Hunting in Many Lands 



Lacey, of Iowa, was a passenger in a stage which was 

 •'held up" in the Park and robbed. The highwaymen 

 were afterward apprehended, but escaped the punishment 

 suited to their crime because of the great doubt existing 

 as to whether any law was applicable. As to game 

 offenses, regulations were powerless for prevention in 

 the absence of any penalties by law to enforce them. 



The explanation of this anomalous situation is to be 

 sought in the circumstances under which the Park had 

 been set apart. The eminent scientists, who interested 

 themselves in this important object, were surrounded 

 with difficulties. The vastness of the tract proposed to 

 be included, the question of expense, the selfish interests 

 opposing the measure, were obstacles not easy to over- 

 come. Congress was told, "Give us the Park; nothing 

 more is needed than to reserve the land from public sale 

 or settlement." Doubtless the remoteness and isolation 

 of the region might have been thought, at the time, suffi- 

 cient to insure protection. But it was the wonderful 

 scenery and extraordinary objects of interest in the Park 

 which were then thought of ; the forests and the game 

 did not enter much into the consideration of the found- 

 ers. And so Congress passed the Act of 1872, merely 

 defining the limits of the Park and committing it to the 

 keeping of the Department of the Interior, which was 

 empowered to make rules and regulations for its control. 



A great work was accomplished when Congress was 

 persuaded to forever dedicate this marvelous region as a 

 National Park, for the benefit of the entire country; and 

 it was hoped and expected that Congress would, in time, 

 supplement the organizing Act by the needful additional 

 legislation. But this was not to be had for many years 



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