Show EDITORIALS Why a State Park System Three Utah State legislators flew over portions of the state Sunday including In their flight a good part of the Grand and San Juan area Purpose of the trip trip trip- to look over possible entries to the soon- soon to-be to proposed State Park system sponsored sponsored sponsored spon spon- by the Sons of the Utah Pioneers and backed by civic groups and state lawmakers lawmakers lawmakers law law- makers the state over The question arises why should we spend money to create a system that has been taken care of by the Department of the Interior and paid for hit alit ut of federal funds for many years At first appearance it seems a little foolish to duplicate our efforts in this way However to those familiar with the th-a patterns followed by the federal groups it becomes clearer why such a system should be set up We are all familiar with the lands surrounding surrounding surrounding sur sur- rounding our city Out of all these scenic spots only one the Arches National Nation l monument monument monument mon mon- has been withdrawn for use as a recreational area Those who can remember the struggle getting this area set aside as a monument can well consider that some other method might be more feasible The National Park service has done a good job over the years and the move to create a state park system is not In any way a slam at the federal ser ser- vice There are merely too many areas in inthe inthe inthe the West which need to be recognized for their value as recreational areas for the national park service to maintain Especially Especially Especially Es Es- here in Utah do we have many of these thes places A person could sit down and name a dozen at any given time Dead Horse Point Grand View Point Upheaval Dome Fisher Towers the Needles Lower Low Low- er Cane Springs canyon Monument canyon canyon canyon can can- yon Valley Vall y of the Goblins literally hundreds that should be protected and enjoyed by the people of not only the west but of the nation Strange as it seems with all its places of splendor Utah is one of the few states of the Union that does not have such a park system Other Western states have put the system to very good use protecting and developing areas that would prove too numerous and too expensive for immediate immediate immediate im im- im- im mediate consideration from the national park service A state park system would mean that almost immediately development work could start on a good number of these areas Of course monies would have to tobe tobe tobe be appropriated for such developmental work but the important thing now seems to be to get started before many of th thi natural beauties are ruined Utah's new governor stated in Moab last August that he was in favor of looking looking looking look look- ing into the possibilities of such a system This would lead us to believe that he will lend support to any ny feasible plan for its creation Plans are now afoot to bring such action before the 1957 session of the state legislature and much support has been promised Let us hope that the lawmakers do donot donot donot not deem this move too costly It is important important im that a start be made soon before it Jt is too late Possibly the fed federal ral services have plans for the development of these areas but too often their plans are S so range long-range that the good cannot come when it is needed |