El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-06-16
PLANNING TO DESTROY THE
MESCALERO NATURAL PARK

ALTHOUGH this part Of the southwest has national
n playground, the government is about to deprive Us OF
the pleasures that may be had on the ece0 Lnn
reservation; for the standing timber Is 70 De cut Inc CIV
eminent advertising for bids for purchase OF the stump
age That viii mean the establishing Of saw mills al over
the reservation the devastating Of its most beautiful PoI
tons, and increased danger from forest fires.
For many years effort has been made BY persons "a
ar with the beauties Of that region, and alive to the
ston needs of The southwest to induce the president
and congress to aside the greater part Of the Indian
reservation national park
Such dedication would in no way interfere with the
rights and comfort of the few hundred Apache Indians toT
whom the 10000 acre reservation is set aside
On the contrary, it would improve the lot Of the noan
for il would that the government Wono consulO
roads and encourage the erection and operation Of inns tor
tourists; pleasure seekers would come IN large numbers
and the Indians would have ready market 1or thel
Osteusibv the standing timber is to be sold for the
benefit nj the Indians But the Indians do need the
money or the timber and there abundant land that can
be TILED without clearing the forests The region rather
grazing than farming country and the Indians eouia
have their rights as fully protected N national PARK is
The entire reservation is natural park that ought to
be set aside and conserved forever national playground
for the special benefit OF the people OF me SOUTHWEST
for trauscontinenal tourists There no natural resort
to compare with 1t in many hundreds Of miles and Il could
be made readily accessible from ali directions BY ne roads
at no great cost The reservation comprises high mountains
slopes and valleys dense timber and meadow,
snow capped peak lovely running streams ana numerous
springs It has wide variety Of trees from towering ms
and spruces naples and aspens; and for flowers It Is
unsurpassed in brilliant display
cent all the mountain tops and extend lar down
the canyons and glades There is enough fallen timber
without cutting live tree to supply all the needs Of the
Indians there for thousand years The tmbered areas are
not only needed for cultivation but they are unit for
it. being rough and billy, and at a high altitude.
The only object Of selling the standing timber and allow
inc II 70 be cut off Is to bring few dollars into the funds
Of the Indian bureau The money VIII be pituy
small when set over against the terrible and eparabe loss
to the entire southwest and the people Of the nation that
viii result from destroying the ancient forest.
Many Of these trees 400 500 years old; they were
standing there before Columbus sailed his first voyage
discovery The forest wonderful and beau
ul than forests because has not been hurt by man
stands inst nature intended Its best and most eco
noc Is to afford pleasure to the people Just to look
it. Just to de through It. IS source Of pleasure and
spiritual and physical renewal
any reason could adduced for destroying the Forest
It would be different but IN this the threatened de-
strucon is solely due to mistaken policy Of the Indian
bureau which nothing whatever for the comfort and
health and enjoyment Of the people generally but seeks
only to make little showing Of dollars IN report
The Indians the reservation might be given outright
all the they could possibly for farming grazing
mining they might be assigned timber land enough to last
them till the Judgment day, and still the greater part OF
the present reservation would remain unused and
needed by them the few hundred wards Of the govern
ment who given every facility to live IN luxury upon
a minimum Of work.
Are not the millions Of people IN the southwest here
and to come also wards Of the government IN broader
sense? rights that the Indian bureau IS bound
to Tespect2
The southwest deserves and demands, the establishing
Of national park; and equally suitable place can be