Mc Farland, J. Horace (1859-1948) 2 250 PIONEERS OF AMERICAN LANDSCAPE DESIGN Niagara Falls was taken away from the State of New York and the Province of Ontario and placed under the joint authority of the International Niagara Falls Control Board. In 1908, at the White House Conference on Conser- vation, McFarland, together with New York governor Charles Evans Hughes, directed his listeners' attention to the preservation of natural scenery. "National parks are too few in number and extent," McFarland stated, and "ought to be held inviolate as intended by Congress. The scenic value of all the national domain yet remaining should be jealously guarded as a distinctly important na- tional resource, and not as a mere incidental increment." McFarland went on to lobby Congress for a single agency to protect and administer the national parks. Dur- ing this effort he became active, along with John Muir, Charles Sprague Sargent*, and Robert Underwood John- son, in the fight to prevent construction of the Hetch Hetchy Dam in what is now Yosemite National Park in California. McFarland visited the Hetch Hetchy Valley and wrote a fervent letter to President Woodrow Wilson asking him to veto legislation for the dam. Although the dam was constructed, the lobbying effort culminated on August 25, 1916, with the passage of the Organic Act J. Horace McFarland inspecting a climbing rose bush at Breeze Hill. Courtesy Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American establishing the National Park Service. Before the House Gardens, McFarland Collection. Committee on Public Lands, McFarland expressed his deep feelings about the preservation and conservation of public lands: "The national parks are an American was experimenting with color photography, and his com- idea; it is one thing that has not been imported. Each pany had become America's premier publisher of gar- one of these national parks in America is the result of dening catalogs, with what may have been the first color some great man's thought of service to his fellow citi- photographs produced in the United States. zens. These parks did not just happen; they came In 1900, McFarland helped launch the American about because earnest men and women became violently League for Civic Improvement, which eventually merged excited at the possibility of these great assets passing with the American Park and Outdoor Art Association to from public control. The Organic Act was a triumph for form the American Civic Association. McFarland served McFarland's foresight and his vision and devotion to an as the organization's president from 1904 to 1924. during idea. which time he promoted a nationwide "Crusade against McFarland was widely known as "Mr. Rose." He Ugliness." As part of the crusade, he persuaded the City of wrote more than a dozen books on roses and transformed Harrisburg to abolish billboards and to retain the profes- the American Rose Society from a trade organization to a sional services of landscape architect Warren Manning* to world-renowned institution. As its president, McFarland, plan a metropolitan park system. Alarmed by the high with the help of member Robert Pyle, established a typhoid death rate, he also succeeded in getting the city method of rose identification and registration that is still to provide safe drinking water and to clean up the river in use today. He also was instrumental in setting up rose edges. From coast to coast, McFarland traveled with forty gardens in unusual locations such as Sing Sing and San lantern slides preaching the "Harrisburg Story." Quentin prisons. In the days before air travel and refriger- McFarland's vision of the future role of the Ameri- ation, he successfully sent rose bushes to Ethiopia for the can Civic Association went beyond civic improvements, coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie. At his residence in focusing attention and public awareness on national and Harrisburg, Breeze Hill, designed by Warren Manning*, international issues. Under his leadership the control of McFarland maintained a garden of 5,000 plants including 3 J. HORACE MCFARLAND 251 t New York er the joint ntrol Board. on Conser- k governor attention to arks are too and "ought SS. The remaining portant na- crement." or a single parks Dur- ohn Muir, rood John- the Hetch nal Park in chy Valley W Wilson hough the inated on ganic Act the House ressed his rvation of American Each result of flow citi- McFarland at Breeze Hill. Courtesy Smithsonian Institution Archives of American Gardens, McFarland Collection. hey came violently is passing 800 varieties of roses. Three roses were named in his Morrison, Ernest. J. Horace McFarland: A Thorn for umph for honor: Editor McFarland, the Doctor, and J. Horace Beauty. Foreword by Bruce Babbitt, U.S. Secretary of don to an McFarland. In recognition of his outstanding services, the the Interior. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Historical and American Rose Society and the Massachusetts Horticul- Museum Commission, 1995. The definitive biogra- ose He tural Society bestowed gold medals on him in 1933. In phy of McFarland: many photographs and supporting informed 1942 he received the Jane Righter Gold Medal from the materials from the Pennsylvania State Archives and ation to a Garden Club of America and the Dean Hole Memorial other sources in Harrisburg. :Farland Medal from the National Rose Society of England. lished a Wilson, William H. The City Beautiful Movement. Balti- :at is still more: John Hopkins University Press. 