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Show APPROVE EXCHANGE OF LANDS IN IDAHO WASHINGTON, 1. C. Feb. 20. Privately owned timber lands In the Clcurwater. St. Joe and 8elway na-1 tlonal foreeta of northern Idaho are to be exchanged for other public lnndg of like value In Idaho by the terms ot a Lull enacted In congress The land., alt lie north of the Salmon Sal-mon l iver in I Ustrl. t 1 of the forest II ii Ice, aggregate between 250. 000 and 100.000 acres of cut-over timber land and are suitable only for the growing of tlmler. The exchange, bill la similar to forest for-est exchange bills frequently passed by congre.H, save that the Idaho measure meas-ure permits the exchange of lands within the limits of forcat reservations for public lahde not in reservations, In tin option of the present private holders. hold-ers. The secretary of agriculture and the ecrecajT i interior both have strong-1 lv recommended the tnuetment of this bill, as it will permit the con- solldatlon of the three national forests for-ests by eliminating private holdings t now heckerboarded In with public lands, and Will tend to better admin-i iatratlon of the forests. The private holders, at the same lime, will be permitted per-mitted to acquire lands to which ac-' cess may be had at all times without trespass upon the national forests, and In this way more speedy development wll lbo pQSaibl.e The government reserves any oil or I other minerals In the lands acquirde by exchange. The Idaho delegation unaidmousis supported the bin uiui se-cured se-cured its passage after it h.d been strongly recommended b the two cabinet cab-inet officers who will have jurisdiction jurisdic-tion ocr the c-xchunges to follow. |