The Newark journal. (Newark, Ark.) 1901-1959, 1919-07-17


Chicago. Five hundred dele
gates were present from 90 states in the vast
basin between the Alleghenies and the Rockies
1.125 square miles. an area about eight times the
size Of either France or Germany. il is one of the
garden spots of the world A century ago all of
it to The west of the Mississippi was an unex-
plored wilderness. We bought that wilderness
from the French in 1903 for Sl5,000o00. Half a
score Of states have been carved from that Louis
lana Purchase"
The whole Mississippi valley contains more than
half of our 100000 people
We have banded 10 promote the interests of
this big region said President Harry II. Merrck
In his keynote address. and We determined
nothing shall prevent the accomplishment of our
purpose The Mississippi valley wants certain
things Some of them shall have to get at
Washington. Our % states control 81 per cent
of the men In congress, and If they don't do what
we want there1 be hell TO pay and no pitch hot
The association would teach the valley interests
from 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
the line that Mississippi valley means from the Do
mnon border to the gulf and from the Alleghenes
ia 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
I'VE arc putting American citizenship above the
dollar" said Honorary President John " Parker
Of New Orleans in the opening address. I'VE
are considering conditions brought about by the
war. These changed conditions open new chap
ter in the history of our valley empire
The changed conditions of which Mr.. Parker
spoke include the recognition Of the national parks
OF the United States not only rs one of the great
economic assets of the nation, but also as public
Fairgrounds necessary TO the mental, moral ana
physical welfare Of the people The United States
now has IS national parks. Their standard is high
They contain some of the most magnificent scenery
in the world. The system is TO be still farther en-
larged 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
tional park as easily as 1t can Its S23ooo0oo
banklr But this Is of the things the associa-
tion will "haye To get ut Washington, since II can
he established only by an act of congress- Ana
congress has no fixed policy regarding the estaD-
ushment of national parks. 1t is platitude to say
that notifies should be eliminated from the estab-
ushmeut of these public Fairgrounds. Neverthe-
loss some of the GerceSt political contests in con-
eress are fought over their creation by way OF
cxompe II may he stated that it took six years OF
nersistent effort to pass in 1915 the net creating
Rocky Mountain national park. the most popular
of all the scenic national parks, and ten years 10
Mass in 1919 the Grand Canyon National park act,
In each case unofficial leaders of the national
,orl, movement say the influential opposition was
the active hostility of the forest service the eu-
reau of the department of agriculture when mas
CHARGE of the national forests. The reason TOT TINS
,ctive hostility is plain Both these nationa PARKS
xere taken freqn national forests and automaueal-
!, car,e under control of the national park serS-
ice a bureau of the department OF the interior.
r,o creation Of these two national parks thus TOOK
o,,oy a large area from the control OF the FOREST
sarvice and corrcspondingly weakened It's poHtlcai
influence. .. x,,
,rho forest service defeated the Greater yellow
stono National park bin in the last congress aiter
- had heen passed ly the house; brought to hauglt
t,a roosevelt National park bill in the house pub
~, ,anas committee after it had been passed by the
.e,ote and is opposing the Greater Rocky Noun
toin National park bill for the addition OF Mount
Evans. ,.. .,ta4 , chew
students of political conditions predict show,
down between the department OF the ih'e,o. ','
Tho don.rtnept of agriculture In the immediate II"
ture. VII. National mark
In tho case of Mississippi Valley Na'ioiiai pam
haro will, he no forest service opposition peV"u,e
tho aronos.d rart area is in II natiohal io lot 81
Nv sasds .re nrivately owned and inns' " AZ