Roanoke Rapids herald., 1923-08-31

Va 'AA~
people forever. That official declaration Of ad-
ministration 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
officially 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 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 found in the rest Of the world all
put together, irrigated by rivers like miniature
lakes, and beaEt6ed by lakes like inland seas,
carved by canyons Of sublimity, decorated with
colors defying the painters art, punctured with
innumerable boiling springs whose steam mingles
with feecy clouds, succeed with vast areas OF
petrifed forests sanctuary of safe retreat for
feathered songsters and wild beasts, a wonder
land. playground, santarium and university all
in one, where the eye feasts upon the riotous
colors of flowers, ferns and rocks; the Is
surged with the symphony of melodlous 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
have had to fight with herosm worthy Its ex-
plorers and discoverers to retain 1t intact against
the bold and presumptuous claims Of the advo-
Gates of special privilege. determined to CONNER
calize this land Of wonder, to build railroads
through 1t. tunnel its mountains dam Its lakes
and streams and secure stranglehod monopoes
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 its face, for the commercial exploita-
ton 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 fate for 1t is at last
established policy Of the government that our
national parks must and shall forever be main
tained in absolute, unimpaired form. not only for
the present but for all time to come, n policy
which has the unqualified support Of President
Harding.
This is the fixed policy of the administration.
and I can assure you It will not be modified. 1t
will not be swerved hairs breadth by any irflu
ence financial political or otherwise
IF rights granted to one claimant others
must follow. precedent must not be estab-
iished 1t would inevitably ruin the entire national
park system"
the matter Of the attacks by commercial interests
upon Yellowstone. Since early In 1920 1t has
required increasing vigilance and aggressive or
Ranized 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 Gre
ating a commercial irrigation reservoir In the
southwest corner Of Yellowstone for the benefit Of
Idaho. And 1t did pass the water power bill
granting to commission power to lease public
waters including those of the national parks and
monuments, for water power.