The law forbidding the emission of dense black or gray smoke in the city of Washington has been sustained by the courts.  Something has been accomplished under it, but much remains to be done if we would preserve the capital city from defacement by the smoke nuisance.  Repeated prosecutions under the law have not had the desired effect.  I recommend that it be made more stringent by increasing both the minimum and maximum fine; by providing for imprisonment in cases of repeated violation, and by affording the remedy of injunction against the continuation of the operation of plants which are persistent offenders.  I recommend, also, an increase in the number of inspectors, whose duty it shall be to detect violations of the act.

I call your attention to the generous act of the State of California in conferring upon the United States Government the ownership of the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Big Tree Grove.  There should be no delay in accepting the gift, and appropriations should be made for the including thereof in the Yosemite National Park, and for the care and policing of the park.  California has acted most wisely, as well as with great magnanimity, in the matter.  There are certain mighty natural features of our land which should be preserved in perpetuity for our children and our children’s children.  In my judgment, the Grand Canyon of the Colorado should be made into a National park.  It is greatly to be wished that the State of New York should copy as regards Niagara what the State of California has done as regards the Yosemite.  Nothing should be allowed to interfere with the preservation of Niagara Falls in all their beauty and majesty.  If the State cannot see to this, then it is earnestly to be wished that she should be willing to turn it over to the National Government, which should in such case (if possible, in conjunction with the Canadian Government) assume the burden and responsibility of preserving unharmed Niagara Falls; just as it should gladly assume a similar burden and responsibility for the Yosemite National Park, and as it has already assumed them for the Yellowstone National Park.  Adequate provision should be made by the Congress for the proper care and supervision of all these National parks.  The boundaries of the Yellowstone National Park should be extended to the south and east, to take in such portions of the abutting forest reservations as will enable the Government to protect the elk on their Winter range.

The most characteristic animal of the Western plains was the great, shaggy-maned wild ox, the bison, commonly known as buffalo.  Small fragments of herds exist in a domesticated state here and there, a few of them in the Yellowstone Park.  Such a herd as that on the Flat-head Reservation should not be allowed to go out of existence.  Either on some reservation or on some forest reserve like the Wichita reserve and game refuge provision should be made for the preservation of such a herd.  I believe that the scheme would be of economic advantage, for the robe of the buffalo is of high market value, and the same is true of the robe of the crossbred animals.