The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-04-25
PRESIDENT RESUMES TOUR
PRESENTED WITH 4 MASONIC
 CHARM MOUNTED ON NUGGET.


 Yellowstone Park-A Credit to Ihe
 Nation and Three States on Which 1t
 BoFders-Imporiance of Zeaiousiy
 safeguarding the Place.
 Gardiner, Mont, April 24.-President Roosevelt this afternoon resumed his tour. Before going, however, he par ticipated in the laying of the corner stone at the new gate at the northern entrance to Yellowstone Park. The ceremony was performed according to the Masonic ritual and was in charge of the grand officers of the state of Montana. Special trains brought hum dreds of people here, including a large body of Masons and as the weather was perfect, the scene was very pretty one. The president rode down from the post, accompanied by Major Pitcher, and was escorted to the gaily decorated stand where he delivered an address. Troops B and c of the Third cavalry, from Fort Yellowstone, were drawn up in. front of the stand as a guard of honor. The grand master conducted the services, assisted by sev- eral grand officers. The president on behalf of the ,Masons of the state, was presented with a Masonic charm, mounted on a nugget of Montana gold , The president began his address by thanking the people and the soldiers for his enjoyable two weeks holiday and then spoke of the natural wonders of the park ..,y-..-. . "The Yellowstone Park" he said, lis something unique in this world, as far as know. Nowhere else in any civil ized country 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 .o of the park are scrupulously preserved as they are here, the only change being that these same wild creatures have been so carefully protected as to show astounding tatmeness. The creator and preserver of such a natural play ground in the midst of our people, as a whole, is "a credit to the nation but above all, credit to Montana. Wyom-
 ing and Idaho, It has been preserved
 with wise foresight. The scheme of it's
 preservation is noteworthy in it's essen- tiaI democracy. This park was created and is now administered for the beie- fit and enjoyment of the people. The
 gnvernennt must continue to appro-
 priate for it, and especially in the di-
 rection of completing and perfecting an excellent system of. driveways. The on
 ly way that the people, as whole, can secure to themselves and their children
 the enjoyment in perpetuity of which the Yellowstone Park has to give, is
 by assuming ownership in the name of the nation and by jealously safeguard ing and preserving the scenery, 7. the lforests, and the creatures. At present, it is rather singular that a greater
 number of people come from Europe than come from our own eastern states to see it, The people nearby seem awake to it's beauties and hope that more and more of our people whom dwell far of will appreciate it's really marvellous character. Incidentally, shoud like to point out that sometime people will awake to the fate 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 else wEere. I wish especially to congratu- late the people of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho and notably you of Gardiner and Cinnabar and the immediate out skirts of the park, for the way ir l which your heartily cooperate with the superintendent to prevent acts of van- dalism and destruction. The preserva. tion of the forests, is, of course, the matter of prime importance in every preserve of this character. In this re zion of the Rocky Mountains and the great plains, the, problem of the water supply is the most important part o1 the home makers office. Congress has | not in recent years done anything more 1 important than passing the irrigation | bill, and nothing more essential to the preservation of the water supply thar
 they make in the preservation of the 1 forests. Montana has in it's water power a4source of development which
 has hardly been touched. This watel | power will be seriously impaired if am pie protection is not given the forests Therefore, this park like the forest pre- serves generally is of the utmost ad. 1 vantag around from the merely utili tarian side. But, of course, this parl l also because of its peculiar features, i: I to be reserved as a beautiful play ground. Here all the wild creatures o1 1 the old days are being preserved, ant l their overflow into the surrounding country means that the people of tht surrounding country, so long as the. see that the laws are observed by all will be able to insure to themselve: ! and to their children and to their chil l dren's children much of the old tim' pleasure of the hardy life of the vii derness and of the hunter in the wilder 1 ness. have been literally astoundet l at the enormous, quantities of elk ant at the number of deer, antelope ant | mountain sheep, which I have seen ol their .yinteriop ground and the deeI