The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-07-27

mountain sides. the absolute pcrftc-
ton Of deSolauon that mas resulted
from this method OF numbering up iii
PENNSYLVANIA, should he argument
enough 70 persuade Congress that
some better plan should be followed
in North Carolina. These mountains
can he properly handled as forestry
proposition and made profitable But
even whether handled for the forests
or not they can he much more proft-
able TO the country as vast mountain
parks for the people who are hera
and are coming in the future than
they can ever he made aS lumber
operation.
What a funny crowd Ne are. Ne
have here in these mountains posi-
bility beyond limit. within four or i've
hundred miles Of The states that have
the population. Yet we make our
national parks two Thousand miles
away. We have our sea coast along
the entire Atlantic and gulf coast. yet
We make the Pacific coast a popular
summer and winter outing ground.
although Florida, Georgia and the
Carolinas are just as attractive and
mucn less expensive TO reach.
Over three fOurths Of all the people
Of the United States are in the region
east OF the Mississippi river one
Half Of all the people are east II a
hat runs 20 miles west Of Chat

> Tenn. city that stands inn
| me ~0k, der the shadow OF some
of the sss, Interesting mountains Of
the Appaiu|Hian system. A line drawn
half way between the ApualaCh ChIan
mountains. and the Yellowstone park
would cut the country into two parts.
one part having about 90.o00,0V0 peo-
! pie and the other having 100000
people. The part with the ten mill
10 l,a !, ~ fIl.,,-
| stone side of the line.
National Park Demanded
The government has done wisely
TO make national parks III the big
west 1t is 4 far look ahead. saving
the marvellous beauties and grandeurs
OF the country for the pleasure Of the
, people Why the same wisdom is not
shown in making national parks in
a section Of the country just as at
/ tractive and easy to reach that the
people can utilize them is one of the
, mysteries Of popular government.
Every day the work is neglected
makes il much more expensive and
difficult. Every crop of timber re-
moved by waStcful methods of lumber
| ing increases the task of putting the
r forest again into the natural original
5 beauty which should be maintained
instead of being destroyed.
: 1t is not a North Carolina question
at ALL 1t is a national question. God
. has been good to the people Of the
9 Old North State, as the mountains
e and the sea, and all the intcrmedi-
e ate bounties testify. The people OF
t North Carolina can find mountains
II and mountain country so convenient
s that they really need less cOnsidera-
: ton as far great parks go than the
s people Of most other sections do. Il
g iS OF a
@ matter. 1t iS merely an accident OF
O creation that these mountains happen
q to be in the boundaries of North Caro-
s lima The important fact is that they
+ are within easy reach of the five
- sixths of all the people of the whole
. nation and that a. the population in
q creGses the demands for an outint
= region will increase faster nan tn
e facilities for meeting the demand Will
= Greatest Park Sure To Come.
In the course of time the creates
- park in the world is going TO be tn
~ mountains of North Carolina. Wheth
&c er the Federal government takes hOlt
le of this proposition or not it is certain
ic to work itself out one way or another
VI The reason | know this is because
~ know that great things move alonl
the line Of least resistance. Here ar
the mountains, with all of the fasCl
X nation and charm of real mountains
"a mountains alive with every form o
- rugged interest, river and catarac;
u spring run, and boiling torrent, fOreS
"a covered ridges, pastoral valleys an
+c coves Here are roads and trails avail
~ able for travel, cities and villages tha
"a will care for the tourist, big resor
- hotels and unpretentious little tavern
- to suit everybody, telegraphs, tele
- phones, railroads, pOstoftices, peopl
- - Of our own sort, all the convenience
e Of civilization in the heart OF the vas
p9 wilderness. Always Will these noun
~ tains be the retreat Of increasln
% armies Of visitors for always viii IN
7s- mountains be the unchangeable, un
eS firing satisfying ambition OF the muI
= titude Of men.
ry More and More Will Come.
OF 4 systematic development OF par
0f | n nf