Creator
R[obert] U[nderwood] Johnson
Recipient
Board of Directors of the Sierra Club
Transcription
Board of Directors of the Sierra Club,
809 Market Street,
San Francisco, Cel.
Dear sirs: -
Will you permit me very respectfully to suggest whether the Sierra Club might not now profitable set on foot a campaign with the purpose of procuring the recession of the old Yosemite Valley Reservation to the United States Government at the next session of the Legislature. The polioy of establishing the great Yosemito National Park and the adjoining Sierra forest reservation has now been thoroughly eindicated, and it is beyond contention that the government protection of such reserves,as In the case of the Yellowstone National Park, is very much more effective than state control.
It seems to me that in view of the fact that the administration of the Yosemito Valley has been a srource of continual criticism, both in relation to the treatment of the natural features and in the relation of tho commissioners to the commercial interests connected with the valley, the Club has in the nature of its character and purpose a certain responsibility toward public sentiment in this matter. I am of those who think that porheps such a desirable result as the merging of the old reservation into the; newer ones, and its control by the general government, could be brought about without a campaign of recrimination and personal oriticism, though for that matter I do not know that in the public interest that should shirk from such a contest if necessary. It is as true now as it was five years ago that that reservation has not been taken care of in a way commensurate with its importan, and no expert has ever been consulted as to the management of
06343
Board of Directors of the Sierra Club,
809 Market Street
San Francisco, Cal.
Dear Sirs:--
Will you permit me very respectfully to suggest whether the Sierra Club might not now profitably set on foot a campaign with the purpose of procuring the recession of the old Yosemite Valley Reservation to the United States Government at the next session of the Legislature. The policy of establishing the great Yosemite National Park and the adjoining Sierra forest reservation has now been thoroughly cindicated, and it is beyond contention that the government protection of such reserves, as in the case of the Yellowstone National Park, is very much more effective than state control.
It seems to me that in view of the fact that the administration of the Yosemite Valley has been a source of continual criticism, both in relation to the treatment of the natural features and in the relation of the commissioners to the commercial internets connected with the Valley, the Club has in the nature of its character and purpose a certain responsibility toward public sentiment in this matter. I am of those who think that perhrps such a desirable result as the [merging?] of the old reservation into the newer ones, and its control by the general government, could be brought about without a campaign of recrimination and personal criticism, though for that matter I do not know that in the public interest the should shirk from such a contest if necessary. It is as true now as it was five years ago that this reservation has not been taken care of in a way commensurate with its [importan?] and no expert has ever been consulted as to the management of
06343
the landscape features, and during the summer of 1893 there were increasing complaints of the destructive tendencies of the commission.
I therefore submit to you that a popular movement should be set on foot by the Club looking to recession. Should this not be accomplished by the next Legislature, it would be necessary to wait two years more, and in order to accomplish it next winter considerable preliminary work must be done.
Whenever I happen to meet California men I find the sentiment in favor of recession very strong,and I believe that the object could be accomplished by means of petitioners and by bringing influence to bear upon the members of the Legislature to be elected without embroiling the Club in the disagreeable scandal which has heretofore surrounded the administration of tho Valley.
Should the Board of Directors or the Club in open meeting be inclined to take up this cause,(which I believe to be the cause of California and of the general public) I should bo glad to submit some further suggestions which might be of use in such a movement,
Believe me, gentlemen,
Very respectfully yours,
[illegible]
R.Johnson.
06343
Location
[New York]
Circa Date
[1893]
Source
Original letter dimensions: 33 x 20.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Robert Underwood, "Letter from R[obert] U[nderwood] Johnson to Board of Directors of the Sierra Club, [ca. 1893]." (1893). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 1032.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/1032
Resource Identifier
muir07_1486-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 07, Image 1486
Collection Identifier
Online finding aid for the microform version of the John Muir Correspondence http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0w1031nc
Copyright Status
Copyright status unknown
Copyright Statement
Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Owning Institution
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Pages
3 pages
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