1989. An ex- 2 up rose Miller. E. Lynn. "The Influence of J. Horace McFarland on cellent description in chapter 6 of the campaign and San Parks, Riverways and Civic Improvements in Amer- McFarland and Mira Lloyd Dock waged to combine : refriger- ica." In Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture beauty and utility in the City of Harrisburg; the notes a for the Proceedings. Washington, D.C.: Landscape Architec- provide information on the contents of the Dock dence in ture Foundation, 1990. Describes McFarland's efforts Papers in the Pennsylvania State Archives. lanning* to establish the National Park Service, save rivers from including pollution. and clean up American towns. E. Lynn Miller 1/10/2016 PA State Archives - MG-85 Scope and Content Note J. Horace McFarland Papers Hours, PA State Research Finding Aids Directions, & Land Records Archives Topics for Collections Fees Search Archives Finding Aids Search Advanced Search Manuscript Group 85 J. HORACE McFARLAND PAPERS 1859-1866, 1898-1951 34.5 cu. ft. J. Horace McFarland (1859-1948) was born in McAlisterville, Juniata County, on September 29, 1859 but resided in Harrisburg for most of his life. During the opening decades of the Twentieth Century he emerged as an articulate advocate of the "City Beautiful" movement that resulted in such progressive improvements as paved streets in Harrisburg, the City Island water filtration plant, Riverfront Park, Wildwood Lake and associated flood control projects. A noted early conservationist, McFarland also campaigned vigorously for the preservation of Niagara Falls, the development of national parks, roadside beautification and against the blight of billboards. Together with Mira Lloyd Dock, McFarland was a seminal figure in the growth the national "City Beautiful" movement. As a founder of the American Civic Association, he took the "Harrisburg Plan" on the road to cities all across the United States. McFarland fought for the establishment of the National Park Service and promoted city planning and zoning to prevent urban sprawl. McFarland, owner of the Mount Pleasant Printing Company in Harrisburg, was also recognized for his work as a printer, as well as a master gardener whose books and photographs on roses, trees and other subjects were famous across the United States. A founder and president of the American Rose Society, he also served as the editor of the "Beautiful America" department of the Ladies Home Journal and as chairman of the State Art Commission for many years. His home and garden in the Bellevue Park section of Harrisburg was an internationally famous testing ground for hundreds of new plant species. McFarland became a central figure in the fight led by John Muir and the Sierra Club to prevent San Francisco from damming the water at Hetch Hetchy Valley in the Yosemite National Park for the city's use. But in December of 1913, after five years of hearings and debates, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill giving San Francisco access to the Hetch Hetchy Valley. McFarland, though exhausted by the failed campaign, rallied quickly and with typical tenacity worked to turn defeat into a new opportunity. Within a few days, he wrote a personal letter to President Wilson in which he paved the way for getting the president's support for the development of a national parks system. He knew that yesterdays' opponent could be tomorrow's ally. Congressman John Raker of California, who championed the Hetch Hetchy bill, became a sponsor of the bill proposing the creation of the National Park Service; and Franklin K. Lane, who was city attorney for San Francisco during the Hetch Hetchy conflict, became McFarland's ally when the National Park Service was first proposed. (By 1913 Lane had become Secretary of the Interior.) America's forty-one national parks and monuments were managed by various authorities-including the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, and the Army. McFarland was among the first ttp://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/DAM/mg/mg85.htm 1/3 1/10/2016 PA State Archives - MG-85 Scope and Content Note - J. Horace McFarland Papers of those to suggest placing the parks and monuments under one unified bureau within the Department of the Interior in order to improve overall management and policy-making. In 1910, he began rallying support both within the government and from the public for this unification, gaining the favor of Secretary of the Interior Richard A. Ballinger. McFarland drafted the first version of a bill and then suggested calling in the nationally known landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr., for further drafts. Six years and three secretaries of the interior later the National Park Service was established in 1916. McFarland served on the Department of the Interior's Educational Advisory Board for the parks and also as a member of the National Park Trust Fund until his death in 1948. For related materials see the J. Horace McFarland Company Records (Manuscript Group 453). Private Papers, 1859-1866, 1898-1948 General Correspondence, 1898-1948. (4 boxes) {#85m.1} [Holdings] Addresses, Articles, and Books, 1906-1937, 1944. (1 box) {#85m.2} [Holdings] Capitol Park Extension Committee Materials, 1916-1943. (3 folders) {#85m.3} [Holdings] Commission on Living Conditions of War Workers Correspondence, 1917-1920. (3 folders) {#85m.4} [Holdings] Committee on Zoning Correspondence and Articles, 1921-1938. {7 folders) {#85m.5} [Holdings] Harrisburg Regional Planning Committee (incl: Municipal League of Harrisburg) Papers, 1909, 1924-1945. (4 folders) {#85m.6} [Holdings] Addresses, and Articles on Horticulture, 1899-1935. (5 folders) {#85m.7} [Holdings] National Capital Park and Planning Commission (Washington Plan), 1916, 1922-1948. (2 folders) {#85m.8} [Holdings] Addresses and Articles Concerning Photography, 1900-1916. (1 folder) {#85m.9} [Holdings] Printing Correspondence, Articles and Lecture Notes, 1905-1947. (4 folders) {#85m.10} [Holdings] State Art Commission Correspondence, 1915, 1919-1920. (1 folder) {#85m.11, [Holdings] Invitations, 1913-1931. (1 folder) {#85m.12} [Holdings] McAlisterville Academy Papers, 1859-1866 and [undated]. (2 volumes, 1 folder) {#85m.13} [Holdings] Personal Diaries, 1884-1948. (11 boxes) {#85m.14} [Holdings] Miss Helen McFarland Papers, 1902-1956. (1 box) {#85m.15} [Holdings] Col. George F. McFarland Papers, 1862-1873. (3 boxes) {#85m.16} [Holdings] Lantern Slides, [ca. 1890-1930]. (over 3,500 items) {#85m.17} [Holdings] Glass Plate Negatives, 1899-1951. (23 boxes) {85m.42} [Holdings] Autochromes, circa 1908-1920. (8 boxes) {85m.43} [Holdings] American Civic Association, 1901-1950 American Civic Association Correspondence, 1908-1924. (36 boxes) {#85m.18} [Holdings] Minutes, Programmes, etc., 1903-1921, 1930-1933, [undated]. (1 folder) {#85m.1 19} [Holdings] Addresses and Articles, 1903-1919, 1921. (1 box) {#85m.20} [Holdings] Billboards Correspondence, 1907-1932, 1938. (2 boxes) {#85m.21} [Holdings] Billboards, Addresses and Articles, 1905-1939. (1 