June 1926
THE UNITED AMERICAN
Park in California and others, which would involve reducing Department of Agriculture, has full administrative authority
over the uses of the land.
or eliminating the present grazing privileges.
If. the authority of the government were weakened in the
FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE OF POLICY PROPOSED
administration of the grazing use, it would not be long before
The stockmen are proposing a radical change of public
an effort would be made to break down the efficiency of the
policy relative to the national forests. The one fact that regulations in the timber sales. Certain interested persons
should be kept definitely in mind in this controversy is that are even today endeavoring to show that the restrictions with
we are dealing with public reservations set aside for forest reference to brush disposal are unnecessary or too rigorous,
production and watershed protection. We are not dealing that fewer seed trees are sufficient, or that other require
with lands set aside for range control. We have to do first ments in the timber sale contracts should be changed; in
of all not with a problem of the range but a problem of forests
short, that we should revert to the usual methods of lumber
and waters.
ing that in my opinion should not be tolerated on government
The question that must be faced by the public is in
land.
reality then whether a large portion of the national forests
There is a great deal more than the grazing problem in
shall be maintained primarily for pasturage rather than for
the purposes for which they were established. I believe that volved in Hie present controversy. The consequences of a
let-down in the grazing control on our public forest areas
the nation will answer that question in just one way.
would extend to the handling of other resources. Inefficiency
NO GENERAL LEGISLATION
would be the inevitable result and when that comes the whole
NEEDED ON NATIONAL FORESTS
enterprise is in danger. The national forests belong to the
Legislation is needed to bring about the control of grazing nation, not to any given locality or given group of industrial
on the public domain, in order to prevent further deteriora interests. They must be -handled in the interests of the
tion of the range and to restore its productivity. General general public if the government is to redeem the responsibil
legislation relating to grazing on the national forests is not ity that has been placed upon it by the people of the country.
The national forests represent the greatest conservation under
necessary. It should constantly be borne in mind that on the
taking of our history. It is unthinkable that the country
latter there has been a system of regulated grazing for
twenty years; on the public domain stock is run wholly with would take a step backward with respect to them at this time,
out any attempt at public control. The scope of this article
as would be the case if the extraordinary demands of the
does not permit a discussion of the grazing problems on the
western stockmen were allowed.
present public domain and the various ways in which these s.'iiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiuiiiiuiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiii*,
may be met. The policy should be directed primarily to the
service of these lands for stock raising. The national forests,
on the other hand, represent areas which have been carefully
OUR AMERICAN FLAG
classified and designated as essential for forest production |
By Prof. JOSEPH ROLLINS
I
and watershed protection. They have been set aside per
manently to be handled by the government in the general
From the blue canopy of Heaven
public interest. Adequate authority has been lodged with the |
Was the dark hue first sought!
Secretary of Agriculture to meet the needs of the livestock
And the grandest constellation,
f
industry so far as grazing on the national forests is concerned. i
If the present regulations and procedure need modification, |
On that hallowed color wrought.
the Secretary has the power to change them. If there is |
While many a brilliant sunset
I
needed a different system of appeals, that can be provided. |
Lent the crimson for the bars;
The regulations of the Secretary have the force of law and he
And the peace dove of our nation
I
can proceed in contractual relations with the permittees so
Spread it’s wings under the stars.
far as is proper without yielding the control necessary to
The designing of our National Flag
protect basic public interests in the forests. Certainly if
there have been administrative abuses or inefficiency these
By God Himself was planned,
can be corrected without new laws. An effort to write into
law the regulations, as has been suggested by some, would
But the three colors were fashioned
in my opinion be thoroughly unsound.
By a patriot’s skillful hand,
The livestock industry has been facing a very serious
And the Father of our Country,
situation. The country should view its economic and indus
In
that fateful solemn hour,
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trial problems with great sympathy.. The causes of the de
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Looked
upon
it
like
Elijah
’
s
mantle,
I
pression and losses of the industry are not, however, charge
Vested with prophetic power.
able to the administration of the national forests or the sys |
tem of regulated grazing now in effect.- If the circumstances
justify federal aid in the way of a temporary reduction in |
When unfurled in it’s mighty splendor,
j
fees, let that be provided in a specific relief measure. Every
Round this standard flocked the throngs,
consideration of public interest points to the need of a larger
Who, fully equipped with war weapons,
federal appropriation for range improvement on the national
Started to redress our national wrongs;
forests, for the development of public water supplies, for the
Fierce and bloody was the conflict,
I
construction of drift fences and the like. Such assistance |
But above the cannon’s roar
f
in making the public properties of greater service does nor |
Waved, unharmed, our glorious banner,
involve the necessity for general grazing legislation, which |
Wafting freedom from shore to shore.
1
would tend to particularize the law and very likely lead to
proposals that would embarrass the administration of the
i
[The above lines, the expression of a true patriot,
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forests and the livestock industry as well.
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were read by the author on the occasion, last
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PUBLIC INTERESTS MUST. DOMINATE
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winter, when the new High School at Patchogue,
f
Grazing is only one use of the national forests. The full =
N. Y., was dedicated. Professor Rollins presented
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service of the public property can be obtained only by a coor |
the school with a new flag and as the flag was
1
dination of the different uses so that one will not conflict with |
being raised to the top of the mast, as part of the
j
ceremonies, he read the above poem to his fellow,
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another. The national forests contain many and varied nat |
townspeople Who were present at the ceremonies.
1
ural resources. Provision is made for the development of such
While many poetical writings contain a more per-
|
agricultural land as may exist, for mining, for the use of the
feet lingual style, few contain so abundantly that
1
waters for power, irrigation, and domestic use, for recreation, =
simple eloquence of thought, which, after all, eon-
1
for the protection of wild life, and for a great number of
tains the unadulterated rhythm and the heart beat,
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miscellaneous uses, as well as for forest products and for
reflecting the patriotism of the mass of the common
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grazing. The correlating of these manifold uses to obtain a
people of America.
The Editor]
=
maximum service of all is the objective of the government.
This is possible only if the responsible agency, in this ease the ^lllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllltlllllllllUllllllUllllllllllllllllillllilillliiillllliilllllllllllilillllllllllillllllllllltllllllllllllllHHI*'
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