l public sentiment was almost unanimously
against the system of Forest Reserves. The first thing he did was to
discharge eight of the Plant rangers. These fell back on their rights,
and California John, to his surprise, found that he could not thus
control his own men. He wagged his head in his first discouragement. It
was necessary to recommend to Washington that these men be removed; and
California John knew well by experience what happened to such
recommendations. Nevertheless he sat him down to his typewriter, and
with one rigid forefinger, pecked out such a request. Having thus
accomplished his duty in the matter, but without hope of results, he
went about other things. Promptly within two weeks came the necessary
authority. The eight ornamentals were removed.

Somewhat encouraged, California John next undertook the sheep problem.
That, under Plant, had been in the nature of a protected industry.
California John and his delighted rangers plunged neck deep into a sheep
war. They found themselves with a man's job on their hands. The
sheepmen, by long immunity, had come to know the higher mountains
intimately, and could hide themselves from any but the most
conscientious search. When discovered, they submitted peacefully to
being removed from the Reserve. At the boundaries the rangers' power
ceased. The sheepmen simply waited outside the line. It was manifestly
impossible to watch each separate flock all the time. As soon as
surveillance was relaxed, over the line they slipped, again to fatten
on prohibited feed until again discovered, and again removed. The
rangers had no power of arrest; they could use only necessary force in
ejecting the trespassers. It was possible to sue in the United States
courts, but the process was slow and unsatisfactory, and the damages
awarded the Government amounted to so little that the sheepmen
cheerfully paid them as a sort of grazing tax. The point was, that they
got the feed--either free or at a nominal cost--and the rangers were
powerless to stop them.

Over this problem California John puzzled a long time.

"We ain't doing any good playing hide and coop," he told Ross; "it's
just using up our time. We got to get at it different. I wish those
regulations was worded just the least mite different!"

He produced the worn Blue Book and his own instructions and thumbed them
over for the hundredth time.

"'Employ only necessary force,'" he muttered; "'remove them beyond the
confines