The Coconino sun., 1924-10-10
BAWLING OUT SANTA CLAUS

tude of ifs." These "ifS are IN reality not worth
of consideration by a reasoning person and are
merely intended to throw scare into those VINO
do not know the facts.
The most horrible buGaboOS are cOnjured up as
to what the government of the United States IS
going TO do to Coconno county IT the trail IS SOLD
People over the state are wondering what kind OF
people live up here when they learn that some
one is fighting against the government giving the
county S1OO 900 for a $40, 900 trai with promise
of some 100000 more to help out our road pro-
The effort to make local people believe the gov
ernment is trying to steal something from the
county is all rot pure and simple. The case IS
exactly reversed. The government is trying to
give the county great big boost and the bunch
of obiectors seem to be afraid the county VIII
have to accept it.
The Sun has time and again stated The actual
facts in the proposed sale of thestraIl to 1he gov
ernnent They are few and plain, but We Will re-
peat the proposition.
The government has appropriated 100000 to
be used by the secretary of the interior until ex-
pended which may be an agreement with Co
conino county by which the government takes
over the trail and this money is expended on a
connecting road from the Old Trails National
Highway to Grand Canyon, location OF road to be
agreed upon by the county board OF supervisors
and the secretary; it being further agreed that
the government will complete this road and main
tain it for all time In case the trade for the trail
is not made the secretary may use this money for
the Improvement of roads and trails within the
Grand Canyon this money will not revert to the
treasury on June 80, do most all appropriations
which are not expended, but is made available un-
til exnended The secretary can spend it IN out
side the national park as he may see flt. lie can
spend it for new trail down into the canyon. Co
conino county can keep the Bright Angel trall. NO
sane man of any financial ability has ever sug-
gested the Bright Angel trail was worth 100000;
the government officials do not say SO, IN TACT
their engineers along with county and other en-
gineers agree that the Bright Angel trail could
be built for S40000 and the records show that
on that basis Coconno county IS not drawing
revenue amounting to more than per cent on It's
money In case of an accident on this trail, Co
conino county is responsible in court and can be
held accountable under the law for any damages
the courts may assess against It,
Joining the ''iffing" gang, we are willing to ad-
NIT that if' the government of the United States
busts up in business, some of the pessmlStlc
offers " hopes might come true, otherwise, not.
Should we desire to IF, : our first if would
be1-if the board of supervisors agreed that the
road from the Old Trails highway should pc -oullt
from Williams to Grand Canyon, there would be
great revulsion of feeling among the pessmlsts
at Williams, and they would agree that the propo-
sition of the government of the United States was
on the square and really capable of carrying out
its proposal to Coconino county.
Another 'if'': If any party, other than the gov
ernment of the United States, made such an Of
fer to Coconino county, we would be absolutely
positive that either his grudge against Coconino
county was greater than his financial ability, or,
he was spending money that some poor deuded
sucker had provided for him to throw at the birds.
Another 'sif'': IF Coconino county did not con-
tain 80 per cent government land, Congressman
Carl Hayden could never put opeT such asdeal In
the interest of Coconino county. So
Another ':sIf we relinqulShs0ur right to the
Bright Angel trail "why the7next thing the Ma
tional Park Service will want will be for the state
to surrender jurisdiction Within the park Funny
isn't it, how long tail our dog has gotg Rather
odd argument, isn't it, that the stronger weight
the government of the United States, the better
it will like it? The Park Service, we are ad-
vised is under Civil Service, consequently there
is danger that it may encroacff seriously upon
state rights president Cleveland started, or at
least is given credit for starting the civil service
idea, and we have vague idea thatethe states
rghts.faea was invented at about the time Of the
Civil war. All dragged in to show wherein Flag
staff is attempting go forward and assist in de-
veloping the whole county, despite the fact "the
tail endeavors to wag the dog'o
Calling the people of Flagstaff hogs is not
good ethics and we are constrained to believe that
the people Of Williams in general are not Of that
opinion. The people of Williams who were instru-
mental in getting the Grand Canyon Railroad to
move from Flagstaff to Williams, were men of
foresight and with constructive ability; they paid
dearly for their pioneer work. and there are many
in Flagstaff who regret their hindsight in not
knowing what they lost during that early period.
That Williams has not grown ana kept pace With
the development Of Flagstaff, is not the fault of
a<a1