box) {#85m.22} [Holdings] Hetch Hetchy, Correspondence, 1908-1915, 1918, 1934, 1946. (2 boxes) {#85m.23} [Holdings] Hetch Hetchy Articles, 1912, 1913, 1917, 1934. (3 folders) {#85m.24} [Holdings] National Parks Correspondence, 1908-1950. (4 boxes) {#85m.25} [Holdings] National Parks Addresses and Articles, 1908-1947. (1 box) {#85.26} [Holdings] National Parks Secondary Works, 1910-1947. (1 box) {#85m.27}_Holdings Niagara Falls Correspondence, 1905-1947. (5 boxes) {#85m.28} [Holdings] http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/DAM/mg/mg85.htm 2/3 1/10/2016 PA State Archives - MG-85 - Scope and Content Note - J. Horace McFarland Papers Niagara Falls Addresses, Articles, Notes, 1903-1934. (1 box) {#85m.29} [Holdings] Niagara Falls Books and Reports, 1880-1949. (4 boxes){#85m.30} [Holdings] Niagara Falls Secondary Works, 1901-1947. (2 boxes) {#85m.31} [Holdings] Niagara Falls Photographs, 1906-1934. (4 folders) {#85m.32} [Holdings] Niagara Falls Miscellaneous Acts, Maps, and Newspaper Clippings, 1906-1935. (3 folders) {#85m.33} [Holdings] American Civic Association and National Conference on City Planning, 1920-1946 General Correspondence, 1920-1946. (3 folders) {#85m.34} [Holdings] Articles, 1921, 1932-1933. (1 folder) {#85m.35} [Holdings] Press Releases, 1933-1934. (1 folder) {#85m.36} [Holdings] American Planning and Civic Association, 1920-1951 General Correspondence, 1923-1951 and undated. (1 box) {#85m.37} [Holdings] Cumberland Falls Correspondence and News Clippings, 1926-1929. (1 folder) {#85m.38} [Holdings] Everglades National Park Correspondence, 1930-1948. (1 folder) {#85m.39} [Holdings] Grandfather Mountain Correspondence, Addresses and Articles, 1944-1946. (1 folder) {#85m.40} [Holdings] Roadside Development Committee Materials, 1932-1934. (1 folder) {#85m.41; [Holdings] Hours. PA State Research Finding Aids Directions, & Land Records Archives Topics for Collections Fees Search Archives Finding Aids Search Advanced Search http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/DAM/mg/mg85.htm 3/3 7/11/2015 American Civic Association - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia American Civic Association From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The American Civic Association (ACA) was a United States organization for making better living conditions in America, with an emphasis on improving the physical and structural growth of communities. Its purpose was briefly stated as "the cultivation of higher ideals of civic life and beauty in America, the promotion of city, town and neighborhood improvement, the preservation and development of landscape and the advancement of outdoor art. [1] The ACA was a municipal reform organization, and one of the few such organizations, national in its scope, that had no set parameters for its goals, but instead operated for the general betterment of municipal administration. [2] In the latter part of the 19th century, rapid industrialism and urbanization had appeared to spawn an inordinate desire for material and commercial aggrandizement. Urban dwellers turned elsewhere to regenerate the spirit of man, and this they found in the wonders and beauties of nature which alone could "sustain life and make life worth sustaining." Many organizations arose in the larger cities to campaign for more city parks, new recreation areas, development of outdoor art, and the elimination of advertising billboards. In 1900 these groups joined to form the American League for Civic Improvement, and four years later this group became the American Civic Association. J. Horace McFarland, a civic leader and newspaper editor in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, spearheaded the Association's activities and broadened its scope of action to campaign for state and national parks. [3] The general offices of the American Civic Association were established in Washington D.C. in January, 1910. Its principal founding officers were J. Horace McFarland, President; Clinton Rogers Woodruff of Philadelphia, vice-president; William B. Howland of New York, treasurer; and Richard B. Watrous of Washington, secretary. [1] Under McFarland's hand, and with the influence of powerful industrialist and conservationist Stephen Mather who was an ACA member, the organization was one of the big supporters of the United States' national park policy. The ACA was an early supporter of the push to have the national park system organized and administered under a single dedicated government body. [4] In 1935 the American Civic Association and the National Conference on City Planning merged to become the American Planning and Civic Association. [5] References 1. United States Congress. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, William Sulzer (1912) (Public domain). Preservation of Niagara Falls (http://books.google.com/books?id=xbQMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA373&dq=%22American+Civic+Association%22 United States Government Printing Office. p. 373. Check date values in: date= (help) 2. Bennett Munro, William (1920). The government of American cities (http://books.google.com/books? id=d5YSAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA360&dq=%22American+Civic+Association%22&client=firefox-a#PPA361,M1).The Macmillan company. p. 360. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civic_Association 1/2 7/11/2015 American Civic Association - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 3. Samuel P. Hays, "Conservation and the Gospel of Efficiency: The Progressive Conservation Movement, 1890-1920", p.143 (1959) 4. A. Gonzalez, George (2001). Corporate power and the environment. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 47. ISBN 0-7425-1085-9. 5. A Brief History of the National Park Service (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/kieley/kieley4.htm) Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=American_Civic_Association&oldid=668631703 Categories: Organizations established in 1910 | United States stubs This page was last modified on 25 June 2015, at 16:00. