Evening star., 1924-11-30
NY HAROLD X. PHILIPS.


Washington that the Blue Ridge
Mountains area IL the only one In
virginia that is to be considered as
site for the proposed Southern APP
palachian National Park. business
and Official interests In every section
OF the State have combined In an in
tensiSe campaign to have that sec
ton selected.
Taking advantage Of the great in
terest that has been aroused by the
possibility that the East's first ma
tional park may be located in Vir-
ginia, State business organizations
see their lonE-sought opportunity to
stamp sectionalism from the Old Do
minton State forever, and they are
going TO make the most Of this golden
chance.
Heretofore Virginians in the tide
water counties have been little in
terested In the progress and needs of
their fellow statesmen OF the Western
mountain and valley communities.
The two sections have been as dis
tant toward each other as though
they were separate States. But now
Ntrginia's pride has been awakened.
Things are different.
Favorite Chord Struck.
In every county Of the State a
way and Virginians are responding
with an enthusiasm that Is almost
remarkable. The Old Dominion's 8
favorlte chord has been struck-his-
tory. Virginia feels that not only
arc its Blue Ridge Mountains more
beautiful and more famous In song
and story than any others. but that
their history alone, their ancestry.
entities them to the choice.
OF Nation making history Is con-
ditch to prove her claim to tho title
-"cradle of American history" And
these yirginians believe the presence
Of SO many spots sacred In the his
tory of America-Mount Vernon,
Wakefield, Appomattox, the Spotts-
wood Trail, Yorktown. jamestown,
Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry and a
score OF equally famous places
within or very close to the proposed
area-make 1t worthy of becoming &
the mecca for American tourists that
the Easts first great national park
is to become.
That Is the reason Virginia has
come out for the first time in dec
AIDES as a unit for something that is
to be located In the western noun
tains.
Several Sites Urged.
Virginia heretofore has been urg-
ing several sites for the park. As
matter of fact. the very area tha,
Is likely to be selected by the Gov
ernment was the last one preferred.
But the very fact that q number of
sections within the State were v'eing
for selection made il embarrassing
for the State Government
Gov. Trinkle scarcely could see his
way clear to show a choice and he
was obliged to maintain silence, max
Ing 1t appear that Virginia was not
not much interested that the COM
mittee appointed by Secretary Of the
Interior Work to select the proper
area Will not consider any site In
Virginia except the Blue Ridge Noun
tain section, beginning at Stony Man
Mountain and end near Staunton.
With this assurance it will be pos
sible for Gov. Trinkle to enter the
campaign for the choice there as
Fundamentally as have the business
interests OF the State. This fnforma-
tion was conveyed to him officially
only early this week and he has not
yet been back in Richmond since his
trip to Florida long enough to permit
him TO get the ball moving SO far as
L.
1t is believed, however. that he will
have something to say concerning the
park late this week.
Due In once Tomorrow.
The Governor will be back in his Of
nee Monday. after having spent sew
eral days attending to important
legal matters at Roanoke
The State Chamber of Commerce.
ha N ~
ment, has been working for some
time in conjunction with the Shenan-
doah valley. Inc, and the Northern
Virginia Park Association. Not only
Is 1t directing its publicity campaign
into every county in the State. but 1t
Is also broadcasting the merits Of the
Blue Ridge area throughout the
country.
The Chamber of Commerce feels
that it Will be almost as advantageous
to the people of New York, Philadel-
phia. Baltimore. Boston, Pittsburgh,
Washington, Detroit and most of the
South to have the park located in the
Stony Man section, rather than a
thousand miles farther south In the
Great Smoky Mountains, as 1t will be
to the people of Virginia. A park in
the Blue Ridge Mountains would be
accessible to all of the people in those
great cities; one so far south would
not be. except to very small and
wealthy minority.
False Reports Started.
False reports have been circulated
stating that the Government expects
the State of Virginia to buy the pro-
posed area and present 1t to the ma
tional park service. Those in a posi-
ton to understand realize that such
a proposition Is preposterous and has
never been considered. 1t Is such
false rumors as these that a state
ment from Gov. Trinkle now would
clear up, and that is why his friends
believe he will make his position
clear.
Those leading 7the campaign to
bring the national park to the Blue
Ridge Mountains realize that the res
ervation would prove one Of the
greatest boons in Virginia's whole
history. Not only would it open up
that vast, beautiful wild country, but