Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-06-12

gates we're present from % states in the vast
basin between the AlIeghenies and the Rockies
K,72a square miles, an area about eight times the
sire at either France OF Germany. 1t is one of the
.&saEztszL spots of the world. a century ago all Of
&c fn tie west of tine Mississippi was an unex-
gfsrgI wilderness. We bought that wilderness
Ero1a tAe French In 1868 for S75,000,GG0. Half a
scesHe cS states have been carved from that Louis
faua Purchase"
The whole Mississippi valley contains more than
half Cd our I1o,OOG,OOa people.
"Hc have banded 10 promote the interests of
etfis big region" said President Harry H. Merrick
t2n hts keynote address. "and we are determined
nothing shall prevent Che accomplishment of our
purpose. The Mississippi valley wants certain
things Some Of them we shall have to get at
Washington. Our . states control SO per cent
ct the men in congress. and if they don't do what
~TTr want there1l be he'll TO pay and no pitch hot"
Tie association would teach the valley interests
from Chicago and Minneapolis to New Orleans and
sCSaisfstCnT from St Louis to Kansas City, from
Dstrs1e TO Denver. and so In and out and all along
sghe Enc, that Mississippi valley means from the Do
Zmiuhln border to the gulf and from the Alleghenies
sa r1se Rockies, and that the easiest way out is not
> oEsr the Rockies to- the Pacific nor via the narrow
Z bsftfe neck Of New York to the Atlantic, but by
waterways nature Intended for mans use.
z Value Of National Parks. .~ssS8s.
are putting American citizenship above the
~NE ~@AN ~ A&lAiCh OOhl u1s L
az New Orleans In the opening address. "We
:ars considering conditions brought about by the
war- These changed conditions open a new chap
Ter In the history OF our valley empire"
: Jhe changed conditions of which Mr.. Parker
spoke 1Hclude the recognition Of the national parks
Of tive United States not only as one of the great
sc4sHnSc assets of the nation, but also as public
gp'sygEEznds necessary TO the mental, moral and
ysshFsEcad welfare of the people. The United States
now fEas Is national parks. Their standard is high.
They c0ntain some OF the most magnificent scenery
I'm the world. The system is to be still farther en-
1nrged ny creating several new parks.
The army of national park enthusiasts will cry
with che accord: "Would that the Mississippi VAL
FEY association could establish the Mississippi Ma
SEonaE park as easily as it can its $25,OO0,O 900
fankI' But this Is one Of the things the associa-
-&5cn will have TO get at Washington since it can
b. established only by an act Of congress. And
gDngzess has no fixed policy regarding the estab-
: Of national parks 1t Is a ~platitude to say
GAzf ~Ftiltics should be eliminated from the estab-
d 1sanaent OF these public Fairgrounds. Neverthe.
4hasx s9aoss OF the fierceSt political contests in con-
grEss are fought over their creation. BY way of
agEssa1slIe it may be stated that 1t took six years of
persistent effort to pass in 1915 the act creating
mee1zY Mountain national park, the most popular
~of ill the scenic national parks, and ten years to
ylxSs I'm 1919 the Grand Canyon National park act.
: kp zach case, unofficial leaders Of the national
Ypark movement say, the EJflIenttai opposition was
she active hostility Of fac forest service. the bu-
re0u OF the department of agriculture which has
charge of the national forests. The reason for this
sicfiTe hostility is plain. Both these national parks
were taken from national forests and %automatical-
nsy came under control OF the national park serv-
5r, a DHrean OF the department of the interior.
The CREATION of these tEO national parks thus took
4svay "a large area from the control of the forest
service and corresponfingly weakened its political
6nfBenc&
4T3ze forest service defeated the Greater Yellow
skDne National park bill in the last congress after
AZ hzd been passed by the house brought to naught
.Efse EcsSsereIt National park bill in the house pub
Ncfc lands mmitte after it had been passed by the
sensfe. and is opposing the Greater Rocky Noun
cain national park bill for the addition of Mount
KVaDs-
Sls5enfs Of political conditions predict a show
1fnrru between the department Of the interior and
: ahe department OF agriculture in the immediate fu-
rGJ1re-
In ehe case Of Mississippi Valley National park
vzhens WI be no forest seryioe opposition because
Shs proposed park area is in a national forest;
zz1ie lands are privately owned and must be ac-