Show to Wit IV u J S GOING ON ONBy erd toad By Dy Sam Taylor In In a land so filled with scenic marvels of or nature crying for re recognition re re- recognition cognition as tourist attractions and recreational areas and the expensive development work that would make these marvels accessible accessible ac ac- ac It Jt is with a shake of or a too not and world-wise world but fast fast cynical head that we read of or the meeting in Cortez Colorado of the heads cf of three states and their unanimous unan unan- approval of or a move to tomake tomake make hake the Four Corners Comers of Utah Colorado New Mexico and Ari An- Anzona zona a National Park or ment That three such men possessing possessing possessing pos pos- the power to influence the destiny of or three of the potentially potentially poten poten- greatest but most underdeveloped underdeveloped underdeveloped under under- developed tourist attraction states In the Union could sincerely entertain entertain entertain en en- such a 1 thought is beyond all comprehension What Is the Four Corners ItIs It ItIs Itis Is a land void of or population outstanding outstanding out out- standing beauty potentia potentiality lit or any other thing that might make an area attractive to visitors The mere fact that ancient surveys which created the common common com com- mon to the four states happened to mee meet at this point and bring I. I together four geographical land areas a feature which Is only significant because it is not duplicated duplicated du du- du- du anywhere else In the United States seems to us no n nu enough reason to request the Federal government to expend funds funds which could be so sowell Veil well u used ed to better advantage at any ont one of at a hundred other places for its development as a national recreational area we are not against recognition for our area A national na na- national monument at the Four Corners would undoubtedly better publicize our area as much as it would our neighborIng neighbor neighbor- Ing areas of the other three states But it leaves us with the feeling of having shortchanged shortchanged shortchanged short short- changed our visitors who travel to this region with the express thought In mind of or seeing our natural wonders Can yeu feature a park ranger trying to explain the marvel of oft t his this sort of or thing to a tourist who traveling West had recently visited Rocky Mountain national park Carlsbad Caverns Mesa Verde Jerde or traveling East had seen the wonders of Yosemite Grand Canyon Zion Bryce the Arches or Natural Bridges Can you imagine the let-down let feeling of the tourist who had ridden the miles from the nearest town to see this new monument a R monument not to natures nature's scenic wonders but to a geographical survey urvey of some years back which Jue lue to the rectangular pattern being followed in the creation of or Western states brought four of or them together at one point It Is easy for us to see that states in the east and midwest have to be content with creatIng creatIng creating creat creat- ing parks for any number of significant or insignificant rea rea- sons We dont don't have to ii bs content content con con- tent with We have before us untold wealth In scenic beauty the surface of which has barely been scratch scratch- ed Why waste our time money and energies trying to build something great out of something something something some some- thing which lets let's face race it It just hasn't got It When we have recognized the value and developed to a usable extent the Goose Necks of or the San SanJuan SanJuan Juan Monument Valley the Arches Ar Ar- ches rhes Dead Horse Point our beautiful mountain areas and a thousand other places rich In tourism potential then fine Why not go ahead and build a monument monument monument ment at al the Four Corners for that small number of people who get satisfaction out of or saying that they had stood on four states at atthe atthe atthe the same time But for three governors to meet and lind seriously agree to urge the Department of the Interior to expend funds to build a road of quite a number of miles pump water from the San Juan river rivera a distance to make possible the planting of or grass and flowers on onan onan onan an arid colorless piece of desert and urge people to visit this place seems ridiculous to us We noted that only three of the four tates Mates Involved met at Cortez In Inthe Inthe inthe the discussions Let us hope that the state missing was our own and that the federal government will use its funds more wisely Money for our national parks and monuments Is too hard to come comeby comeby by and doesn't go far enough is s isit isIt sIt It is to be thrown away on some useless project that might do th the th area more harm than good when visitors get ready to make return return return re re- re- re turn trips with their friends and neighbors in tow |