New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-22
PRICE THREE CENTS.
TRYING TO DESPOIL A PARK.
A PERSISTENT LOBBY AT WORK IN CON
GRESS
EFFORTS TO PUSH RAILROAD THROUGH 4
PART or THE YELLOWSTONE PARK-THE
SBNATE'S CONCESSIONS REJECTBD-THE
SCHEME AND WHAT IT MEANS
IBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE IkBUNgI

SCHEME AND WHAT 1T MEANS.
GBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE IkIBUNE.I
| Washington Dec. 2l.-A persistent lobby,
| headed by gentleman who s'aggers under the
name of fernando De Soto Money, has been 40
| lively AT work in Washington for the last eight
years 70 defeat legislation in the interest of the
| Yellowstone National Park. Mr. Money has, as
| an eX-mcmbcr OF the House from Mississippi the
privilege of tie floor and therefore exceptional
facilities for serving his EMPLOYERS, the Montana
Mineral Railway Company This corporation Is
desir0us of securing exclusive privilege for the
construction Of a railroad to ccrtair mines located
near the northern boundary Of the Park. The
value Of tho mines is more than doubtful. nor has
| II been demOnstrat tO the satisfaction of thoss
| who think the Park should he kept free from in
trlson Of this kind that railroad could not be
constructed To reach the mines without entering
| the Park. BE this as it may the fact remains
that the friends Of the Park are willing SD TO change
the northern boundary of the reservation, by
making the Yellowstone River the natural divii-
ing line, as to place the proposed railway entirely
| outside the limits of the Park But this is pre-
! ciscly what the lobby representing the "Montana
Mineral Railway Company doesn't want. It's
members care less for reaching the mines by a
direct route lying outside the Fark boundaries
than for securing the exclusive privilege of enter
|
business as the mines might furnish. the vastly
more profitable passenger traffic which would no
diverted from other roads leading to the
| Park and turned in their direction.
The Montana Mineral Railway Company
| lobby has artfuy raised the ely that tue
| opposition il encounters proceeds from the
rival roads nertioned. If this were 50.
it would he necessary 10 assume that these rival
roads have been able TO control the action of the
! Senate during period of eight years, for bill
meeting the present requirements of the Park
has passed the Senate four times already, only 10
| be lost each time in the House In the present
Congress this bill, which provides for an enlarge
! mcnt Of the Park to the south and west in order
| 10 prevent the wantOn destruction of forest and
! regulating the water supply inside the Park has
| passed the senate 10 its provisions, among which
is one for the punishment of criminal offences
committed within the Park, there is not the
! sliliitcst objection. II was drafted by Senator
VS. of Missouri whose Sollctude for the preserya-
tion Of the Park in all its wild and characteristic
/ beauty has BEEN since lie first visited it with
| President Arthur seven years ago, asslduous ana
| dsinterested. Senator Manderson, of Nebraska,
| has also rendered valuable service in the same
cause When thck bill. however,, was reported
! 10 tie IIoGsc by its Committee on Public Lands,
| IL WIS found that an amendment giving permlS-
| sion 10 the Montana Mineral Railway Company
! fo enter the Park had been added Precisely what
connection the granting of such franchise has
with bill which secks to preserve the water supply
of the lakes anG streams in the Park A. would
be- difficult at first blush TO say, except. perhaps,
| for the attitude assumed by the agents OF the
! railway lobby inside and outside of Congress IL
is nortirg more nor less than n declaration that
! they will hot permit the bill 10 pass without
| TN" rider attached III the interest ol their en-
ploYcrs.
! Forest fires may continue 10 dcvastato the couI-
! Try living about the Park. and the water supply
br impcrilicd thereby the slaughter OF elk, deer,
! sheep and moose nay 20 on, and the extinction
| oi these species bc hlOheht about; criminals ana
! 'a,, breaker MAY purSle their course without
.car of putil.nmrnt aud travel b., rendered inSe-
cure. but inst the upuden' demands Of this rail-
! way lohbv toy an eNc'Tsiyc franchise must be
/ needed by Congress Exclusive the franchise must
/ hr else tie Montana Mineral Railway Company
! doesn't want II. objections tLeretor' ara raised
! by this S'nGulariv mpCcs; corporation TO read
! ll>tment OF tire northern boundary which wonlu
furnish practical solution 81 tle entire dIiicuty.
/ II j.. in short. not >, much the dcNrIopmeh' Oh
hidden IN the bowels of the earth near Cooke that
+, dr,ircl by tn, company ~ tne possession ot
an p\ciISiN, nr.N!c-r for Constructing ana opera
m. n railway outside the border lines OF the
! National Park. What lhc admi->lo o any raIl-
! Ma, uu,rr any plgtencP or for Whatever purpose
w,ulI mean. j. slLlicl up in the course of an
.r1rrurpt recently made ia Garden AMI forest
! Inv Professor G. :. sargent. when he says: 10
! would lc the ir-lunirc OF the end. lie char-
| actor of fine PARK would hr DESTROYED. ana tne
clicf charm IF y, present beauty completely lost
| The llous. should promptly pass the hlll as it
| rar,c IRON, the senate without the objectionable
.rurudmrut> which uW, then paternity 10 the
/ sam, sinister influence winch in another congress
succeeded in defeating 'hc pa>>aoe oil the Sop3'
! right bill.