Editorials. 



47 



It was a delight to hear this vigorous diplomatist, now in his seven- 

 ties, tell of his travels and his interest in mountains and mountaineer- 

 ing. He also expressed the opinion that children should be taught to 

 take an intelligent and sympathetic interest in the lives of our furred 

 and feathered friends of the mountains and forests; that in this way 

 the natural instincts of childhood can be turned to account for the con- 

 servation of our rapidly disappearing wild life. The public benefits of 

 an aroused interest in the conservation of natural scenery were also 

 strongly emphasized by Ambassador Bryce. He thought that by stimu- 

 lating such an interest in nature more could be done "to improve the 

 morahty of the people than could be accomplished by volumes of statute 

 books." In this number we print a part of his admirable address on 

 "National Parks," delivered at the last annual meeting of the American 

 Civic Association in Baltimore. W. F. B. 



YosEMiTE Valley Colonel Forsyth has advertised for bids for the 

 Improvements. construction of four reinforced concrete arch high- 



way bridges to span the Merced River in Yosemite 

 Valley. Anyone who still doubts the wisdom of the recession of Yosem- 

 ite Valley to the Federal Government is not famiHar with the great im- 

 provements which have been made in the valley in the past few years. 



W. E. C. 



