests. — American Forestry. 



