Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-04-25
PRESIDENT LAYS STONE
Commentaries Park visit Before 0Ontinu-
ing Trip Through Western States.
EUROPEANS ARE MOST APPREclATWE
old World Citizens Flock 20 American
Beauty Spot which Easterners
Seem to Ignore Too Much
mt Present.


The ceremony was performed according
to the Masonic ritual and was in charge
Of the grand officers of the state OF Mon
tana. Special trains brought hundreds of
people, including a large body Of Masons.
The president rode down from the post, ac-
companied by Major Pitcher, and was es-
corted to the gaily- decorated stand, where
he delivered an address. Troops b and G
OF the Third cavalry, from Fort Yellow
stone. were drawn up as guard of honor
Frank e. Smith, grand master, conducted
the services assisted by Deputy Grand Mas
ter Sol Hepner and Grand Senior Warden
Lew Galloway. The president, on behalf Of
the Masons of the state, was presented with
a Masonic charm mounted on a nugget Of
Montana gold.
Calls Park Unique.
The president began his address by thank
ing the people and the soldiers for his
enjoyable two weeks holiday, and then
spoke of the natural wonders OF the park.
He said
THE Yellowstone Park is something alb
solutely unique in this world as far as
know. Nowhere else in any civilized coun-
try is there to be found such a tract OF
veritable wonderland, made accessible to all
visitors, where at the same time not only
the scenery OF the wilderness, but the wild
creatures OF the park are scrupulously pre-
served as they were, the only change being
that the same wild creatures have been 30
carefully protected as to show literally as
founding tameness
THE creation of such a natural play
ground in the midst of our people is
credit to the nation, but above all to Mon
tana, Wyoming and Idaho. 1t has been
preserved with wise foresight. The scheme
of its preservation is noteworthy in its
sential democracy. This park was created
and now is administered for the benefit and
enjoyment of the people. The government
must continue to appropriate for it es-
pecially in the direction OF completing and
perfecting an excellent system of driveways.
The only way that the people as a whole
can secure to themselves and their children
the enjoyment in perpetuity Of what the
Yellowstone Park has to give is by as
suming the ownership in the nanss VI the
nation and by jealously safeguarding and
preserving the scenery, the forests and the
creatures.
Europeans appreciate Deauties.
"At present 1t is rather singular that
greater number OF people ceme from Eur
rope to see ii than from our own eastern
beauties and | hope that more and more
of our people will come to appreciate it's
really marvellous character. Incidentally ]
should like to point out that some time
people will awake to the fact that the park
has special beauties to be seen in winter
and any person who can go through 1t In
that season on skis will enjoy himself as
he scarcely could elsewhere
81 wish to congratulate the people OF
Montana, Wyoming and Idaho and especially
you OF Gardiner and Cinnabar and the I'M
mediate outskirts of the park, for the way
in which you heartily cooperate with the
superintendent to prevent acts of vandalism
and destruction. The preservation OF the
forests is of course the matter OF prime
Importance in every public reserve OF this
character. In this region of the Rocky
Mountains and the great plains the prob
lem of the water supply is the most impor-
tant Of the homemaker's of1ce.
Congress has not of recent years done
anything more important than passing the
irrigation bill and nothing more essential
to the preservation of the water supply
than the preservation of the forests. Mon
tana has in it's water power a source OF
development which has hardly been touched.
This water power will be seriously Inn
paired IL ample protection is not given the
forests. Therefore, this park. like the for
est reserves generally, Is of the utmost
advantage to the country around from the
merely utiitarian side But OF course this
park Also because OF its peculiar features,
is to be reserved as beautiful playground.
Here all the wild creatures of the old days
are being preserved. and their overflow
into the surrounding country means that
the people of the surrounding country, so
long as they see that the laws are OBJ
served by all, will be able to insure to
themselves and to their children, and to
their childrens children, much of the old
time pleasure Of the hardy life Of the will
derness, and Of the hunter in the wilderness.
Game Herds Astounding.
81 have been literally astounded at the
enormous quantities of elk, deer antelope
and mountain sheep which have seen on
their wintering ground, and the deer and
sheep in particular are quite as tame as
range stock.
"A few buffaloes are being preserved, l
wish that the government could provide for
an experimental breeding sta len of cross
breeds between the buffalo and the common
cattle. II these cross breeds could be sue
cessfully perpetuated we could have ami
mails which would produce a robe quite as
good as the old buffalo robe, with which
twenty years ago everyone was familiar,
and animals. moreover. which would be so
hardy that think they would, for instance,
be admirably suited for the Alaskan terri
tory, which look to see develop astOund-
ingly within the next decade or two, not
only because Of its furs and fisheries, but
because of its agricultural and pastoral
possibilities"
At the conclusion of the ceremonies the
presidents train pulled out for Livingston,
where Mr.. Burroughs will leave the party
and will spend short time at Spokane,
Wash, and on a ranch in Montana, after
which he will return to his home at Peeks-
kill. N. Y.
shaw and Hitchcock Join President.
CHICAGO, April 24.-secretary Shaw ar
rived In Chicago today on his way west TO
meet President Roosevelt and accompany
him through Iowa.
Mr.. Shaw will remain in Chicago until
Monday, when he will go to Clarinda Ia,
where he will meet the president on Tues
day.
WASHINGTON. April 24.-secretary
Hitchcock will start west tomorrow to
meet the president and go with him to ST.
Louis.
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King DecOrates a Captain.
COPENHAGEN. April 24.-King Christian