The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-18
ASKS AID FOR
U. s. FAIRGROUNDS
Says We Should Make Ma.
tiOnal Parks More Accessi-
bic to People.
BETTER ROADS WANTED

Lane. in his forthcoming annual report.
calls attention to the national parks a.
. valuable and undsveloped asset OF
the country.
The United States furnishes play
grounds TO the people OF the country
which are. W. may modestiy state. with
out any rivals In the world" he OBJ
serves. "Just - the cities arc seeing
the wisdom and the necessity OF open
spaces for the children. 20. with . very
large view. the nation has been saving
from It's domain the rarest places Of
grandeur and beauty for h enjoyment
Of the world.
During the year q new national park
Of distinction and unusual accessibility
has come into existence. II crosses the
Rockies In Colorado at a point OF su-
prems magnincence. hence its title. the
Rocky Mountain National Park. Through
Il, from north TO south. winds the Con-
tinental Divide-ths Snowy Range in
name n fact. Two hundred lakes
grace this rocky paradise and bear and
bighorn inhabit It's businesses. 1t has an
area Of $50 square miles and lies only
seventy miles from Denver. Many hotels
Io ~ u LSck Va tucSo 1870
three railroads skirt h sides.
Two Colorado Parks.
This IL Colorado's second national
park. the other being Mesa Verde, where
this Department. with tho assistance OF
Dr.. Jesse Walter Fewkes OF the Smith
sonian Institution has uncovered during
the last summer prehistoric ruins OF
unprecedented scientific interest.
Oregon has but recently completed
Q great highway along the Columbia
River. This should be connected by road
with Mount Hood and a portion of the
present forest reserve converted into a
park. The limits Of Sequoia Park. In
California, the home Of the great red
woods, should be 30 extended AS 70 In
clude the Kern River Canyon. a most
practicable project to-day but to-mor-
row may be too late, because OF the
lumber interests. The Grand Canyon Is
not yet part Of the park SYSTEM. al
though ~ part of q national forest II
comes under the control of the De-
partment Of Agriculture.
There is no eason why this nation
should not make its public health and
scenic domain as available to all Its
citizens as Switzerland and Italy make
theirs. The aim is to open them thor
Ouknly Oy TOdu iii NEdli nv SiN ~
cess and accommodation to every de-
gree of income. In this belief an effort
has been made this year as never be-
fore to outht the parks with new hotels
which should make the visitor desire
to linger rather than hasten on his
journey.
Great Game Preserves.
'.Whil va have been modestly de-
veloping the superb scenic possibilities
Of the Yellowstone nature has made OF II
the largest and most populous game pre-
serve in the Western Hemisphere. Its
great size, its altitude, its vast wilder
ness. it's plentiful waters, Its favorable
conformation Of rugged mountain AND
sheltered valley. ard the nearly perfect
protection afforded by h policy and
scientific care OF the Government have
made this park since Its inauguration in
1879 the natural and inevitable centre
of game conservation for this nation.
There Is something Of significance In
this. 1t Is the destiny OF tho national
parks, II wisely controlled, to become
the public laboratories Of nature study
for the nation. And from them speci-
mems may be distributed to the city and
STATE preserves. as Is now being done
with the elk of the Yellowstone, which
are too abundant. and may be later with
the antelope.
"If Congress will blu make the funds
available for the construction OF roads
over which automobiles may travel with
safety (for hll the parks arc now open
to motors) and for trails to hunt out
the hidden places OF beauty and dignity,
We may expect that year by year these
parks will become a more precious pos
session OF the people. holding them to
the further discovery Of America and
making them still prouder of its re-
sources. aesthetic AS well AS material"