Letter from R[obert] U[nderwood] J[ohnson] to John Muir, 1896 Mar 6.

• Main Author: Johnson, Robert Underwood
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Scholarly Commons 1896
• Subjects: Johnson Glacier; McAllister; glacier; Alaska
• Online Access: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/17; https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1016&context=muir-correspondence

March 6th, 1896W. GILDER, EDITOR.R. U. JOHNSON,ASSOCIATE EDITOR.C. C. BUEL,ASSISTANT EDITORMy dear Muir:-The inclosure from the "Post” of last night explains itself. It is the result of a letter which at the request of some friends of forestry reform I wrote to Hoke Smith requesting him to take this action.Bowers prepared a letter to the President of the National Academy of Science which the Secretary of the Interior signed, and the result in this magnificent forest commission.I have been in Washington two days, during which time I have been preparing the way to get an appropriation of [illegible] passed for the expenses of the Commission, the members of which serve without pay, in accordance with the law constituting the Academy. Is It not something to be thankful for that at lest we have turned our faces In the direction ofa permanent forest policy? I consider it a great event.As I telegraphed to Mr. McAllister from Washington, day before yesterday, the Oregon sheep-herders are attacking the integrity of the Cascade Forest Reservation, and have captured the Land Commissioner. I am using my influence with Hoke $felth, «0ft have also seen the Preeident, ana 1 thin* they trill not succeed, especially as a letter Bee juet come*Q1 011^ J.M.2to the President from a United States District Judge in Oregon exposing the whole plot. If by any chance it should succeed, then good-bye Sierra Reservation, for a stronger case of [illegible] hardship can be made out in California than in Oregon.I therefore asked Mr. McAllister to rally the Sierra Club against this invasion of the reservation policy. The whole thing is ex-parte, and we may expect the hostility of the Oregon delegation to the appropriation for the forest commission; butnevertheless we must fight them.I hope you can call a special meeting of the Club and set before them the details of the forest commission as shown in this extract from "The Post", and tell them that now is thetime of all times to fight these invaders of reservations, and then get a good strong resolution of protest and telegraph it to Secretary Smith. I believe he means to do the right thing, but you know the insidiousness of politics.Thank you for your letter of February 27th just received and its amusing inclosures.I am glad to hear Of Wallace's compliment to your book, and that you are putting pen to paper again. I hope the charm of that [illegible] story will not be eliminated fit the stiff-heat of print. Wouldn't it be better for you to tell it to somebody in the presence of a stenographer?I [illegible] only yesterday considering the possibility of getting the Alaska paper in before long, as there is sure to be no increased, interest in that region as soon as it is dis- The question has been [carried?] - is in the hands of the supreme court of [illegible] J.M. 3.covered that the Muir Glacier belongs to England and the hicebergs will hereafter speak with a cockney accent. I should thinkthat would break, your heart. Even the R.U. Johnson glacier is gone, to aay nothing of [illegible] Mt. Ruhemah. I will let you know as soon as we can find space for your Alaska article.[illegible]Mr, John Muir,Martinez, Cal.02072