Notes and Correspondence 351 



state to you its position in regard to certain proposed changes in the 

 boundaries of and administration of the Yosemite National Park. 



It has been brought to the attention of the board that a petition has 

 been presented to the park authorities which, if adopted by Congress, 

 would cut out of the park a large section, about 100 square miles, throw- 

 ing the same into the forest reserve. This includes the region in the 

 vicinity of Moraine Meadows and Buck Camp, and in fact includes the 

 entire upper basin of the South Fork of the Merced River, part of the 

 basins of the Illilouette River and main Merced. The object of this pe- 

 tition is to open the area to grazing. The Board of Directors of the Si- 

 erra Club is unalterably opposed to any changes in the present boundary* 

 of the park, and considers the present proposed change particularly ob- 

 jectionable, as it eliminates some of the finest alpine regions, and also 

 because the suggested boundaries follow section lines only, and not nat- 

 ural barriers which could be properly patrolled. 



It has also come to the attention of the Board of Directors that a 

 movement is on foot this year to have the United States Government 

 throw open the Yosemite National Park to stockmen for the grazing of 

 sheep and cattle, due to the possible shortage of foods consequent upon 

 war conditions, and particularly because of the shortage of feed in Cali- 

 fornia this year. The directors feel that no sentiment should stand in 

 the way of so vital a matter as the food supply in the face of so mo- 

 mentous a situation as now confronts the people of this country, and 

 would not oppose such a movement, disastrous as it might be to our 

 great park, if it were absolutely necessary. But they are not convinced 

 that it is absolutely necessary this year. The whole forest reserve is 

 now open to grazing, and the small region within the boundaries of this 

 national park, which has been carefully preserved for the past twenty- 

 five years, could not appreciably affect the situation. There are certain 

 stock-grazing interests which for years have been trying to get these 

 privileges within our national park, and are using the present crisis as a 

 leverage to accomplish their purpose. 



The directors beg of you to look into these matters with great care, 

 for once the precedents are established it will be difficult to change them. 



Very truly yours, 



William E. Colby 



The Associated Mountaineering Clubs of North America 



In May, 1916, nine clubs and societies with common aims associated 

 themselves in a bureau, with headquarters in New York. The member- 

 ship now numbers ninety-two, comprising about 16,000 individual mem- 

 bers, as follows : 



American Alpine Club, Philadelphia and New York. 

 American Civic Association, Washington. 

 American Museum of Natural History, New York. 



