Pueblo chieftain., 1921-07-03
STEPHEN I. MATHER
BROUGHT FORESTS
OUT or DARKNESS

Any general review of the National
Parks is incomplete without mention
of the man who rescued them from
chaos. made them known to the pub
lie. organized them, moulded, them
into an efficient system, developed their
road, trail hotel and transportation
growth, released them from the bond
age of politics and placed them under
a. body of able superintendents espe-
ciaIly trained to the complicated re-
quirements of the service.
Stephen T. Mather did this as his
contribution to the nation. But not
all of his contribution, says the Amer
lean Forestry Magazine. When ap
preparations Jagged he drew heavily
on his private means. To a protest
ing friend he once said: II got my
money from the American soil, Let
some of 1t go back as a thanks offer
ing" His business is the mining of
borax from the California desert
Franklin Il. Lane, because he knew
his personal and business quality. in
vited Mr.. Mather to come into the In
terror department as Assistant to the
Secretary and prepare the western
National parks for the crowds which
the approaching Pacific expositions
might be expected to bring them. Mr..
looking over the situation. 1t was then
he dreamed his great dream Of the
magnificent system which Is now
growing under his hands. He accep-
t>d tue office with the understanding
.nst ae should have the chance to make
ais dream come true.
An incident of his installation is
worth telling. Secretary Lane led
him into his new office. seated him,
bowed grandilouuently and said; Mr..
Secretary, ! salute you.' Then he left
the room, but moment afterwards
thrust his head thru the door and
said.
BY the way, Steve. forgot to ask
you. what are your politics7"
The situation which faced the now
executive was appalling. National
parks were grouped with the odds and
ends. the misfits. which Congress from
time to time had dropped in to tho In
terror department because there was
no fitting administrative place for
them. There were no appropria atiors
for administration. There was not
even one clerk who did nothing else.
II Is great dream which he no
longer possesses alone. America shares
II with him.
There was no coordination: every
National park was an individual ad-
minstration the associations official
publication points out II one. for In
stance. needed the temporary service
OF an engineer. IT was not lawful to
send there the engineer of another
park who had nothing to do Mt tho
time. An over supply OF material pur-
chased for Glacier National park could
not be used in Yellowstone. The task
was Horculean.
Mr.. Mather surrounded himself with
experts and went msnfully to It The
nrst thing was to get the people be-
- -. q
than two OF the .iNtocn National parks
then constituting the system. Thou
sands thought Yellowstone tho only
National park. School books contained
no mention OF National parks. Only
tho greater aliases Identified them
Their fundamental principle OF com
plete conservation was understood
by very few. only a handful OF mon
in Congress knew or cared anything
about them. To most. they werc mere
ly group OF Fairgrounds which hap
pened to be owned by the nation and
therefore must he cared for
After n years study Mr.. Mather de-
termined that bureau Of administra-
'ton at Washington was tho necessary
fi-st step toward development and
systcmatiyation. An idcaiis,ic bill to
create bureau mad already hcon In
troducod to tho practical needs of tho
situation. In 1916 congress. passing
this bill. created tho National Park
service. hut appropriated no money.
~ " did not become effective til tho
following year. RcsiEninE his assist
ant s.crsthryship. Mr. Mathcr then
became director Of tnls service. Tho
ma gni'c"nt national parks system VIC
now possess has boan his accomplish
mon, Of tho several years since. MAY
he live tho years necessary ,o cary
hts splendid dreaming into full reaii-
zation.
Under Mr.. Msth.r'r leadership. the
National Parks have not only become
, great ryst.m sStpnishtrEty efficient
wh"n you consider the brief period ~
their development. but they hsv. b~-
DOM" tho Idol Of the people Tho ays-
tom i the moHt popular work under
government control today. Visitors
have increased manifold. tn. Masn-
zinc adds. They mere than doubled
oven during tho war. And Mr. Msth,r
las nearly uuadrupted congressional
appropriations. He haz added new
and splendid psrks-';rand Canyon.
Mount Mckinley. Hawaii. t.aascn Vol
cauIc. and tho nrst national park In
the csst. Lafayette.
Wald-nar Young, who wrot. the
scerario for 'Expcr'onc~" which WAS