The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-09-07


Grounds set apart by congress for the Of the
PEOPLE forever. That official declaration OF adj
mnstraton 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
rotary 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 national parks, wooded
wilderness of three thousand three hundred square
miles, containing Incompatible waterfalls. more
geysers than found in the of the world all
put together. irrigated by rivers like miniature
lakes, and beautifed by lakes like inland seas
carved by canyons of sublimlty decorated with
coors defying the painters art, punctured with
innumerable boiling springs whose steam mingies
with feecy Clouds succeed with vast of
petrifed forests, a sanctuary of safe retreat for
feathered songsters and wild beasts, wonder
land. playground, sanitarum and university all
in one, where the eve feasts upon the riotous
coiors OF flowers ferns and rocks; the ear Is
surged with the symphony of melodous sounds;
the mind is stated 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.
where the friends of the park and the park idea
have had to fight with heroism worthy Its ex-
porers and discoveries 10 retain 1t intact against
the bold and presumptuous claims of the adyo-
Gates of special privilege. determined to CONNER.
cialize this land of wonder, TO build railroads
through It, tunnel its mountains, dam Its lakes
and streams. and secure stranglehod monopolies
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 It's face, for the commercial exploita-
aims and purposes be Immediately doomed to
failure.
Good projects bad projects, Indifferent prof.
ects all must face the fate for II is at last
established policy Of the government that our
national parks must and shall forever be main
aimed in absolute unimpalred FORM not onIy for
he present. but for oil time TO come policy
which has the unqualified support Of President
Harding.
This is the Fixed policy of the administration
md can you II win not be modified. 1t
VIII not be swerved a hairs breadth by any niu-
nee financial. political otherwise.
IF rights are granted TO claimant. others
must follow so a precedent must not be estab-
shed. II would inevitably ruin the entire national
ark system"
Doctor Hill might have been definite in
he matter Of the attacks by commercial interests
pom Yellowstone Since early In 1920 II has
equlred increasing vigilance and aggressive
anized effort on the part of the vast army of
ational park enthusiasts to defeat these attacks.
,uring the winter and spring of 1920 the Sixty
xth congress nearly passed the Smith bill Gre
ting commercial irrigation reservoir In the
,uthwest corner OF Yellowstone for the benefit Of
iaho. And II did pass the water power bill
ranthg TO commission power to lease public
aters including those of the national parks and
for water power