Mohave County miner., 1910-12-03
Protest Against Grand Canyon Reserve.

States authority to create National Monuments and specifies national bat tie fields, prehistoric ruins, petrified forests, and as a sort of after consid- eration, any object of scientific inter- est that is liable to be destroyed, but than is actually necessary for protec- tion. This bill was the result of two unsuccessful attempts of President Roosevelt to get Congress to make a National Park out of the entire Grand Canyon, as recommended in his first and second messages to Congress after the death of Mckinley, and the visit of Roosevelt to the Canyon as the guest of Paul Morton, Vice President of the Santa Fe railroad.
 It reserves from appropriation of all kinds and uses under the public land laws, everything within its boundaries, but the adroitness of the last clause of the act completely cancelled the object and intent of its author, and as a re- suit all prospecting for mineral loca- tions, water power s.tes, and in fact every sort of development has been completely strangled. Had this be- come apparent to Congress the bill would never become a law. Now, MT. Miner, or Tax Payer, if the President should listen to these fanatical fadists of the national society and grant this outlandish request it would tie up l50 miles more of the Canyon, which lies for the most part in Mohave county, and stop all future development the same as it has done in our county of Coconino, in the Canyon region. Many of you are aware that there is a pro- ject on foot to install a great power plant at the west end of the Canyon that will eventually furnish electric power for all purposes, and also furn- ish water for the cultivation of thou sands of acres of land within your bor- ders. The attention of the National Mining Congress, which met in Los Angeles, Cal, on the 26th of Septem- Der last was called to this important proposition and a resolution heartily endorsing it was passed by unanimous vote. Another resolution providing for thorough investigation as to the mineral resources of the region by the Geological Survey of the U. s. be had before any more National Parks or monuments were created, was also passed in the same manner. No doubt the delegates present from Mohave county will call to mind the mysterious transformation and hokus pokus, slight of hand treatment accorded this latter measure on the way from the commit tee on resolutions to the Convention Hall. It may be the secretary had been previously advised of the con- templated action of this vigilant so- ciety. It is really an insult to the in- telligence of the President to attempt to impose upon hIs credulity with any representation that there is a possi-
  hility of destroying or in any way marring the beauty of the Grand Canyon. I doubt if any one of these gentlemen have the remotest idea of the surrounding country and the Can yon itself within these boundaries, ex- cept it may be Dellenbaugh, and he only got down to the Kanab wash on his trip with Major Powell in 1872, and now be wants to make National Monument of the whole business in commemoration of the wonderful achievement.
 Other railroads are looking forward to future connections on the north side of the Canyon, and a possible crossing has been discovered that would con- meet with the branch line out of King man. Several other projects in Cata- ract Canyon and further east, are un- der consideration, and there can be little doubt but that this whole scheme originated about the time Teddy made that Canyon trip as the guest of his friend Paul for the purpose of heading off competition. I am informed that Sandy Britton, who is the Attorney for the Santa Fe at Washington, will make a desperate effort to pass Sena- tor Flint's National Park bill at the present session of Congress, and this practically means confiscation of the entire Grand Canyon on both sides by this grasping octopus. This is a very important matter for the consideration of every man, woman and child in Arizona, and no time should be lost in getting the facts before the law mak- CTS at Washington. We are on the