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civic_Association 2/2 J. Horace McFarland collection, 1900-1962. Page 1 of 2 Archives, Manuscripts, Photographs Catalog Login My List 0 ? Help Smithsonian Institution Research Information System (SIRIS) Search Search Images About Keyword Browse Finding Aids Combined Browse Images Search History All Catalogs Search: General Keyword Refine Search You are only searching: Archives, Manuscripts and Photographs J. Horace McFarland collection, 1900-1962. More Smithsonian Searches Add to my list Who else has. Creator: McFarland, J. Horace (John Horace), 1859- McFarland, J. Horace 1948 (John Horace), Title: J. Horace McFarland collection, 1900-1962. Printers Phy. Description: 3215 photographs : black and white. Rose breeders 488 glass lantern slides. Seed industry and trade (15.3 linear feet) Seed industry and trade Bio / His Notes: Dr. J. Horace McFarland (1859-1948) was a Seeds well-known author, publisher, horticulturist, and authority on roses. His printing company, Printers Mount Pleasant Press (later the J. Horace Gardens McFarland Company), was based in Gardening Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It published many of Horticulturists the seed and nursery trade catalogs in the United States during the first half of the Pennsylvania twentieth century and was one of the first to Breeze Hill (Harrisburg, apply color processes to commercial print Pennsylvania) applications. McFarland wrote over 200 J. Horace McFarland articles in popular journals as well as a dozen Company, books on roses and gardening. Numerous Mount Pleasant Press examples from his photographic archives have Photographs appeared in journals and books. McFarland Black-and-white was also the president of the American Civic Association from 1904-1924 and led a photographs Lantern slides campaign to ensure the protection of Niagara Falls. Summary: The J. Horace McFarland Collection includes over 3,100 black and white mounted photographs and 445 glass lantern slides of gardens throughout the United States dating from 1900 to 1962. Many of the photographs, which were used as illustrations in trade catalogs and journal articles, indicate the publications in which they appeared. Provenance: Donated in 1992 by James Walsh, who purchased the McFarland Company from its founder's heirs. Cite as: Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, J. Horace McFarland collection. Restrictions: Access to materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. For information or study purposes only. Use or htp://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=12712G63Y707K.5589&profile=all&ur 4/14/2010 NNSYLVANIA. WHO'S WHO IN PENNSYLVANIA 455 69, and has practised hr with Jackson: McFARLAND, J. Horace: er since. 11e was elected engineer, U. S. N. born in Phil- Franklin County, in 1878 Printer, author, publicist; born in June 4, 1834. He was ap- Juniata County Pa., Sept. 24, 1859; son m: was secretary and treat third assistant engineer in the ylor Manufacturing Com of George F. McFarland and Adeline D. from Pennsylvania, Aug. 2. 1855 ylor Engine Company. 188 (Griesemer) McFarland. He was ed- to Coast Survey steamer llet- nted United States Come ucated in private school, Harrisburg, un- Niagara, Atlantic Cable Ex- uncil City Precinct, Alas) til the age of 12: since then in the print- In 1857-1858; promoted to sec- 1903, and served until Oct ing office. IIe married in Harrisburg, Mistant engineer 1858; steamer l'a., May 22. 1894, Lydia S. Walters. McDowell was also Brazil Squadron, and Para- and they have two living children : Helen asurer of the Chambersbur Expedition, 1858-1859; promoted L. McFarland, born in 1885, and Robert d Tyrnpike Company. H assistant engineer, in 1860: at- B. McFarland, born in 1888; and one olican in politics, and to steam sloop Powhatan, West child deceased. He formed the business Failing Spring Presbyterial mber of the Pennsylvani Squadron, 1860-1861; steam gun- ot J. Morace McFariana Company, Mt. sh Society. Kittochtlany Detoraro, mortar flotilla, Wilming- Pleasant Press, employing 150 persons, ciety of Franklin County C., blockade; engagement at and making books, magazines and cata- June 28, 1862: promoted to ppa Psi fraternity, Arctic logues of high grade. This business has engineer, Feb. 2, 1862: U. S. S. d of Alaska also of frate grown from small beginnings to recogni- and. West Gulf Squadron, 1863- tion as one of the leading establishments Royal Arcanum, and the battle of Mobile Bay, Aug. 5, of the country, devoted to high-grade ler of Heptasophs. Addn special duty, Lengue Island, 1865- printing. Mr. McFarland is treasurer sburg, Pa. U. S. S. Plymouth European Sta- and manager of J. Horace McFarland DOWELL, William Leander: 1800-1871 special duty, at Ches- Company, and a director of the Dauphin 1872-1875; Powhatan. North clergyman; born in Gler Electrical Supplies Company. He was nsylvania, Nov. 22, 1843 Squadron, from 1875-1878: on the editorial force of the Ladies duty at League Island Navy hibald and Mary Ann (Rk Home Journal, 1904-1907 editorial con- 1879-1882 ordered to the Tenn- vell. He was graduated tributor to Outlook, Collier's Weekly ; as fleet engineer, North Atlantic n College, as A. B. in 1803 associate editor Suburban Life, contribu- Iron, Aug. 7. 1882: detached from tor to numerous magazines; author of 1890. He married in 1869, Dec. 9. 1882; ordered to Tenn- Getting Acquainted with the Trees, 1904 ell, of Vienna, Dorchester again as fleet engineer. North At- Photographing Flowers and Trees: Dec- yland, and they have three Squadron. Dec. 3, 1884: afterward garet R., Archibald S., and orative Photography. Mr. McFarland He was admitted to the ferred to U. S. Flagship. Richmond, has been secretary of the Municipal Atlantic Station detached from ference of the Methodist Lengue of Harrisburg since 1902: pres- rch, in 1865 pastor from Richmond, Dec. 5. 1887 ordered to ident American Lengue for Civic Im- presiding elder of the as president of the Naval Examin- provement, 1902-1904 : president Ameri- Board in session at Philadelphin, rict from 1897 to 1903 pastor can Civic Association, 1904-1908 lec- 6, 1888, to date of retirement, of Columbia Avenue Chun turer upon Civic Improvement topics in 1896. He is a member of the some 70 American cities: park commis- phia; since 1907 pastor of C tary Order of the Loyal Legion. sioner in Harrisburg, 1904-1907; re- rch, Lebanon, Pa. Dr. Mr 4956 Walton Avenue, Phila- elected in 1907 for five years. In poli- statistical secretary of the hia Conference from 1882 to tics, he is a Republican, and in religious rate to the General Confer views, a Methodist Episcopalian member TROY, Archibald Dixon: and 1900 : first reserve del of the Society of Printers. Boston : Pho- General Conferences of 1. Physician: born in Pennsylvania, tographic Society of Philadelphia Pos- 5. 