El Nuevo mexicano., 1919-06-26
The National Park


New Mexico has In the. marvelou
land unique Jemez mountain region
! material for one OF the most wonder
HUI national parks In the, Unitei
States.
This section II Incorporated into
National Park will be different from
tany other national playground, witt
features for publicity purposes avail
able 10 none other, with a climate IN
surpassed anywhere and q glamor o
lprenistnric mystery peculiar to italf
Colorado and Arizona have patiQna
parks, There IL no reason why New
Mexico's claims should not be recog
nixed. The Pajarito plateau Is easily
the chief claimant 10 the honor In this
state ItG peculiar physical fofma-
lion, It's sharp cut, l%abyrinthine vol
canic tronghh, Its majestic mesas, It's
thousands Of d~epopulated cave-dWell|
erRf homea which once sheltered q
teeming population now vanished
tfrOm human ken It's stately forests,
It5 wealth OF relics, its Irresistible
and battling lure Of an unknown past,
its cliffs and peaks and canyons, It's
breeding sunshine and its age-long 81
-ont ruins, all combine 10 make II q
recreation place for America without
equal.
The fight for the National Park has
heen q long and persistent one, Tho
sentiment OF the people of New Mex
ice has been plainly expressed they
want q National Park IN the country
OF the cliff jewellers, The public dis
eussion has been thoroughly inf0rma-
tive as to the relative value to the
state Of a National Park and a Ma
lional Monument such 40 now exists
In this region, The national adYer
Using and prestige accrning from the
mere fact OF the establishment OF a
National Park Is incompatible with
that of q National Monument. The
former Is a bigger scale proposition
and is what the people Of New Mex
leo want. The name National Monu-
ment at once suggests a sequoia tree,
q single canyon or peak, a natural
bridge o. a waterfall and is a mis-
pomer so far as the country west OF
Santa Fe is concerned.
The foundation for success in sci
this park has been laid by
flAi VI UAAAtrtHhAuH AUU HHi 1ONOAT !
Ing work, the pioneer being William
Boone Douglas whose industry and
public spirit In the matter are de-
serving Of the highest. appreciation.
The support OF the New Mexico puh'
Id has been successfully enlisted and
he park Is certain II the campaign Is
Kept up unitedly to the finish, ire.
of the opposition from GER
ain quarters which has always been
evidenced in one form or another,
a6roit or otherwise, and which has
Generally been based on a narrower
interest than that of the people of the
tate and nation.
AS TO the forest service opposition
his is perhaps natural and in the al
empt to overcome 1t no one should
all to appreciate the splendid work
hat bureau has done in identifying !
nd making accessible tho Jemez
country as well as the rest of thu
santa Fe forest. 1t will hardly be
ontended, however, that the great
lational Parks of the country woulu l,
% managed on a bigger scale If un
or forest service direction; and the
ig thing is what the state wants
hat the proposed park lacks In com
arative area 1t more than makes vi I
distinctiveness; and nee estab \
shed as a National Park its status :
fixed.
The Santa Fe Chamber Oh com
lerce, like the state federation =
I women's clubs and other organizar I
onss did the proper thing when 1t 6
ent on record ~unreservedly for the
Of the National Park; and it Q
lould follow up that action by a con- 2
nued and determined campaign to y
ut through a project which will be Of Z
Icalcuiahle benefit 10 Santa Fe. The 9
iasibility Of meeting the objections Q
grazeys and ranchers, such opposi y
as always deuSLrr IN a matto' p
this kind. has been demonstrated (.
I'd goes without saying. q
AS to the name, it Is really a minor p
,n%sideration whether we call it the q
roglodyte National Park, the Paja q
to, the Jemez, the Cliff Cities or I
hat not. But we venture to suggest +
at there Is Just one name that abo- 4
tely fits the case, a name to which
Q believe New MexiGans in general !.
III agree, a name which would be Y
sculiarly appropriate and that is the ~
Of Santa Fe National Park. q
o.