The Coconino sun., 1924-09-05
THE TWO SIDES OF GRAND CANYON

THE IWO SIDES OF UNAND CANIONs
It will not be very long before the north
side of Grand Canyon will be strong c0mpeta-
tor against the south side. Within compara-
lively short time a railroad will be built to the
north rim. Already roads and hotels are beng
built over there and hundreds OF tourists are
coming to view the worlds greatest wonder from
the north. The Sun has no desire to dlscredlt
the wonderful country north of the Grand Can.
yon It is all there and part OF Coconlno county.
We do however, wish to call attention to the fact
that the south side must keep pace or in advance
of the developments on the north or it will not
be great many years before eastern tourist
traffic will be divided between the north and the
south rim of the Grand Canyon with only the
question of the best roads and best accomnoda-
tions as factors in helping the tourist to decide
which route he will take. 1t is time the people,
on the south side got together with construc-
tive program that will assist in bringing the bulk
of the travel south.
Those who are now fighting against the gov
eminent building and maintaining S500,0O0
road to Grand Canyon, may eventually awaken
to the fact they are allowing personal feeling and
petty iealousies stand in the way of progress
The time has come and it is right now, when
action should be taken to protect ourselves
against diversion of tourist travel to the north.
Senator Smoot, chairman of the senate appro-
pration committee of the senate, is not asleep
to the advantages of southern Utah. Development
work and new national parks join Arizona and
the Grand Canyon on the north. He is capital
izng Grand Canyon and the northern Arizona
strips along with national parks in southern
Utah He should. It is we'll worth it. But why
should south side through personal petty jeal-
eusies stand in the way of development? Sena-
tor Snoot insisted that the forest service take
$50, 900 from the Flagstaff -Winslow Forest Ser
vice road fund, to build roads north OF Grand
Canyon. Senator Cameron who fought the
100000 appropriation for road from Maine to
Gyrond CanUor fa n,.OnoeitiOn Tntl1Y.n
for the senator's efforts against making the
100000 for the Bright Angel Trail trade.
Senator Cameron in his desire to SOAK the
national park service" is in reality putting the
burden on those who have always been his friends
the taxpayers of Coconino county. His attl-
tude can not be accepted as anything more or
less than personal one Coconino county should
not be made to suffer for any personal grievance
Senator Cameron may have. Wait, wait, wait
and some day we will compel the government to
build road to Grand Canyon; no hurry let's
watt" is the cry of those who know they are
wrong, but who would rather cruelty the goose
that lays the golden egg, than give in and play
the game honestly for Coconino county and its
people.
If the people of this county really knew the
pettiness and rottness of the whole inside of the
opposition to the proposition made them by the
government of the United States, there would bel
but handful of votes for any who stood
out against accepting it Immediately.
Congress has turned down all other appfopf1a-
tions for such approach roads, except one att
Glacier Park. That project had been started be-
cause of isolated conditions and was "continu-
ing ene." Congress went ahead with it on that
basis.
Without the possible Bright Angel Trail trade,
Coconino county could not get $4,000 for theI
trail, yet with our county SO per cent govern
ment owned land congress did concede that it
should make concessions and help out in cur road
building plan in that way. Otherwise Coconino
county could get along as other states are doing
The whole trade and idea was based on the fact
that the government should help Coconino county
because of its being 80 percent government own
ed. That fact alone made it possible to get con-
gressional aid.
Vote, vote as you burned please, brethren, but
don't put up the squaH afterwards that youI
didn't understand and didn't know what you were
doing.