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Show A rORBSIY DISCLAIMER. In reply to a recent reference in Ihesc columns to the forestrj- service, The Tribune has received tho folio wins from Mr. Clyde Lcavitt, District iorcster, with office in Ogden: Oeden. Utah. March 10. Editor Salt Lake Tribune: I notice In your editorial headed, "Enlarged Homestead Home-stead Law." published in your Issue of March 7, tho following statement: "The workings of this measure will 5o watched with a pood deal of Interest throughout ihls western country. Doubtless Doubt-less it will result In the acquisition by d'shor.cst parties of large tracts of sup- Coscdly nonlrrigable lands, and there will c contests, of course, between claimants and the forest' reserve officials as to the acquisition of tracts of land In many places. In all sueli cases doubtless we can depend upon the activity of tho for-estrv for-estrv bureau to prevent the development of tlio country as far as possible.' This letter Is merely to call your attention atten-tion to tho fact that the enlarged homestead home-stead Act to which you refer allows entries en-tries on unreserved lands only -and does not In any way apply to thf National Forests'. For-ests'. For this veaeon It seems that your Insinuation concerning the attitude of the Forest Service Is not warranted bv the facts in this case at least. The Forest Service Is attempting In tho utmost of good faith to administer the natural resources re-sources contained within the National Forests in a manner fhat will be for the best permanent good of the people as a whole. In carrying out this policy it Is inevitable that a great deal of criticism should arise, some of which Is Just and some unjust. In this case, I believo you will agree that tho criticism is unjust. Very trulv yours. CLYDE LKAVITT, District Forester, ! Wc arc glad to receive this disclaimer from Mr. Lcavitt. It means, wo suppose sup-pose nnd hope, that the forestry ser-. vice will keep out of this now homestead home-stead law business altogether. "Wo cannot can-not refrain from romiuding Mr. Lcavitt, however, that it docs not necessarily follow that bccauHO there is no an-thorit' an-thorit' under tho law and apparently no legal possibility for the forestry service ser-vice to interfere in various matters, it refrains from interfering. A good deal of complaint was made in Colorado last year about tho interference of tho forestry for-estry service with mining operations on tho forest reserves in that State. In reply to that, Mr. Gifford Pinchot, Chief Forester, issued a circular disclaiming dis-claiming all authority iu tho forestry aorvico for interference with mining on tho forest reserves. The Tribune received re-ceived that as a perfect answer to the Colorado complaint. And yet it was not a practical answer, only a theoretical theoreti-cal ouc; the complaint continued. And only last month the Montana Mino Association As-sociation made a loud complaint also of this same interference; so that the illegality of such interference and the apparent impossibility of it under the law does not ncccssnrib and always restrain the forestry service. Still, Mr. LenVilt's assurance will be received at par, and wc trust that no contention j iu regard to this matter will arise be j twecu tho forestry service and the I prospective expansion of the homesteaders. |