The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-11-19
TELLS BEAUTIES
j. S. PARKS OFFER
FEDERAL OFFICIAL POINTS OUT
AMERICA HAS OLDEST
SIGHTS IN WORLD
Says $500. 900, 900 Is Spent Annually
For Travel Abroad.

OiuCol tlih6o Oh NIC
deepest canyons in the world, the
highest waterfalls. the finest glaciers
within easy reach OF tourist travel.
the finest mountain climate. ruined
cities of lost race, the greatest
trees on earth: all OF this In a coun-
try with population in excess IL
100,000,000, a large proportion OF
which spends its time abroad in
search of mountain scenery.
Think of 1t, canyons over mile
deep, waterfalls half mile high,
peaks from the summit OF which can
be seen land three miles below and
giant trees that were 5000 years old
when Christ was horn, all in a coun
try the people OF which spend an
nually $250,000,000 in foreign lands
to view similar but inferior scenery
Many people have asked, why does
not our government do more work la
the national parks" Others and al
ways those who have not seen them.
ask, "Why should the government be
asked to spend money on the national
parks when there are so many other
important thinks needed"
Between these two factions with op
posite views, the government has most
successfully sailed a neutral course
Congress has appropriated a compare
lively small sum each year which has
suffjced to Of. the troubled waters that
were constantly issitated by . the
storms of protest on the part Of those
who know and love our national
parks, which sums were at the same
time not OF sufficient magnitude 10
seriously antagonize those who wish
ed more money appropriated for riv'
ers and harbors.
There were several contributing
factors which have served to make the
continuation of this condition possible
some of which are lack of apprecia-
ton of the Importance of scenery as a
factor in the country's economic de-
velopment, the tremendous volume Of
work in the charge of cabinet officers,
particularly the secretary of the in
terror, rendering it impossible for him
TO give park matters his fuller atten
ton, lack of definite policy in the
administration of the parks, and igno
rance on the part Of the public as to
the magnificence and glory of our
scenic reservations. Perhaps the
most potent OF these is the first men
toned.
Over $500 100000 leave this coun.
try annually in the form of tourist
money spent abroad. Switzerland
alone secures revenue of $250,000,-
600 annually from the sale of her seen
cry, a large portion of which comes
from the United States.
II is true that not all OF the $780,.
100000 spent abroad by Americans is
for scenery alone, but a very consid-
cradle portion is, and the POSSIBLE
fly of retaining some Of this has
aroused the interest Of many in the
question of the ACCESSIBILITY Of sys-
tematically developing our national
parks with an eye to diverting AT
least some of the European travel to
home channels.
Primarily, the national parks are
maintained for all the people and it
was found that il even small frac-
ton of them were ever to see the
parks. three things were essential,
namely, accommodations, transporta-
ton and publicity.
1t was obvious that people would
not travel to the parks unless they
were informed of the attractions to
be found in them.
Up to the present time the conces-
sions for the operation of hotels.
camps. stage lines. ETC., In the parks
have, with few exceptions. been
granted under yearly permits.
AS the secretary was not in po-
sition to carefully investigate the
qualifications Of an applicant to op-
crate a particular concession, 1t was
not deemed safe to grant a permit
for more than one year; nor has
there been any officer in the depart
ment qualified to design the struc-
lures or to select location that. in
The light Of future growth and needs,
would be assured of any degree OF
permanency.
Before a long term lease for a
hotel, for instance, could be granted.
II was necessary that q thorough
study Of conditions be made and
plan rendered to which all improve
ments should adhere. This fact had
been appreciated by former secretar-
les, which had resulted In short term
leases, thus enabling the department
to make changes when necessary.
So It became necessary to devise
q plan by which long term leases
could be granted to the right man
and to plan the work and improve
ments in the parks as that perman-
ence would be assured.
There are in our national parks in
Vulnerable details that are crying for
immediate attention, but any at.
tempt to rectify every mismanaged
minor detail would result in an in
definite postponement Of establishing
and putting into operation a general
policy and would put off for an in