Environmental protections - Transfer Act

Case Study: H.R. 8460 "An Act Providing for the transfer of forest reserves from the Department of Interior to the Department of Agriculture." (excerpts/ link to full document)

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Agricultural Department of Agriculture shall, from and after the passage of this Act, execute or cause to be executed all laws affecting public lands... after such lands have been so reserved, excepting such laws as affect the surveying, prospecting, locating, appropriating, entering, relinquishing, reconveying, certifying, or patenting of any of such lands.

SEC. 3. That forest supervisors and rangers shall be selected, when visors and rangers. practicable, from qualified citizens of the States or Territories in which Water the said reserves, respectively, are situated.

SEC. 4. That rights of way for the construction and maintenance... within and across the forest reserves of the United States, are hereby granted to citizens and corporations of the United States for municipal or mining purposes… under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the. Interior, and subject to the laws of the State or Territory in which said reserves are respectively situated.

SEC. 5. That all money received from the sale of any products or the products, etc. use of any land or resources of said forest reserves shall be… (used) for the protection, administration, improvement, and extension of Federal forest reserves

Theodore Roosevelt, “Conservation as a National Duty”, 1908 (excerpts / link to full document)

George Washington Rehse, “A Practical Forester”, Pioneer Press, 1908

"Ralph Wilder, "WHOA!", Chicago Record Herald

King of the Forest Reserve

'Gifford Pinchot -- Chief of the Forest Bureau' wears a crown and sits upon a throne on which a sign reads, "If you want to feed your sheep -- see ME". Sheep and cattle owners bow before him. The sheep owner says, 'Please, your majesty, I would like to rent a square rod of the public's grazing land.'

Czar Pinchot and His Cossack Rangers Administering the Forest Reserves, Rocky Mountain News, 1908

Explanation of "Czar Pinchot" cartoon (source):

Pinchot sits on a throne looking down on a stockman, an irrigationist, a miner, a new settler, and a pioneer, who are bowing before him. Rangers are mounted on horseback behind him, whips raised.

Above the scene is written,

"Crimes by Regulations:

1. The owners of stock that strays upon forest reserves will be fined and imprisoned.

2. No stock can feed on the public range without paying a head tax.

3. Every person who cuts timber on Forest Reserves for any purpose whatever does so at his peril.

4. Settlers within the Forest Reserves are undesirable citizens.

5. Wild game is of more importance that prospectors or settlers.-

-Gifford Pinchot, Chief Forestor" [sic]