248 OUR FEDERAL LANDS 



tern three units, Wind Cave, Platt, and Sully's Hill, 

 which were so absurdly small and out of key with 

 the fundamental idea as to be manifest blunders, 

 cannot be ascribed for a moment to change of public 

 attitude. The public knew nothing of these products 

 of local vanity and politics. Congress knew no more 

 about them than it does of half the bills it passes 

 at every session which is nothing. The system had 

 no watchers, yet, for its protection, and its stand- 

 ards were still undefined in phrase. 



Mesa Verde followed in 1906 and Glacier in 

 1910, both backed by enthusiastic public opinion. 



During these first forty-four years of park mak- 

 ing, people valued National Parks principally for 

 their scenery, and the System, as it grew in richness, 

 variety and perfect example aroused ever increasing 

 enthusiasm. People visited their parks with serious 

 purpose, often at much expense of time and effort 

 (they were not so accessible as now), in much the 

 same spirit in which some of them also crossed the 

 ocean to see the Alps, the fiords of Norway and the 

 Himalayas. Travellers came here from abroad. Ar- 

 tists immortalized them. A world literature devel- 

 oped. Except for a few spots in Switzerland, few 

 localities anywhere inspired notice so distinguished. 



In this period's later years, popular organiza- 

 tion to conserve forests, game, native birds and ani- 

 mals, wild flowers, and historic and prehistoric relics 

 everywhere attained nationwide influence, and in- 

 numerable other clubs, societies and leagues of clubs 



