The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-08-11

Uncle Sam wants the people Of the
United States to use their national
parks and become acquainted with
their splendors.
To build legal fences around the
scenic beauties Of the West is not
enough, holds Secretary Lane Of the
department Of the interior. "Why have
great national Fairgrounds unless the
people play ID them?' he asks. Let us
have our scenic splendors seen he in
sists.
Hereby hangs the story Of a new
and interesting policy in the admins
tration Of the national parks.
In these great reservations are to be
found more of the mystery, majesty
and rnagniicence Of the out-of-doors
than can be found Ia any other eoun-
try Of the world. They contain rest
for the weary; d spur for the sound
man and q tonic for the weak; infinite
outlet for exuberant youth and new
vigor for the aged; and even this-life
There are countless sn0w-crowned
mountains, waterfalls Of dazzling vol
ume aud dizzying descent, canyons
that seem like CULTS Of eternity, trees
you can drive through in the biggest
auto truck made. yistas and expenses
that defy expression. It is marvel
Gus panorama which includes about
every remarkable thing the earth pro
duces, animate or inanimate. save one
the Great American Spender.
| "Why not complete the picture?
Lane argues.
Need Net Conserve Scenery.
| To stare it By aneedote, perfectly
well-meaning editor, all lit up with en-
thusiasm for the idea-a piece" for
his magazine was the obiect-recentiy
wrote the secretary Of the interior
seeking data upon the conservation
policy as applied to the parks.
Conserve blazes II ran the reply, IN
substance. You're in the right church
but the wrong pew. We're conserving
\ gas. oil, radium. phosphates, coal and
human energy; we're not conserving
tbs marks. Most of them have beer
conserved many years. by acts OF con
gress. our supply Of scenery, an
happy to say, is not IN danger OF ex
I haustior.
use is the idea now. Il is busl
ness question. Here lies one OF IN
\ BIGGEST business assets in the Y. 5. a,
and ii Is largely unused. Why no
.msh il ana add to our prosperity !"
some Of Uncle Sans national play
eronnds-such us Yellowstone ana 1o
semire-are well known even TO thos
vino have never seen them, but ther
ors 4 number Of others equally as ~
reresting. if not as large, Of which n
IN iority az American citizens probaol
baya never heard. Among the smahe
narks mat are full of interest to IN
,.fs,ror Il the Mesa Verde, in south
western Colorado.
Discovered by Accident.
0ne December day in 1883 Richar
ana Alfred Wetherall, searching 70
losr cattle Oh the Mesa Verde, or gree
,nasa near their home at ManeoS
Cn,n pushed through dense growth
a IRE edge OF q deep canyon an
sbouted aloud in astonishment. Acros
tbe canyon, tucked into shell unut
M oyerhanging edge Of the opposl'
.;,t, wsra the walls and towers
ush,t seemed 10 them palace. Inc
namea It Cliff palace. Forgetting q
,a+tIa in their excitement, the
searched the edge Of the mesa N q
,,;-sctious. Near by, under the owe
hongtnr edge Of another canyon tnt
fanna 4 similar group, no less maze
H. which they named Spruce III
honss because large spruce grew o.
ii the ruins.
mus was discovered the home
~ cuff dwelIers, the most elabora
I'M hast-nreseryed prehistoric run
Il America. if not in the world.
a,rsf,l search Of the entire mesa
"a wears following resulted in maj
- tip5s az interest and importanc
n 1ao6 congress set aside the resi'
- national park. Even yet IT'S trea
nres Of antiquity are not all Known.
e :. Is temple TO the sun was u
earthed in 1918. -.
Cnr palace is the most eeieorat'
: AZ Mesa Verde ruins because i
~ largest and most prominent. y
NY =, are NOT less interesting and il
81 s+ant from a standpoint Of histor
go Tree house is next in si2
pp,conv house and Peabody house a
equally well preserved There a.
many others; some which nave se'