The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1919-08-28

there IL NOT n scenic national park WoF!hy OF the
name between Rocky Mountain N Colorado ana
Lafalyette on .he coast of Maine.
So Indiono Illinois and Michigan want "A ma
tiona park and they have picked out the dunes as
the right place for II.
How they going to bring about us es'aplisn-
ment is n big question. The proposed PARK area
Is all under private ownership and is acid at spec
ulative prices the chance of +tcond ""fy
being built at the head of Lake Michigan Even
at actual values it would cost about &,JOOOoo TO
buy the 1900 acres most desirable for park pur-
poses The scenic parks of the West were taken
from the national forests and the public domain
by congress. To date there is no precedent for
the appropriation by congress of funds to purchase
Il national park area. Lafayette was presented to
the government for national park purposes by the
owners of the property
Congress has national park policy. 1t dllly-
uaes with national parks AS II does with most
other things 1t is now generous with appropria-
tons and again niggardly; for instance, 1t gave
Yellowstone $334OO and Yosemite $255000 in
1919 and kept Rocky Mountain, with twice
many visitors both parks. down to $4,000.
Politics enters largely into all national park legis
lation. In the SiXty-sourth congress the interior
department supported the bill to enlarge Yellow
stone and the bin TO add to SeQuoa and change
its name TO Roosevelt The agricultural depart
ment because the proposed additions would be
taken from national forests and therefore from its
control. opposed both bills, beating the former in
the senate and the latter in the house So there
Is no telling what congress will or will not do in
the matter Of national park legislation.
Can congress be induced to appropriate money
FOR the purchase of private holdings for national
park purposes7
This question has been put squarey M TO con-
gress by two bills introduced al this session. one
calls for the appropriation of a million dollars or
30 for the purchase of Mammoth cave. Kentucky
and Its enVironS for Il national park The other
provides for the establishment of the MiSSiSslppi
Valley National park on both sides of the NIissls
sippl in southwestern Wisconsin and northeastern
Iowa. Here the two states own the land upaer
the river the federal government controls 40
navigation part of the proposed area is a Wiscon.
sin state park. some of thu land will be donateo
and the land to be purchased by the government
has been appraised at a very moderate price
Can congress condemn private holdings fer ma.
honal park purposes?
Nobody seems TO know. Most lawyers would
say o6hand that the state of lndnna can ron.
denim the dunes fer state park purposes And
presumably the state Of Indiana could transfer the
land to the federal governments. The national mark
service has been looking into the question of CON
demnaton. Ii Is advised that The, government ,
condemn private holdings inside OF national norr
boundaries-in fact. bill is pending 10 condemn
100 acres in General Grant National park vs+rh.
the owner will not sell for reasonable price 4,
10 the condemnation Of patented land outst5, 80
national park the national park service Is ,.,,
undecided. Condemnation of the 9unes bos -,
advocated by private individuals and hv tha moss
The creation Of Lafayette National mark has
established this precedent: The federal ..,v.r,,
nent Will accept suitable land presented To- ii FIR
national park purposes. So whN. other ou4s+t.,,.
are being thra>hed out. the IaHiunY. Hfnot. ma
Michigan declarations OF the General Federation
of Women's clubs are engaged In % campaign IA
raise sufficient money by substitution to purchase