1862; son of Samuel McElroy member and secretary of tal Photographic Club, Washington : mittee of the Methodist Elizabeth (Huston) McElroy. He American Association of Nurserymen, ded the common schools, and was rch, 1900 to 1904: now mem Typotheta of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania sated from Ohio Normal Univer- Forestry Association, American Forestry Board of Home Missions and as B. S., and the University of Association: president Eagles Mere For- nsion, president of the Cont leine and Surgery. Cleveland, as est Reserve Association: member Dau- d of Church Extension. pres D. He married in Apollo, Pa., June phin County Historical Society, National of several other church board 1807 Myra E. Jackson. and they Municipal League Persoverance Lodge 33 North 10th Street, P two sons: Howard C., born in Ancient York Masons, Harrisburg Club. and Walter D., born in 1904. He Country Club of Harrisburg. Engineers' post-graduate course at the New Club of Central Pennsylvania, City Club WELL, Willis: Polyclinic Medical School. and of New York, and the Aldine Association been engaged in continuous prac- of New York. Residence 129 South 13th eutenant United States Navy for the past fifteen years. in Western Street, Harrisburg. Business address : nd appointed from Penns insylvania. Dr. McElroy is a Re- Mt. Pleasant Press, Harrisburg, Pa. ] Cadet, May 19, 1893. lican in politics, and n member of 1, 1899, lieutenant Jan. 1 United Presbyterian Church. IIe is McFARLAND, Joseph: ity with Bureau of Ordinane member of the Roval Arcanum, 11, 1907. Address: Bureau Physician: born in Philadelphia, Feb- ice, Washington, D. C. Knight of Pythias and Heptasoph. ruary. 1868. He was educated at the dress; McKeesport, Pa, Philadelphia grammar schools, and in 18 R "WHO'S WHO 97822 IN PENNSYLVANIA A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF CONTEMPORARIES EDITED BY JOHN W. LEONARD SECOND EDITION 1908 L. R. HAMERSLY & COMPANY (ONE WEST THIRTY-FOURTH STREET NEW YORK PENNSYLVANIA HISTORIOMS ID MUSEUM COMMISSION Harrisburg, Pennsylvania PA State Archives - MG-85 - Container Listings - J. Horace McFarland Papers Page 1 of 14 Hours, Search Archives Finding Aids PA State Research Directions, & Finding Aids Land Records Archives Topics for Collections Fees Search Advanced Search Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Bureau of Archives and History Pennsylvania State Archives MG-85 J. Horace McFarland Papers Container Listings {series #85m.23} MG-85 J. Horace McFarland Papers American Civic Association HETCH HETCHY GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1908-1915, 1918, 1934, 1946. (2 boxes) GM 0398 box 16 Abbott, Dr. Lawrence F., Pres., The Outlook, NYC, 1910-1911, 1913-1914 (1 folder) Alexander, Wm. V., The Ladies' Home Journal, Philadelphia, PA, April 6, 1909 Aston, Taggart, Consulting Engineer, San Francisco, CA, 1915 Bade, Dr. Wm. Frederic, Editor, Sierra Club Bulletin, Berkeley, CA, 1908-1911, 1913 Baker, M.N., Editor, Engineering News, NYC, 1913, (1 folder) Ballinger, Hon Richard A., Secretary of Interior, Washington, D.C., 1909-1910 Bannwart, Carl, Secy., Shade Tree Commission, Newark, NJ, 1909 Barker, Henry A., Public Park Assoc., Providence, RI, 1909, 1912 (1 folder) Behan, John E., Secy., Spring Valley Water Co., San Francisco, CA, 1912 Branson, I.R., (incl. "Yosemite Against Corporation Greed"), Aurora, NE, 1912 Burton, Hon Theodore E., U.S. Senate, OH, Washington, D.C., 1913 Chamberlain, Allen, Councellor of Exploration and Forestry, Appalachian Mt. Club, Boston, MA, 1903- 1909, 1912-1913 (2 folders) Citizens's Business, Editor, Philadelphia, PA, February 27, 1918 Clews, Henry, Banker, NYC, 1909 http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/Bah/dam/mg/ys/m85ys5.htm 3/31/2010 J. HORACE McFARLAND DDS A Thorn for Beauty Ernest Morrison Foreword by Bruce Babbitt Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Harrisburg, 1995 Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission DEDICATION I grew up in the 1930s as a first-generation American in a home filled TOM RIDGE with roses, trips to state and local parks, rides on the trolley car, books and GOVERNOR music, visits to the nearby Antietam and Gettysburg battlefields and, later, talk of the national parks. Timothy Buchanan Liberty Hyde Bailey's name was mentioned by my father from time to CHAIRMAN time-I have never forgotten its vigorously American resonance as it rolled off his tongue-and I suspect that McFarland's name came up, too, although Commissioners I cannot be certain of it. The memory of an active boy, intent on play, is different from that of an old writer. J. M. Adovasio Until I did the research for this book, however, I never realized-nor William A. Cornell, Sr. even thought about-hov the world I knew came into being. Now that I do, Thomas C. Corrigan, Representative this book, which is their story, is dedicated to the men and women who Ann N. Greene created it. My mother, Lena Mary Noroña, and my father, Charles Morrison, Edwin G. Holl, Senator were among those individuals. None was more important to me. Janet S. Klein Mother told my brothers and me many stories: ones of scorpions on Nancy D. Kolb her bedroom walls and of poisonous snakes in the garden of her summer John W. Lawrence home at the Daniel Burnham-designed presidential city, Baguio, in the Stephen R. Maitland, Representative LeRoy Patrick Philippine Islands, where she grew up. (The memory of those stories is so Anna Rotz embedded in my unconscious, that I still occasionally shake my shoes out in Allyson Y. Schwartz, Senator scorpionless Pennsylvania before putting them on in the morning.) Dad, an electrical engineer who propagated new roses-he named them after family Eugene W. Hickok, ex officio friends-used to take us on drives to small hydroelectric plants alongside the Secretary of Education streams of western Maryland, which he was busy building into a regional network for the Potomac Edison Company. This book, then, is a small return on the large investment the men and Brent D. Glass women of the generation before mine made during the early decades of the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR twentieth century. QH 31 M23 M6 1995 Copyright © 1995 Ernest J. Morrison ISBN 0-89271-063-2 V CONTENTS Foreword xi Preface XV PART I - - THE BOY AND THE ASPECT 1. McAlisterville, Pennsylvania (1859-1864) 3 The Juniata Valley, a nineteenth-century "Garden of Eden" - The Scotch-Irish settlers, the archetypal "frontiersmen" - as buffers between the Indians and first the Quakers and then the German settlers - The McAlisterville Academy as a typical school of the day - Birth and early childhood of J. Horace McFarland - George F. McFarland recruits his school's teachers for the Civil War - Camp Curtin encampment - Heroics at Gettysburg - return to McAlisterville. 