The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-07-12

rates were present from 90 states In the vast
basin between the Alleghenes and the Rockies
LIS square miles an area about eight times the
size of either France Germany. 1t Is one OF the
garden spots of the world. century ago all OF
It to the west of the Mississippi was an unex-
,lored wilderness. We bought that wilderness
from the French in 1903 for $15OOO,OOO. Half
scCre of states have been carved from that Louis
ana Purchase"
The whole Mississippi valley contains more than
aelf of our 11O0OOOCO people.
1--WE have banded to promote the interests OF
his big region" said President Harry 81. Merrick
q his keynote address. "and we are determined
iothing shall prevent the accomplishment Of our
purpose. The Mississippi valley wants certain
hings. Some Of them we shall have to get ut
Washington. Our % states control 81 per cent
If the men in congress. and If they don't do what
We want there'll be hell to pay and no pitch hot"
The association would teach the valley interests
rom Chicago and Minneapolis to New Orleans and
Galveston; from st. Louis to Kansas City, from
Detroit to Denver, and so in and out and all along
he line, that Mississippi valley means from the DO
ninion border to the gulf and from the Aleghenies
to the Rockies and that the easiest way out is not
over the Rockies to the Pacific nor via the narrow
bottle neck of New York to the Atlantic, but by
waterways nature intended for mans use.
Value Of National Parks
1--WE are putting American citizenship above the
II New Orleans in the opening address. 1--WE
are considering conditions brought about by the
wa. These changed conditions open new cnap-
ter in the history Of our valley empire
The changed conditions" Of which Mr.. Parker
xpoke include the recognition of the national PARKS
OF the United States not only as one of the great
economic assets of the nation, but also as public
fairgrounds necessary to the mental, moral and
nhysic,,: welfare of the people. The United States
now has IS national parks. Their standard Is hign
They contain some of the most magnificent scenery
IN the world. The system is to be still farther en-
!arged by creating several new parks.
The army Of national park enthusiasts Will cry
with one accord: would that the Mississippi VAL
lev association could establish the Mississippi Ma
noraI mark as easily as It can Its $25.O000 600
hank" But this Is one Of the things the assOcia-
Hon viii shave to get at Washington" since 1t can
he established only by an act of congress. AND
congress has no fixed policy regarding the estaD-
iishment Of national parks. 1t is q padtude 10 say
chat politics should be eliminated from the esfao-
t,shment of these public Fairgrounds Neverthe-
less some of the ercest political contests IN con-
vress are fought oyer their creation. Ey way Of
example 1t may be stated that 1t took six years OF
nersstent effort to pass in 1915 tho act creating
Rocky Mountain national park, the most popular
Of all the scenic national parks and ten years to
mass in 1919 the Grand Canyon National park act.
Tn each case unofficial leaders Of the national
park movement say, the lnnuentlaI opposltion was
the active hostility Of the forest service, the bu'
reau of the department of agriculture which has
charge Of the national forests The reason for this
active hostility is plain. Both these national parks
we're taken from national forests and automatical-
" came under control Of the national park serv-
ice. bureau of the department OF the interior.
The creation of these two national parks thus took
away a large area from the control of the forest
service and correspondingly weakened its political
influence.
The forest service defeated the Greater Yellow
stone National park bill in the last congress after
Il had been passed by the house brought to naught
the Roosevelt National park bill in the house pub
IL lands committee after 1t had been pasted by the
senate, and is opposing the Greater Rocky Noun
tain National park bill for the addition OF Mount
Evans.
v students Of political conditions predict show
down between the department Of the Interior and
the department Of agriculture in the immediate ID
ture.
In the case Of Mississippi Valley National park
there win be no forest service opposition because
the proposed park area is in national forest
~ iands are privately owned and must be &c
a