El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-06-26
MUST ACT NOW IF THE MESCALERO
NATURAL PARK is TO BE SAVED

NOW having fine example Of the value Of
~ operative effort in getting things done community
the prevent the ruin Of the Mescaero natural
park Al it needed to start the wheels going
nounoement that the great timber Is IN danger Of
destruction BY the mistaken Of the commissioner Of
Indian affairs At the FL Paso Realty board the
junior chamber of commerce. the Kiwanis club and other
organizations, all affiliated with the chamber Of
took appropriate action, and kilograms and letters have
een flying to Washington in the effort to save the ancient
forest growth.
The people Of other southwestern communities are being
reminded that the Mescslero natural park is the only
accessible mountain resort in this part Of the southwest
that the forests those majestic uplts the only
prmeval forests In this region and that every community
and family the southwest interested with E.
Paso and El Pasoans saving the park despoation
There national park in all this region The people
Of the southwest must 60 hundreds Of miles to reach
any national playground Yet IS the time to make
provision for the future, and set aside adequate recreation
spaces for the millions who to make their homes IN the
southwest It is being done in other parts Of the country
Why should the southwest be- not merely neglected but
deliberately stripped Of the beauties that nature has pro
vided2
It is shOckingIy short sighted policy that the Indian
bureau is adopting IN this The few thousand dollars
that may be collected from sale Of the sumpage viii cut
figure in the enormous government budget, but the
natural park VIII be ruined forever The trees that viii
be cut down have been standing there for centuries It
would take centuries to the forest IN anything
ike its present grandeur and beauty Iths big timber is
cut the people Of the next ten generations viii see more
like that which stands there now
forestry experts deny that the natural park VIII be
hurt They say that the forest viii be better for the re-
oval Of the nature trees They look at the question with
professional eyes colby dsregardfu Of the sentimental
OF the IeelngS OF ana women
delight the ancient woods dTegsrdfu Of consider
atoms Of beauty enjoyment They think of tree OF Of
forest as crop, which all very well when forest has
higher use than as source OF timber and Iuel In us
case the higher use the highest use Of this forest Is
playground for the people Every other consideration must
be subordinated to that
Typical Of the attitude Of mind Of those forestry men
whose only interest IN the forests IS means Of ve
hood for themselves the locality where their worday Joo
happens be cast may be cited the action and answer OF
forestry empoye IN the Cl0udcroft district An Fl Paso
woman for many years OF the pretest
summer cottages the mountain, with ideal site amid
old and with unsurpassed view found that
one beloved trees had become diseased The
tee the largest and oldest the place. 800 OF 400
years age apparently sturdy and yet there exuded
from its base III smelling liquid, with many indications
the being destroyed from within at its base
She and members Of her family repeatedly requested the
forestry expert look at the tree and suggest some treat
ent to save It OF least prolong its life The only word
they could get Of him that If the Tree sick
only treatment he would recommend would be to cut It
down and bum It. He refused to 90 step out Of his way
even to look at the tree
Nov this may smarty professional and highly scen
c but it doesn't appeal to ordinary people. 1t is Just
about as respectable If physician called to attend
sick child should telephone that the child were sick it
should be killed
The principles and methods Of scientific forestry al
right to apply the forest large small; It IS
well to each folks to realize the importance Of cropping
forests they crop foOdstus Forests be made PEI
anent wealth producers and need not be destroyed IN
order to utilize the mature timber This Is all true when
forests first and most important Is strictly
cal But principles and methods do not apply and
should not be applied to the Mesalero natural park where