2. Riverside Nurseries (1865-1878) 12 Death of Lincoln - McFarland's move to Harrisburg - Establishment of the Riverside Nurseries near the site of old Camp Curtin - Boyhood of J. Horace - View of late-nineteenth-century Harrisburg - Growing and selling grapes to city housewives - Managing the printing of his father's newspaper, The Temperance Vindicator. PART II - THE MAN AND THE ASCENT 3. The Mount Pleasant Press (1878-1898) 27 Establishes first McFarland printery at age 19 - Move to the Mount Pleasant School building - The combining of two loves, horticulture and printing - Manages William Kurtz's New York Coloritype firm - Pioneer in printing color photos - Writing for The Photo- Miniature - Master printer. 4. Nature's Advocate (1899-1905) 49 New England trip with Liberty Hyde Bailey - Author of Getting Acquainted with the Trees - Writes trees and gardens articles for The Outlook - Early relationship with William Howland - First meeting with Theodore Roosevelt - Friendship with Frank and Nellie Doubleday - Relationship with Bailey explored. vii 5. Pointing the Finger of Scorn (1901-1906) 68 12. The City Beautiful (1914-1921) 194 Inception of the plan to clean up Harrisburg - Mira Dock Assessment of management abilities - Mount Pleasant Press involvement - Fight for pure drinking water and paved streets - revisited - Printing of and contributing to Bailey's Cyclopedia - Development of city's park system - Early development of Member of Felix Frankfurter's "Commission on Living Conditions of Riverfront and Wildwood Parks - Warren Manning sketch. War Workers" - Lectures at Harvard on printing - Harrisburg Park 6. Taking the Harrisburg Plan to the Nation (1904-1924) 88 Board - Death of William B. Howland - Maturation of Harrisburg City Beautiful plans - Evaluation of the City Beautiful movement. Founding of the American Civic Association - Touring America in the association's "Campaign against Ugliness" - Writing of the 13. High Priest of the Rose (1915-1948) 215 "Beautiful America" column for the Ladies' Home Journal. Proposal to the American Rose Society - Publisher of the American 7. The "Wheel-Pits" of Niagara (1906-1913) 106 Rose Annual and the American Rose Magazine - President of the American Rose Society - Author of books such as The Rose in The history of Niagara protection - The power company's interest America, Modern Roses and Roses of the World in Color - My - The early development of electrical power systems - Edison and Growing Garden published - Changes in the Breeze Hill gardens - Steinmetz compared - The American Civic Association joins the Glendon A. Stevens sketch - Gardens as a test site and a nationally battle - "States Rights" issue - Relationship with William Howard renowned show place - Personal assessment from 1922 diary entry. Taft, Secretary of War - Meetings with Theodore Roosevelt - The Burton Act - Treaty between the United States and Canada. PART III - VIEW FROM THE PROSPECT 8. White House Governors' Conference (1908) 123 14. "Doctor" McFarland (1924-1931) 233 Definition of conservation vs. preservation - Participation in the Retirement from American Civic Association presidency Honorary development of the nation's conservation plan - McFarland argues Doctorate - Harrisburg Capitol Park extension Defending with Pinchot for the "aesthetic dimension." Yellowstone against dam encroachment - Keeping speculators 9. Breeze Hill (1909) 138 away from the Grand Canyon - Establishment of the Everglades Selection of Bellevue Park home Establishment of gardens National Park - Niagara Falls Control Board activities - Getting - Theory of "garden color" - Garden pictures - Early rose efforts - Acquainted with the Trees reprinted. Development as a "garden laboratory" - Establishment of finding 15. Eagles Mere (1899-1944) 259 lists - Gardens as a national show place. Description of Eagles Mere as family vacationland - Declining years 10. The Battle for Hetch Hetchy (1909-1913) 153 - Turns firm over to son, Robert - Writes Eagles Mere and the Background of the conflict - East Coast advocate for the Sierra Club Sullivan Highlands. - Trip to Hetch Hetchy - Washington lobbyist - Cosmos Club 16. A Cake with 89 Candles (1944-1948) 271 member - Nervous breakdown - Utilitarian conservationists (e.g., Writes Memoirs of a Rose Man - Personal correspondence with Pinchot) win - Lessons learned for the future. William Colby, Harold Ickes and George B. Dealey - Presides over 11. "Father of the National Park Service" (1910-1916) 173 board meeting (with an 89-candle birthday cake) on Monday of the Seeing the need for a single parks agency - McFarland's influence week he dies - Decline of family significance - Lack of appropriate at the Department of the Interior - Writing President Taft's message recognition - Personal attributes and character Assessment of to Congress - Drafting the proposed law - Seeing the bill through importance. committee and Congress - Pinchot and Ballinger affair - Epilogue 287 Appointed to National Park Trust Fund Board. viii ix APPENDICES FOREWORD A. McFarland Chronology 299 J. Horace McFarland (1859-1948) was one of the first Americans to B. McFarland Books and Articles sound the call for environmental and scenic protection. He served as a (Includes Reviews of McFarland's Life and Work) 303 vigorous leader in formulating and disseminating ideals of preserving- not merely conserving-natural resources. With John Muir and a few C. Index of McFarland Quotations 