, 1926-02-03

tion, mas the following TO say regs
THE National park service is
another of the bureaus in the In
terror department that is of special
interest in regard to its accomp-
ed; at that time there were 16
parks; now there are 49,. Then
there were 81 national monuments;
now there are 80. Then the num-
Der of visitors to the parks and
national monuments was 35S,OO6.
while in the past year there were
2,1O8 .0S4. The number of auto
mobiles entering the national parks
in 1916 was 1876; in 1925 the
number was 36S,212. That in
creased attendance has been ac-
~companied by a great necessity for
the accommodation of visitors. 1t
has likewise been accomplished by
a program of furnishing necessary
accommodations which has proved
satisfactory to all classes of WISH
tors, both for those who desire to
live in de luxe quarters, as il a
large city, and those who wish to
y ~ q iodSh l. III III all
economical way. They are all pro-
vided for. There is no branch of
the Government service which has
received more of an unanimous ap-
proval by members of this house.
AS to its efficiency in administra-
ton of the National parks under
the direction of Stephen Mather,
who has been director since organi-
cation of the National Park service,
and whose own zeal and public
spirit has infused a similar attitude
through the morale and entire SER
vice. AS he encounters the opposi-
ton of hostile selfish interests in
the working of his far-seeing pro-
gram in public interest of centuries
to come, he must at times feel
discouragment. but it is his energy
patriotic devotion, and ceaseless
planning that is laying the founda-
lions broad and firm, for the world
first great system of public parks,
to stand forever as a playground
for the people. The last year there
has been attempts to attack his
administration, particularly in two
of the parks. Grand Canyon and
Yellowstone. How absolutely with
out foundation was that attack dem
onstrated in the hearings of our
committee In connection with the
estimates for the Grand Canyon.
1 commend that portion of our hear
|ings to the reading of any member
of the committe who is interested
in the development and ~preserva-
ton of these great popular play
grounds.
Development Of Public Utilities i'm
National Parks
Prior to the creation of the Ma
tional Park Service in 1916 the
individual national parks were man
aged in he S~ecretary's office in
common with a multitude of mis-
nary Institutions, and so forth. Each
park was administered with no de-
finite regard to other members of
the system; each was established
by organic laws or proclamations
that differed widely in their provi-
sions and in the application of
authority contained in them to pro-
blems of administration. There
was scarcely an opportunity to har-
monize any of the many conflict
ing principles, and as the s%upervis-
DRY officers in Washington could
only give the parks and monuments
incidental attention Or correlation
of methods of management was i'm
possible. The operation of the whole
park system was unbusiness-like and
unsatisfactory.
I'm many of the parks small con-
cessions or permits had been grant
ed to numbers of companies and in
dividuals engaged in furnishing
horse-drawn transportation service,
hotel and camp Accommodations, pho
tographic supplies, and so forth.
Indifferent service was rendered to
the public. 1t was realized then
that If the national parks were
to serve adequately all of the
people that might desire to visit
them weIl-financed companies would
have to take over the furnishing
OF public utilities in these parks.
cone of the first accomplishments
of the new National Park Service
under Mr.. Mather vas the reorgan-
ization of the concession system in
the various parks. At the begin
ming of 1916 there was approx
mately $S.450,000 of private CAPT
tai invested in park enterprises de-
voted to the serving of visitors.
The resort hotel and transportation
business was considered at least a
%precarious one, and it was difficult
to interest sufficient capital to UNI