The Washington herald., 1908-02-16
WOULD SAVE NATURE
Writer Objects to WantOn
Destruction Of Resources.
CITES PALISADES OF POTOMAC
Declares No Other Country Would
Permit Such Actions as Are Wit
messed Along Hudson BiVer-SOrry
to see Niagara Falls Turned over
10 SOrdid COmmerciaiism.

Editor The Washington Herald:
Ia my previous article upon 'preserv-
in our nature spots" which you did me
the honor of publishing in your excellent
paper, ] was so cramped by lack Of space
as not TO be able to fully express myself
on this most important subject
] quote as examples Of great monu-
ments of nature which had been marred
SO that the great power stored up In
them could be used as power for the
great corporations in materially reducing
the sums required for their various en-
terprises, niagara Falls, the Palisades
of the Hudson, the Palisades of the
Potomac. and the giant redwood trees
of California. These are the best-known
examples of what man can do in imita-
tion Of the moth. rust and the various
other microbes which are at all times
engaged in their peculiar work Of de-
struction, That this work Of destruction
should be carried on IN a land apparently
so civilized as our own, and in spite of
the fact that we claim TO be the most
Christian people on the globe, IS clearly
incomprehensible. Let us see what has
already been accomplished in the bastard
ly work of destruction.
Sacrificed to OCOmmercialism.
Niagara Falls are noted as the greatest
fall of water-that is in quantity-any
where else on the face of the globe: yet
the electrical power companies. of both
the United States and Canada, have
been allowed 10 very materially reduce
the fall of water in order to supply
power for their various enterprises. The
Palisades Of the Hudson have been favor
ably compared with the view unfolded
10 the eyes Of the tourists of the Rhine,
yet the biaster has torn away many of
the rocks which have heretofore mace
these barriers one OF the natural wonders
Of the world
The Palisades of the Potomac have
beauty which will he sought In vain
when the work Of the b.aster fiend, now
going merrily forward. shall have been
accomplished. The redwood trees OF Cali
fornia have a peculiar value as compared
with all other known trees Of ihe earth.
as probably the largest known species.
yet they are being wantonly destroyed
10 serve man in the humble capacity OF
partitions for his puny habitation.
Lebanon Cedars saved.
How different was the fate Of those
other giant trees. the cedars Of Lebanon,
which were hewn down TO be given an
honored place I'm the famous Temple Of
Jerusalem. in obedience TO a direct mau-
date from their Creates We claim 20 be
civilized. yet it remained for the yaunted
white man to destroy these great natural
monuments. while the poor, prejudicated
red man. who had lived among. ad-
mired. and made them the themes Of his
poets, looked on IN wonder at the fall
and destruction OF companions of his
former dominion over this continent
Certainly the ways of man are past
finding out.
The vast monuments of America belong
to the whole people, not 10 selfish men or
corporations Let our legislators see TO
Il that we are assured Of our rightful
heritage Mr. Carnegie mas done a great
work in presenting 10 our cities the IL
braFies. Let him carry his work still
further and buy up points Of especial
beauty and grandeur in the United States
and present them 10 the people in the
form Of national parks, He could not
do a greater work.
WILLIAM r. DAVIS.