314 others he stood almost alone in stressing how "fair use" conservation D. 1924 American Civic Association Functions Chart 322 strategies would not be enough to keep America unspoiled for future generations. E. American Civic Association Meeting Log 324 During Theodore Roosevelt's White House years, the word "con- F. McFarland Ten-Year Summary of the American Civic Asso- servation" was used almost universally to mean efficiency, or the ciation, letter to Lawrence Abbott 326 elimination of waste. Most policy makers were interested less in pre- serving America's natural assets than in setting regulations that would G. American Civic Association Personae 329 assure farmers, miners, and loggers of their "fair share" of the nation's resources. In his 1901 message to Congress, President Roosevelt ac- NOTES AND SOURCES claimed the concept of "perpetuation by use," noting that "protection is not an end in itself, but a means to increase and sustain the resources of Notes 349 the country and the industries which depend upon them." McFarland, though, understood the irony of simply delaying con- Bibliography 379 sumption. If the native beauty and natural resources of the United States were not more fully protected from present and future exploitation, he Index 387 warned, the result would be to convert the "fairest land the sun shines upon into a desert of ugliness." When the Susquehanna River, near his home in Harrisburg, Penn- sylvania, flowed with raw sewage, and garbage was heaped upon its banks; when city residents were deprived, by urban expansion, of green fields and parks, McFarland campaigned successfully to confront Harrisburg's citizens with the issues and carve out a public policy they would be willing to support. Parks were his particular interest. McFarland called in Warren Manning, the Boston landscape architect, to assess Harrisburg's environs and present a proposal. Inspired by what he found, Manning provided a bold and attractive plan. McFarland diligently educated the citizenry on the merits of the park system; they became SO enthused about their future parks that they voted overwhelming support for the entire reform package, which also included filtered water and new sewage systems. The struggle in Harrisburg took place in 1902 and was covered closely by newspapers throughout America, propelling McFarland into national prominence. In 1904, he became the first president of the American Civic Association, an influential national group that became instrumental in promoting the improvement of cities and preserving America's natural beauty. Most cities were dirty-disfigured by telephone wires, smoke-infested, and lacking decent water and sewage systems. The xi aim of civic improvement was to turn the tide away from this blight and America's forty-one national parks and monuments were managed the rapid despoiling of natural areas. by various authorities-including the Department of the Interior, the Between the years 1905 and 1924, McFarland himself criss-crossed Department of Agriculture, and the Army. During his stays in Washington the country in a crusade against that decay. He delivered slide shows and on behalf of the American Civic Association, McFarland discovered that lectures on the advantages of shade trees, parks, handsome buildings and there was not "a single desk" in that city devoted to the running of the town planning; he wrote, printed, and circulated pamphlets on cleaning nation's parks. If not the first, McFarland was among the first to believe up the blight he saw everywhere. McFarland didn't believe in passing that placing the parks and monuments under one unified bureau within laws that made people change things, but rather in persuading them the Department of the Interior would improve overall management and through education that they wanted the changes. He encouraged citizens policy-making, and in the end best preserve the parks. In 1910, he began to write letters to their congressmen about environmental issues. The rallying support both within the government and from the public for this letters were not the mass-produced, pre-conceived letters that are sent unification, gaining the favor of Secretary of the Interior Richard A. today, but individually composed, heartfelt messages that convinced many Ballinger. McFarland drafted the first version of a bill and then suggested legislators of the public's profound concern with numerous environmental calling in the nationally known landscape architect, Frederick Law and beautification issues. Olmsted, Jr., for further drafts. As president of the American Civic Association, McFarland took part Six years and three secretaries of the interior later the National Park in conservation conferences and was involved in developing policy Service was established under the 1916 Act. McFarland's dedication to the positions on national environmental issues. In 1905 the American Civic service never waned. He served on the Department of the Interior's Association asked him to aggressively seek support from the Roosevelt Educational Advisory Board for the parks and also as a member of the administration to insure protection for Niagara Falls, which was threatened National Park Trust Fund until his death in 1948. by construction of hydroelectric plants that would divert water from Ernest Morrison's book, the first to be written about McFarland, above the Horseshoe Falls. McFarland led a successful campaign that corrects a significant omission in conservation history. J. Horace culminated in the signing of a treaty with Great Britain in 1909, McFarland: A Thorn for Beauty reminds us once again of our large debt safeguarding the falls. to committed citizen activists. McFarland gave most of his life to educating He became a central figure in the fight led by John Muir and the the public and gathering support for programs of civic improvement and Sierra Club to prevent San Francisco from damming the water at Hetch to insure the preservation of America's natural beauty. Hetchy Valley in the Yosemite National Park for the city's use. But in McFarland's vision was grounded in his prophetic understanding December of 1913, after five years of hearings and debates, President that the planet and its people represent one single system. Long before Woodrow Wilson signed