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Show 99 Bryce Canyon as a work ''no other than the hand of the Master Sculptor could have chislcd [sic] out and paintcd."292 A Salt lake Tribune editorial called promoting the state's landscapes "the gospel of Utah."293 News of people returning from the national parks often carried the phrase that the travelers had "communed with Naturc.',294 If the spiritual side to the landscapes of the national parks was a shout, the language of preservation came only as a whisper. One story in the Deseret News called Ycllows1onc National Park "perhaps the most successful wild animal refuge on earth. "295 No statements of wildlifo protection or concerns with other aspects of the environment were found in Bryce Canyon coverage. Most often parks were presented as "scenic wonders" and "national playgrounds." The New York Times, reporting on the creation of Utah National Park (later Bryce Canyon National Park), wrote that it would be the "twentieth national park to be established and set apart for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the United States." 296 This statement closely reflects wording in the National Park Service legislation. Clearly, the primary purpose was not to protect nature. It was for scenic enjoyment and recreation. Conditions Met for the Park The land-ceding contingency in the legislation creating Utah National Park was first met with recalcitrance by state lawmakers. Over time the animosity faded, in part 292 Deseret News, "Story of Utah Wonders," June 2, 1924. 29J Salt lake Tribune, "Utah's Scenic Resources," June\, 1924, sec. 3, 2. 294 Salt lake Tribune, '·A Wonderful Trip," September 18, 1928,6. 295 Deserel News, "Yellowstone Gate to Open," June 18, 1924. 296 New York Times, "New National Park,"' September I, 1924. |
