The Bozeman courier., 1923-06-27
DR.. HILL MAKES
PLEA FOR PARKS


An earnest plea for the perpetual
conservation of the Yellowstone and
other national parks of the United
States was made by DR.. John Wesley
Hill, personal representative of the
president and secretary of the inter
ior, at the formal opening of Yellow
stone National park last Wednesday
afternoon. The exercises at the
northern gateway marked the be
ginning of the fifty-first season
since the establishment of the park.
DIR. Hill particularly warned
against any commercial exploitation
of these parks.
"Commercialism is the peril Of our
national park system" he said.
Regardless of all facts and fig
ures, arguments, appeals and threats,
any plan, however meritorious on its
face, for the commercial exploitation
of parks, must by the very nature of
its aims and purposes be immedH-
ately doomed to failure. Good pro-
jects, bad projects, Indifferent pro-
iects, all must face the same fate,
for it is at last the established pol
| icy of the government that our ma
/ tional parks must and shall be for
ever maintained in absolute, unlm-
paired form, not only for the pres
ent, but for all time to come, a pol
icy which has the unqualified sup
/ port of the great American. now in
the White house, whose sole ambi-
tion is TO administer the government
without fear or favor in behalf Of
the peace and prosperity, happiness
and contentment of the entire people
of this country.
"This is the fixed policy of the adj
ministration, and / can assure you it
will not be modified. 1t will not be
swerved from hairs breadth by any
influence, financial, political or 9th
erwise. If rights are granted on one
claimant, others must follow, so
precedent must not be established.
1t would inevitable ruin the entire
national park system. The camel
, long ago pushed its nose under the
tent at Niagara, and he has at least
his shoulders inside. If we would
escape the tragedy of Niagara we
! must beware Of its subtle beginnings.
? yellowstone history is replete
: with crises where the friends Of the
r park and the park idea have had to
t fight with a heroism worthy its ex-
plorers and discoveries to retain it
: intact against the bold and presump-
! tious claims of the advocates Of spe-
y cial privilege, determined to CONNER
y cialize this land of wonder, to build
r railroads through it, tunnel its noun
tains, dam its lakes and streams, and
secure stranglehold monopolies with
z. small compensation to the govern
ment and total loss to the people"
DR.. Hill declared that the national
a parks arose from the needs of the
S people.
e what greater service can a ma
ton render" he said, "than to sci
, aside these vast breathing spaces fol
h' the life health and happiness of {
= loyal people? Here the solidarity
III of the nation is illustrated. Coming
:. by railroad, auto and caravan from
- all sections of the land, representing
" all the walks and stations Of Life
Il over a million of our fellow citizen
last year gathered in happy compan
le ionship in the intimate enjoyment o
:" these wonders of nature, learninl
3 not only what the park has to offer
Ut but from one another the attraction
u of other sections of the country
y thus forming new friendships and
g higher, broader type of citizenship.
y "Who Will gainsay that these pat
os riotic pilgrimages develop the high
- est potentialities of national pride
contentment and efficiency?
to ''They encourage fraternity, shat
". ter provincialism, engender pride c
Ir- possession and contain the antidot
d. for national restlessness. They il
Id. spire love of nature, trees, flower
er, brooks, lakes, snow-clad peaks, tn
rd wild life encountered everywheI
Dr. amid primordian surroundings"
rk DR.. Hill, who is chancellor of tt
he Lincoln Memorial university, al
Ip- pealed for a return in America to tt
MS political idealism of Lincoln, ar
ire suggested many Lincoanian primo
of pies which might be applied to pre-
ew ent day problems.
no After describing various destruc
co, i've influences at work in America,
Oh declared:
-. "The antidote for all this is
Il deeper, higher, more absorbing al
~ - commanding spirit of patriotism.
in Patriotism means service, ser
On ice of the heart, calling loudly f
that spontaneous, enthusiastic, d
termined effort that you would irr
sistably exert m the saving of
IN life which you knew would be 10
without your most earnest and