The Raymer enterprise., 1923-08-30
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r. died. His appreciation and ap-
|u proval Of the national park move
n ~ ment were sgnally shown at the
" 1923 opening Of Yellowstone for
AkBY, Its Hfty-Hrst year by an Official
G\ declaration Of administration pol.
&x AJX1 icy worthy Of Its place as the first
national park In all history and
- largest and most famous Of all
Americas nineteen public play.
grounds set apart by congress for the use Of the
people forever. That official declaration Of ad-
mlnlstration policy nothing less than absolute
protection Of the national park system against
commercial invasion and exploitation.
DR.. John Wesley HILL chancellor Of Lincoln
Memorial university. made the declaration. He
oficially represented President Harding and Sec
retary Of the Interior Work at the Yellowstone
opening. His statement was prepared, careful
and emphatic. 1t contained the following:
"And we are here'today !. i. to celebrate the
annual opening Of Yellowstone park, the largest
and most far-famed Of our national parks, wooded
wilderness Of three thousand three hundred square
miles, containing Incompatible waterfalls. more
geysers than are found In the rest Of the world all
put together, irrigated by rivers like miniature
lakes, and beautifed by hkes like inland seas,
carved BY canyons Of sublimity decorated with
colors defyIng the painters art, punctured with
with ieecy clouds. succeed with vast areas OF
petrihed forests, sanctuary of safe retreat for
feathered songsters and Wild beasts wonder.
land playground. sanitarium and university all
In one, where the eye feasts upon the riotous
colors Of flowers ferns and rocks the ear IL
surged with the symphony Of melodious sounds;
the mind Is sated with thousand revelations Of
truth and beauty, and the jaded body, weary With
the trudge Of thought and toll and travel ungirds
for song and dance beneath the shadows Of the
everlasting hills.
Yellowstone history Is replete with crises
where the friends Of the park and the park idea
have had to fight with heroism worthy Its ex.
plorers and discoverers to retain Il intact against
the bold and presumptuous claims Of the advo-
Gates Of special privilege determined to CONNER
ciallze this land Of wonder, to build railroads
through It. tunnel Its mountains dam Its lakes
and streams, and secure stranglehold monopoies
with small compensation to the government and
total loss to the people.
"And regardless Of all facts and figures, appeals
and threats therefore any plan however meri.
torious on Its face, for the commercial exploita.
tion Of parks must by the very nature OF its
aims and purposes be Immediately doomed to
failure.
"Good projects, bad projects, Indifferent prof.
ects. all must face the same fate for Il IL at last
established policy Of the government that our
national parks must and shall forever be main
tained In absolute. unlmpalred form. not only for
the present, but for all time to come. policy
which has the unqualified support Of President
Harding
"This Is the fixed policy Of the administration.
and can assure You II will not he modified. II
will not be swerved hairs breadth by any irfu-
ence. financial, political or otherwise. ts
IF rights are granted to one claimant. others
must follow, 80 q precedent must not be estab-
lished II would inevitably ruin the entire national
park system"
Doctor Hill might have been more definite In
the matter Of the attacks by commercial interests
upon Yellowstone. Since early In 1920 II has
required increasing vigilance and aggressive or.
ganized effort on the part Of the vast army Of
national park enthusiasts to defeat these attacks
During the winter and spring Of 1920 the Sixty.
sixth congress nearly passed the Smith bill ere.
ating commercial irrigation reservoir In the
southwest corner Of Yellowstone for the beneht Of
Idaho. And It did pass the water power bill
granting to commission power to .sase public
waters including those Of the national parks and
monumental for water power.