The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-23
FROM THE PEOPLE
From Page Four.

Il; and when the bill providing for the
park. and introduced in the senate py
Senator Squire. Of this state, was enacted
into law. ! never dreamed, nor did any
of its promoters. tnat the use OF the
mountains beautiful meadows as a sheep
range would ever be sanctioned by legis-
Iative action. That sheep grazing In the
meadows of Mount Rainier would be ap-
solutely detrimental to their beauty ana
cleanliness is not a matter OF doubt with
me; 1t II an absolute conviction. some
@. our citizens seem to be impressed Win
the idea that the sheep industry OF the
state will be ruined II the sheep owners
are denied access to the government re-
serve, including the grassy slopes OF Rat
nier, in the latter part OF the season. III
would be a sufficient answer 10 TINS 10
say that IL the state has any Industry
that depends for its very existence upon
some sort of government aid 1t would
better be abandoned, and the capital In
vested in It be used in exploiting some
OF our numerous permanent resources.
The mountain will remain forever, and
we, while enjoying the beauty ana sud
Unity OF its immediate surroundings,
should provide for leaving 1t to future
generations with that beauty and SUBJ
Unity unmarried. The sheep industry,
on the other hand. may wane. In my
opinion, It is destined to be swallowed
by the Invaluable and rapidly enhance
ing dairy Industry Of the state, which
the sheep interest really antagonizes by
its destructiveness to our natural
pastures. Last summer. at the time the
sheepmen were warmly agitating the
grazing question because OF restricting
order issued by the interior department,
was in correspondence on the subject
with a gentleman who Is deeply versed
in mountain lore. who is thoroughly ia
miliar with the whole mountain system
Of the Pacific coast. and an authority on
the subject of sheep grazing In Its con-
nection with forestry. In one OF his let
tiers occurs this statement and glowing
tribute to our grand mountain park:
ITO pasture sheep In the Tacoma and
Seattle home gardens would be far less
criminal and disastrous to the best inter-
ests Of the state than to pasture them
in the lily gardens of Mount Rainier.
The Rainier park Is naturally one OF
the most beautiful, sublime and interest
ing in every way in the country, and
even in the matter Of dollars ia worth
many times more than all the f1ocks in
the state"
In conclusion, would respectfully sug-
gest to Hon. w. l.. Jones that when the
grazing bill is sent to the lower house
for consideration SHOULD 1t, indeed. pass
the senate) he offer an amendment to II
which shall exclude the Mount Rainier
national park from its provisions. ! am
satisfied that IL the friends of the mount
ain were to present this question in its
proper light to the representatives in
congress from the Eastern states they
would oppose the passage of the proposed
bill until such provision were added to
1t. All these congressman and their vast
constituency have an interest in this
grand mountain park. for 1t was created
''for the use and enjoyment Of the peo-
ple"-the whole people. and not for the
pecuniary benefit of any class. Rest,
enjoyment. health, recreation-these are
lovely region. The shop. the almighty
dollar" have no place there.
p. b. VAN TRUMP.