The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-08-15

SQQDDV " and congress gives the national park
service but S12.500 to care for all Of
them. Visitors to the IS where records were kept
numbered but 212,s2e last season. But that is be
cause the people know almost nothing about the
national monuments. Some day these national
monuments will be made easily accessible and fixed
up; then the people will flock to them. For all OF
them are well worth seeing and many of them are
among the wonders of the world.
With national parks and national forests and
national monuments, etc, etc, the public Is nat
urally mixed up on what's what. Here's the right
of that:
There are 10 national parks, each established by
. separate act of congress and all in charge of the
national park service of the Interior department.
Primarily they contain scenic features of national
Importance, though two-Hot Springs In Arkansas
and Plat I'm Oklahoma-are medicinal. They are
kept as far as possible In their original wild state
and are wild life sanctuaries. They are protected
against commercialism. Familiar names in the ma
tional park system are Yellowstone. Yosemite,
Rocky Mountain and Grand Canyon. Lafayette,
on the coast of Maine, is the only scenic national
park east of the Mississippi. Congress VIII not
purchase land for national park purposes and the
only public lands are In the West. Lafayette was
presented to the nation by philosophical citizens.
There are six national military parks-Gettys-
burg and Vicksburg are familiar examples-under
control of the War department.
There are approximately 1853 national forests,
under control of the forest service of the Depart
VI ASiANAilult. lntg WE'RE toldDlShtQ "
scientific numbering and for grazing and were
originally purely commercial propositions. The
Agricultural department, however. in Its persistent
efforts TO get control of the national parks. has set
up recreational features In many national forests
In competition with the national parks.
Now we come to the national monuments. ma
tional Landmarks" would be a more fitting desig-
nation. Previous TO 1906 the United States had
no provision for the establishment Of national
monuments. Public insistence became so great
49, &IA -~,t,nts,- 80 -Af..~,I - f-.-. -.-IA
ism that in 1906 the Act for the Preservation OF
American Antiquities" was passed by congress.
This act provides for the punishment of vandal-
ism and for permits to excavate and collect. Sec
ton 2 of the act reads:
That the President OF the United States is hereby
authorized, in his discretion. to declare by public
proclamation historic landmarks. historic and pre-
historic structures and other objects OF historic or
scientific interes. that are situated upon the lands
owned or controlled by the government of the
United States to be national monuments. and may
reserve as a part thereof parcels OF land. the limits
Of which in all cases shall be confined to the small
est area compatible with the proper care and man
sgement OF the objects to be protected.
Under this act about so national monuments are
now established. About 30 are in charge OF the
national park service and about 10 under control
of the forest service. The War department con-
trolls three. Exact figures cannot be given as
changes are constantly occurring.
OF those controlled by the forest service the
largest is Mount Olympus IN Washington, which is
a region OF mountains, forests and glaciers aid the
home of the Olympic elk. Bandeller in New Mex
leo contains vast numbers Of prehistoric cliff
dweller ruins and is presumably slated for ma
tional park honors. Bryce Canyon In Utah-of
which more later-is an eroded canyon Of 7.440
acres.
The 1923 report of Director Stephen T.. Mather
IF the national park service to the secretary of the
Interior gives in addition TO Devils Tower, FL
Moro. and Petrihed Forest-of which more later
he following as the list of the national monuments
lnder his charge. They have been grouped by this
The list: