The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-06-17

has in fen wears transformed the udLtOudA NdEh
movement from a fOrlOrn hope into the hvest non
political issue of the times. The proof Of the pud-
ding is the National Conference on Outdoor
Recreation. This was organized last summer at
Washington upon the initiative of President Cool
idge and held It's second annual meeting a few days.
ago. The federal government now stands as
guide, philosopher and friend" of the people In
all phases Of outdoor recreation, as well as active
participant and financial supporter. The ARMY"
however, retains its organization and continues 70
deal directly with c~ongress-which pays attention.
One result Of this is that Secretary Work Of the
Interior department has seen his way clear to an
nounce a national park policy based upon three
broad principles:
"First that the national parks and national mon
u.-ents must be maintained untouched by the In
roads of modern civilization in order that ~unspoiled
bits of native America may be preserved to be en-
jcyed by future generations as well as our own;
Second, this. they are set apart for the use,
education, health and pleasure of all the people;
"Third, that the national interest must take
precedence I'm all decisions affecting public or
private enterprise in the parks and
So live an issue is the National Park Move
ment," so manifold are its activities and SO wide
are it's ramifcations that 1t would take volumes in
stead of columns to cover the situation. Only out
standing features of special interest to the whole
country can be touched on here, and then only In
outline.
There are now in the national park system nine
teen units. The twentieth-Utah National park
has been authorized; the acquisition of certain
privately owned lands within its boundaries will
completely establish 1t. Two more national parks
Shenandoah and Great Smoky in the AppalachI
ans-are apparently In the making the Sixty-ninth
congress Is likely to pass upon these projects.
The total attendance at the national parks and
at 10 (Out Of BIZ national monuments In the 1924
season was 1,67O,9OS, compared with 1,493,712 for
l923-a satisfying increase in view of the fact that
last year presented many conditions unfavorable
&c American tourist travel, including unemploy-
ment. forest fires and the foot-and-mouth disease
III the Southwest. Favorable conditions this sea-
son point to avery large attendance. Rocky MONA
tain in Colorado-the most popular OF all the ma
tional parks-led as usual It's visitors numbered
224,211. Other figures are: Hot Springs. Arkan-
sas fmedicinal) 104,175; Mount Rainier, Washing.
ten, 181.473; Yellowstone, Wyoming, 1A158
Yosemite, California. 105,894; Grand Canyon, Ar.
IONA, 108,2584 Features Of this showing are: The
large increase at Mount Rainier, the 1923 attend
ance being 123s708; the fact that Y~ellowstone i
showing results under an intensive system Of pub
Hcity. the 1922 attendance being only 9e,228; gs
deerease In Y0semlt8's visitors from 180048 Il
1928.
Most Of the more important national parks a1s
now officially open 20 ~vislt0sA. noeky Mountain
Yosemite and Grand Canyon ere open a1 &hs
year: So are hot Springs and plaek {okEmMemn
mesllclnall and Lafayette fMaane] md nawaaa
Glacier (A8ntana1 and Mount HaAnieF epsa 10mI