Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 9.djvu/189

 From Youth to Age as an American. 171 On account of ten per centum of the proceeds of the sales of timber, forest reserve rentals, etc. : 1906 $ 7,585.96 1907 13,980.89 $ 21,566.85 I trust you may find the information has been furnished in the form desired and that it may suffice for your purposes. Very respectfully, F. W. Benson, Secretary of State. These figures show for land sold a remarkable increase from 1899 to 1908 inclusive. The ten years aggregate $335,533.38, an annual average of $33,553.34 coming onto the permanent tax-paying list of the State greatly adds to their value. The Forester returns as the income of the ten per centum of forest resources sold, timber sold, and range rentals, an average of $10,733.19 per annum, and little if any tax list; the Nation receiving 90 per cent of the income from this vast store of timber which, when sold, comes in competition with the business interests of the country. In regard to these sales, I note the Forester's statement of increased sales of timber between June 30, 1906, from Oregon, to the value of $710.85 and to June 30, 1907, increase to $48,526.00, together with the statement: "The use of timber resources of the National Forests was encouraged throughout the year. Three times as much timber was sold as in 1906, the aggregate being $2,532,275.60." I understand that the Secretary of the Interior, while the forests were in his control, held that he had no right to sell timber from the public domain, and Mr. Pinchot asked the Attorney- General's opinion on his right to sell forest re- sources, which was favorable, and he is acting on that. This raises the question in the mind of every private owner of timber land of, *'How do I stand under this party of protec- tion?" With a domain of one hundred and fifty-five million