The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-21

H>0yk ~
psaSH ~@M day = number Of
IG $N ElyE% Helena people met
NJ tho secretary. His
~ Xxx visitors were not con-
w EM00MAlgA1sN fined to any party,
M V66SSM4 AMSMNSM but bis presence
1855 NW82St6f2MtRsW &awas taken advantage
HNW8MNGXVMSSSMA SEsof generally by this
MW/MHSSSSTW1EESAN##&&%%citizen to meet the
sKcRETAnY NOBLE. man who has tho
hnal decision Of 10 many questions
that vitality affect tho interests Of Mon
tana. Nj. Noble had a kindly greeting
for all. and appeared 20 appreciate greatly
hia cordial reception. An INDEPENDENT re-
porter had an opportunity to talk with hin
during the day. and as L result II can be
said that Whatever the regulations may
have been q month ago, now the National
park ia free to al. In response to the
question. Have the bars been let down on
the question OF transportation in the Ma
tional park2" Mr.. Noble said:
1.-THE Yellowstone National park belongs
to the people. and it is their rigbtto enjoy IL
to the full. Private parties oan hire tennis,
20 into the park and camp and enjoy them
relves. But If q man desires to make a bus
mess Of carrying people through the park.
he must first aores 10 abide by the rules
and regulations made by the department.
for the government Of the business. before
he can do 40. You know l have been Sc
verely criticised because a stage company
allowed or forced a man to walk mp a hill,
which II 10 alleged resulted III his death, If
. stage breaks down and a man has his leg
broken l Am held responsible. Attimes eom-
plants have come to me that stage drivers
have been insulting to ladies; not in on i'm
moral way. but that they have been mean
and have not treated people az they should.
Az l am held responsible for all these
things. I feel that In order to correct any
abuses OF the kind referred to. I must
know who 10 going to carry people through
the park. There IL one peculiar thing
about the National park: II is not undor
the control Of any bu.eau of the interior
department, but its affairs are directly in
charge of the secretary, and he ia forced
to look after 10 himself.
"Thers always have been,' continued Mr..
Noble, complaints about the park and it's
management from park tourists. l remem-
Der when I had been in my present position
about q year | received a letter from Sen
ator Vest calling my attention to COM
Ul8AuV6 0IlSluK 1IOIu Ulo HCLlOuS OF d SGHQ6
driver and telling me l should see to it that
these things we're stopped. Senator Vest
and myself are very good friends. he il the
senator from state. and I took great pleas
ure in replying to his communication. l
wrote him that when l accepted the losition
Of secretary Of the interior Ihad doubts as
to my ability to care for the public land
business that would come under my con-
troll; doubted nv ability to look after the
pension business that was transacted in the
department; I doubted my ability to prop
erly care for the patent bureau; l doubted
my ability to oversee the department de-
voted to geological surveys; I doubted my
arise for decision In the census b%ureau;lI
doubted my ability to deal in a satisfactory
n with the questions arising in. the
Indian bureau. But. ! wrote Mr.. Vest, /
have met all these problems and I believe
the public is satisfied with the work l hive
done. I will get out my heavy ordi-
nance. buckle on m armor of small guns
apd wrestle with the stage drivers In the
National park.
IT have been subjected to a great deal Of
criticism" continued Mr.. Noble, ''and l
might say abuse over the Wakefield trans
was not known in the department. and
had no contract. What rights he had he
acquired from the hotel company. The
latter WAS losing money on the hotels and
making it mp on the transportation. The
congressional investigation vent over
these questions. Mr.. Gibson came. to
Washington with the avowed intention. of
turning mo down in that transportation
matter, but I was ready for him long before
he left st. Louis. He came east after wool
and went back empty banded. Tho three
new hotels that have been built in the park
this year ! regard a. much due to my
e%xertions az to those of the hotel COMPANY.
i NhAIA than akPiok1u kn thaip Cortpou% a,l
told them that the time was rapidly passing
in which these hotels must be constructed.
Before they had tents and log shanties.
now visitors pay the same and have first.
class accommodations. I regret / could
not visit the park, but my time is limited
as l was ton days late in leaving Washing
ton"
my trip to the northwest" continued
the secretary, lis simply one Of rest and
recreation, m there 10 no politics in II.
# l should tell the people all the good
things the interior DEPARTMENT has accom-
plished In the last three years II might be a
good argument for tho continuance Of
tho present administration. but that would
take too long. I am more than pleased
with Montana and her people and I am
sincerely Rrati6ed with ths rscsption I have
received. One thing that strikes me is
that in all the smaller towns in the state
whore ! have stopped there are clubs with
with the residents Of big eastern oitiea.
Another thing I notice ls that You folks
all work together when You want anything,
without regard to political lines. Every
place ! have stopped some new question in
regard to lands has come up. At Miles
City they asked me about tho removal OF
the Cheyennss; at Billings II wal in rela-
ton to the Grow allotments; 1t Livingston
the odd-scction man interviewed me.
While the trip is for rest and recreation,
still ! am combining pleasure with bust
ness and learning a great deal Of the needs
of Montana.
"What a great state Montana will be with
irrigation. She has great rivers She can
utilize and reclaim thousands of 40, 90 Of
land 20 valueless save for grazing. It
was wonderful to me to see on one side OF
the road fields of grain that would harvest
sixty and seventy bushels to the acre and
on the other . barren waste, and
the difference due altogether. to the little
streams of water that msandered through
the ground on the ons aide, but did not
reach the other. The water in your streams
will raise anything. even trout. Yesterday
] caught i've speckled beautiss." (This was
said with as much exultation az though
Mr.. Noble were announcing that he had
re suaded Gov. Toole to take the stump for
Harrison
''To-niOrroW / start for thu Eounn - ann