The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-01
MoNoPo11z1NG THE PARKS.

4
The end of the 1921 summer tourist
season has been followed by loud
complaint from all over the country
that the national parks rapidly are
passing under the control of monop-
olies. usually in the form of transpor-
tation companies.
Yosemite national park, one of the
greatest Fairgrounds in the United
States, the park that California trans
ferred to the federal government that
it might belol--; to all the people of
the nation, IL said to be in the grip of
group of monopoIies that has to a
large extent usurped the rights of the
general public and that threatens
unless the policy of the National Park
bureau is changed, to cohfiscate the
heritage of the people. Rocky Noun
tain national park and Yellowstone
national park also are reported to be
in the grip of similar monopOlies.
Enos A. Mills of Longs Peak, Colo.
noted nature writer, has taken up the
fight for the rescue of the peoples
Fairgrounds from the control of the
automobile Companies. Governor
Shoup also is moving against them in
the courts. Col Henry B. Joy of the
Lincoln Highway association attacks
them, and the Texas state chamber of
commerce asks congress for their re-
moval.
1t is pointed out by Mr.. Mills that
the public roads in national parks are
in the illegal possession of the White
Automobile company. This monopo-
ization of transportation gives the
White Automobile company a dicta-
torship over all other industries in
these parks. This powerful political
machine is a menace to the entire
west.
The illegal transportation monope-
lies in national parks were not char
tered by western people; they were
given by an appointed bureau
cratic official in Washington. The
public does not choose and cannot re-
move this official. The public cannot
regulate and cannot remove the mo
nopolies.
combination of interests has
seized public roads. There is nothing
to prevent larger interests in other
states Selling other public roads or
streets, And the control of a public |
road carries with it the control of the |
adjacent property. The public roads |
already seized thereby endanger pub- |
lie roads and public rights across the
nation.
Under no legal or moral conditions |
may a public road be taken from the |
public. Yet these national park roads
have been confiscated by the monopo-
lies and the allied park officials |
Armed park rangers, behind censored |
park news, stop all other hired cars
at the park boundary lines, and sol.
lect toll from privately owned cars |
Toll in Yellowstone is $3.50 a car.
This toll is not authorized by congress
but it is recommended by the trans
portation monopoly.
The national park service does not |
hesitate to banish- any law-abiding |
citizen who insists on exercising his
rights by using public roads. An il
legal rule and regulation provides
that such may be summarily removed |
AAoiii tit6 pdth ny the superintendent
and not allowed to return without |
permission in writing from the direc-
tor of the national park service or the
superintendent.
Without any warrant, a number of |
persons have been seized, man-han-
died and thrown out, number have
been banished.
Intimidation, rewards and punish I
ments, under arbitrary rules and reg
ulations, It is alleged, are the means
used by the bureaucratic park service
to protect the possession of the mo-
nopoly in the use of public roads.
Mr.. Mills charges that the Denver
Tourist bureau, the Sierra club and
the Park-toPa Highway associa-
ton, the latter controlled by the White
Automobile company, are defending
autocracy in the national parks.
The needed change-the remedy
says Mr.. Mills, is to allow any reliable
transportation company or individual
reliable by being a property owner
or by giving of bonds-to haul pas
sengers thru the national parks by
complying with the traffic regulations
of the park.
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