Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-04-18

aud other predatory beasts which destroy
the deer and young elk. No herds ol
sheep or cattle are permitted to destroy
the beautiful carpeting Of luxufiant
grasses and gorgeous wild flowers In
glades and valleys Of noblest beauty.
Here, then, the student and the lover Of
nature may study nature In her pristine
beauty and under conditions which else
where exist only In the few remote lands
not yet invaded BY man.
To these national parks, theu, the Dc.
partment OF the Interior invites the stu.
dent, amateur and professional alike.
One must not confuse the national for.
ests with the national parks. The
national forests aggregate many times
the area Of the national psrks. They
and grazing interests for the people; the
numbering, instead OF being done by pri-
vate interests for private profit, % In the
past, Is now done 10 the public interest
The trees are cut In accordance With the
principles of scientific forestry, which
conserves the smaller trees until they
grow TO . certain size, thus perpetuating
the forests. Sheep or cattle Craze In all
pastures under governmental regulations,
aud regulated bunting Is permitted In
season. The national parks, on the other
hand, are not properties in even the least
commercial sense, but natural preserves
for the rest, recreation, and education of
tho people. They remain under pature's
own chosen conditions. They alone
maintain "the forest primevaI."
Lovers of sport also 6nd tho national
parks rich fields of pleasure, provided
they do their hunting only with the
camera. This is encouraged; and there
are no other places In the world where
wild animals may be approached 80
closely. In the Yellowstone, where
shooting has been strictly prohibited
since 1872, one may With reasonable care
and precaution photograph deer at close
quarters, approsch elk and antelope aud
even moose and bison near enough for
good pictures, and occasionally coax
bears even to take sugar from ones fn.
gers. ..rl
RIRDs AND WILD ANIMALS.
The lesson of the Yellowstone Is that
wild animals greatly fear man only when
Wdu ID CTuot huu WuCuorUuB. duOtU0I
lesson from national parks experience Is
that no wild animal will injure human
beings except In self-defense. Even the
grizzly bear, which We were brought up
to believe an aggressive, ferocious animal,
is found to be entirely shy and harmless
except when violently assaulted. The
monster cat Of our rock fastnesses-
mountain lion-big enough and powerful
enough to drag down full.grown elk, is
the most timid of all the beasts In the
national parks, flying at great speed at
the first sight or scent OF man; but that
again Is because the mountain lion, being
predatory, is the only animal In our
national parks that is hunted.
The national parks cover Q great area,
4, 1856, ,988 acres In all. fall were put to.
gether it would mean an area Of 1890
square miles, a. large, nearly, 40 the
State of New jersey. The Yellowstone
National Park alone contains more than
8 300 square miles, and Is as big 40 many
OF the Independent European principals.
ties that warred with each other for CEN
turies before the genius of Bismarck
united them into great empire.