Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1920-09-23

The national park movement, with army OF
enthusiasts behind it, is one of the livest causes
of the times. That is why we have establishea
since 1872, when the first national park in the
world, the Yellowstone was created, system OF
nineteen national parks and thirty-hve national
monuments.
Yet it is true beyond question that in general the
hundreds of thousands of yearly visitors to our
beauty spots of nature thrill with emotion that
is quite apart from understanding of the scene
before them. America has the noblest scenic mag
nCence that Is easily accessible in all the world.
And among the greatest of its manifold values is
the fact that it is the record of America in its
making. An appreciation of this magnifcence and
its values will add to its enjoyment.
To gain this understanding and appreciation is
one of the several motives impellng the activities
of the School of Wild Life Protection and Propaga-
ton at McGregor.
The American frontier is no more. Gone are
the buffalo herds that covered the great plains
Extinct IS the passenger pigeon. Civilization and
wild life cannot exist together The automobile
takes the tourist everywhere. The airplane means
the end of the silent places In few years the
American will have to go to his national parks
to the wild animal life of his native land in its
natural surroundings. For the national park is the
one sure wild life sanctuary of earth-the one and
only place where wild life is sufficiently free from
mOestatiOn to hold its against man and civili-
cation.
SO, to protect and propagate wild life by keen
ing invOlate the national parks and by establish
ing more national parks is another purpose exem-
plifed in the American school in the area pro-
posed for the Mississippi Valley National park
This proposed national park lies in the north
east corner of Iowa and the southwest corner of
Wisconsin. The Mississippi divides it; the Wis
consin and Yellow empty into the Mississppi
from the east and west within the boundaries
About $4,000 acres, land and water, including
1000 acres OF Mississippi with islands, are under
consideration There are 1671 acres in the Wis
consin State park at the mouth of the Wisconsin,
Mrs. Martha b. Mum of New York has offered
to give the 125 Iowa acres forming the scenic
keystone. 1t is proposed that the federal govern
ment shall purchase for park purposes about
5000 acres appraised at about S224,0OO
Scenicay, Internationally and historically the
area is worthy OF national park honors. Geo
graphically the area is just the place for a ma
tional park There is no scenic rational park
worthy of the name between Rocky Mountain in
Colorado and Lafayette in Maine. Railroads and
transcOntinental automobile highways run close
by There Is river transportation. Big cities sur
round the site. Fully 20000000 people are within
few hours of the area.
The Mississippi Valley National park project in
all it's qualifications is backed by the General Fed
Grafton of Women's Clubs, the Mississippi Valley
association and long list of organizations of
large variety
The attitude Of the General Federation of Wom-
ems Clubs is typical. The work of this nation