The morning call., 1893-05-28
lOAv..4 hM7s Mtaat ee~u

Il0Au4, IT. hAstat4~4e'~
there has been an unmistakable revival of
popular interest in gu stlons relating to the
conservation of American scenery aud forests
Massachusetts has lately led off in a Systematic
design of reservng small tracts of parkabe
land for villages and small cities, a movement
which commends Itself to init alton by other
States. Organized efforts TO preserve the yet
undeSpoilrd PARTS of the Adrondacks and the
White Mountains promise early success; while,
on larger scale, The American Forestry Asso-
ciation has done noble service IN securing the
official reservation of 900, 900 acres OF public
lands for the important uses of scenic beauty
and of water supply
The widespread Observance OF Arbor DAY II
evidence Of a deep-seafed conviction that the
lime has come for concerted effort, not only to
stay the trebrand and tn ak, but to compen-
safe for their ravag by the continuous plant
ing of new crops. The cynic who refused TO do
anything foi posteriiy on the ground that os-
terity had never done anything for him would
find himself quite out of place at an Arbor-day
celebration, the value of which consists moi
merely in the planting of trees, but in the
planting in the minds of the people The seeds OF
a larger and more far-sighted public spirit
that spirit OF altrulsm which founded our nation
and must be relied upon TO preserve II. Gail il
"enlightened selfshness" or call 1t patriotism
il is merely the spirit which chooses the best
because II Is best for others as we'll as TO: our
selves.
1t must be confessed that In America we do
not C oSs our bridges Until long time after We
nave come TO them. sort of Hebraic belief
that we are the CHOSEN people of God-that be-
caue We have substantial freedom nothing
Ill can befall us-has Induced in US an easy and
insfdious philosoI by which depends on chance
take care OF The iulure. This has become a
sort OF dry-rot in America lif e, and makes US
Indifferent to petty invasions of public rights,
and often to those of more magnitude. The
old-time British spirit of pro est against a
wrong to onr as 4 wrong TO all ha> suffered no
dimnutiou in England, while In America, 10
judge by wh at we endure from our public
servants, that spirit has almost reached sin
nocuOus desuetude."
Take an instance: In London. citizen
who observes some infraction of public rights
not only makes his protest on The spU but he
thinks his duty but half fulfilled until lie has
written to the Times. Tbenceforth he Is
| known among his fellows as one who has done
Them service, as much as lhe red-coa in
| Egypt or on the Indian frontier. Now, what
happens to one who protests against a pubic
wrong IN The American newspaper? ? He too.
| is point out. not for honor and emulation.
| but as noiorlety hunter and a crank.
The lady who once gave me as her credentials $
| for literary work the statement that she had
| written for the complaint column of the New
| York Herald would not hav been so far wrong
If she had been giving or denilals for good cti-
| zenship-always provided That the complaint
was We'll founded. There is noihing that polil-
ical tyrants, large or small, fear so much as tile
| constant skirmish fire OF public criticism, for
! they know 1t presages the coming Of an army
with banners. Nor is there any surer sign of a
| low political stale of health In community
than the Willingness of its citizens calmly to
euauie the encroachmenis aud malfeasances
and Shortcomings of those who should be ii $
/ servants, but who thus become It's masters
In this respect 1t seems to me that 1t is time
some one said the plain word about California,
suplneness III the mistreatment OF Yosemite.
Are the public acts of public officers 10 be
above criticism? Are the Yosemite board par.
takers of tile divinity that doth hedge a King
| Let us be just 10 the board. For myself be.
eve that each commission has contain ed a
number of esrimaDle gentlemen, doub less ex-
cellent business men and good citizens, accord
Ing TO tn ir lights AS said in The Century for
January, 1890:
''We are not impugnng the good faith OF
past or present commissions or eommis>iouer
| appointed for other reasons than their skill.
funess In the treatment of landscape 1hey
are certainly to be acquitted of any Intention
10 lnjure the valley; that would be unbeliey
| able. 1t Is no reproach TO them that they are
not trained forester. Their responsibility
however, does not end there; 1t Is, In fact
there that il begins, for in the absence OF
| knowledge OF a professional nature, IL should
be tnelr first aim TO obtain the very bes man OF
men available TO DO this work. No such exert
IS too good or too expensive. and no Claim upon
| the budgel OF California should baye pieee-
| dence of this. Ii the Commissioners have not
money enough for this expenditure 1t is rt
Of iheii duty, as holders of great trust, 10
arouse public sentiment which shall procure
! the proper appropriation
Wha ever may have been the Intentions OF
the "better element OF the commission, tn Y
have permitted themselves to be dominated by
the noisler two or three who have taken upon
themselves "the defense OF The Yosemiie"; and
what has been The attitude of these toward The
! public? Yon will perhaps pardon reference
10 my own relation TO this controversy which
VIII throw some light on this phase of the sub
ject From the moment. four Y ars ago, when,
after careful insnec ion OF the valley, instead
OF attacking the Commissioners In the press |
went TO one of them with respectful sugge,-
hon looking toward better state of things. I
nave bten treated by certain influential mem
D-rs oi the commission with Combination OF
arrogance aud vuigarIiy that of itself Is "A dis
quahhcation Tor any public trust they may ASPIRE
10 nod. Knowing that was dlsinterested and