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Show ITAFT AGREES WITH mmwm polio Will Protect National Forests, as Wcll'as Country's Agricul- ! ' htral Interests. ! i WASHINGTON. April 21. President TatVs entire sympathy with the forest and conservation policies is announced, and stories that vast areas arc. to he taken away from tho national forests arc denied in a statement regarding the administration s attitude, issued to- I clay by Gi fiord Pinchot. Mr. Pincliot says that charges that forests contain Hi-eat areas of agricultural lands are baseless, and that any agricultural land whatever found along tho boundaries of forests will be restored to entry. Mr. Pinchot 's statement follows: "Any statement that President Taft is not in sympathy with forestry and the conservation movement, is without foundation. On the contrary, T am authorized au-thorized by tho president to say that i he is in entire sympathy with the. forost policv and the conservation policy as already developed, and stands behind them. . , Emphatic Denial. "I am aiso authorized by the president presi-dent to deny categorically the story that great areas are to bo thrown out of tho national forests by presiden- i tial proclamation. The only possible basis for such a rumor that. I have been able to discover lies in certain plans adopted by the forest service months ago. These plans were in accord ac-cord with Hues of policy long recognized recog-nized and established. They were, approved ap-proved bv Secretary "Wilson, and they I provided for a careful examination and mapping of the boundaries of the national na-tional forests and of the character of the laud and the timber and other growth along thes.c boundaries "Baseless" Charges, " Repeated charges, well known to bo baseless, have been made that tho national forests contain vast areas of agricultural land. Whatever agricultural agricul-tural lands may be found aloug the boundaries will be restored to entry, for one of the strongest desires of the forest service now and in the past is that any agricultural lands which may have been included in national forests Isnouia oo open to use lor agricultural purposes. Indeed, the forest service undertook the mapping of the national forest reservation boundaries on Its own initiative in the regular line of its work and in pursuance of general plans laid years ago. "1 have been greatly interested, but not at all surprised,, by the persistont circulation of these rumors. President Taft's statement to me, coupled with his authority to make it public, should set them at rest once and for all. The present administration is in the fullest sympathy with forestry and conservation. conserva-tion. Friends of these- movements recognize our obligation to the president presi-dent for his prompt, and direct support. sup-port. 11 |