a bill giving San Francisco access to the Hetch the word "ecosystem" or the phrase "whole earth" became part of our Hetchy Valley. everyday vocabulary, he understood our world to be part of an integrated Muir was deeply affected by this defeat, and withdrew from further system in which all forms of life are interdependent, and in which the public campaigns. McFarland, though exhausted by the failed campaign, destruction of one part threatens the survival of the others. The earth, he rallied quickly and with typical tenacity worked to turn defeat into a new believed, belongs to each of us, and we, in turn, are forever responsible opportunity. Within a few days, he wrote a personal letter to President for its well-being. This, then, is the legacy of this extraordinary man. Wilson in which he paved the way for getting the president's support for the development of a national parks system. He knew that yesterday's BRUCE BABBITT opponent could be tomorrow's ally. Experience bore him out: Con- gressman John Raker of California, who championed the Hetch Hetchy bill, became a sponsor of the bill proposing the creation of the National Park Service; and Franklin K. Lane, who was city attorney for San Francisco during the Hetch Hetchy conflict, became McFarland's ally when the National Park Service was first proposed (by 1913 Lane was secretary of the interior). xii xiii of comfortable amity with those who, like yourself, realize it CHAPTER ELEVEN square, straight forward fight, with good intentions, and that ght just as well work together for the furtherance of the "FATHER OF THE NATIONAL PARK ich I am glad to learn are held in approval not only by yourself in the government of San Francisco.' 60 SERVICE' don't miss looking for the sycamore maple's long, pendulous racemes. They seem more grape-like than grape blossoms; and they stay long, apparently, the transition from flower to fruit being gradual. I mind me of a sycamore I pass every winter day, with its dead fruit-clusters, a reminiscence of the flower- racemes, swinging in the frost breeze, waiting until the spring 1 push of the life within the twigs shoves them off. A few days after his letter to President Wilson, J. Horace wrote a relaxed, truly personal letter to his friend Caroline Bartlett Crane. He told her that in spite of his summer attack of nervous exhaustion, he expected soon "to be quite well again." He explained that the cause of his problem was a previous lack of "sufficient self-control in avoiding the extra pressure" which upset him. He went on to describe his sense of civic obligation and his illness in typical McFarland language and imagery: I know it is my duty to work for others. I do not believe it is my duty to make myself incapable of earning a living by service to others. I also know that it is exceedingly disagreeable to be physically incapable. This particular burnt child dreads his particular kind of fire with a real, live, recent burnt finger dread!2 2 He then suggested to Crane that "it would be particularly pleasant if sometime when you are coming East you could stop off and look at Breeze Hill again. It is quite different now outside, because I have done much gardening and having fortunately been too poor to do it by wholesale and by proxy it reflects whatever of personality and love for flowers I have and can bring into actual use." The meadow at Hetch Hetchy may have been gone, but the gardens at Breeze Hill would still reflect his love of flowers and trees. They helped him get through his doctor-forced stay at home that summer and fall. By the winter of 1913- 1914, however, he was back hard at work on another important love, "bringing into actual use" a bureau for the National Parks. During his travels to Washington on American Civic Association business with the White House and at the Departments of Agriculture and Interior, McFarland discovered that there was not a "single desk or a single individual who worked full time" on the national parks. Each of the parks was run by a superintendent on site-often a retired military officer. While that may suggest the parks were used as a favor-dumping ground, 172 173 in fact, the army had been charged with significant responsibilities in the Manning for ideas on managing the nation's parks and brought in parks. Up to then, the parks had been carved out of western public lands, Frederick Law Olmsted. 3 Because of their close friendship, the selection of by various acts of Congress. These lands were considered to be "open" Manning would have seemed to be the more likely choice for the master for the grazing of cattle and sheep. And when they were made available of Breeze Hill to have made. Frank A. Waugh, of the Massachusetts for homesteaders, detachments of troops were usually the only effective Agricultural College in Amherst and an authority on landscape way to protect the portions designated as park land from incursions by architecture, who gave McFarland both names on a short list, also thought herders and settlers. The effectiveness of the army in driving away that Manning would do as good a job as Olmsted. Even John Olmsted, cattlemen and sheepherders and rousting squatters out of the Yosemite who handled the administrative side of the Olmsted Brothers firm, while was one of the reasons Muir fought for recession. The states were unable Frederick handled the "artistic features," would appear to have been a to do the job; the army was. The road builders in some parks, too, were better choice in setting up a new organization, but McFarland and the army engineers. Annual congressional appropriations to the War Ballinger agreed on Frederick. 4 Department included money specifically designated for these efforts. Manning's park experience had been primarily with private estates; The national parks were the responsibility of the Department of the Frederick Law Olmsted also was the more widely known public figure. Interior, but in 1910 the Grand Canyon was not a national park. It had Although in the American Civic Association Olmsted was responsible, only recently been established as a "national monument" out of a national rather curiously, for the Department of Nuisances-which issued pam- forest. It, like many of the other national monuments, was the re- phlets such as "Swat the Fly"-he had the broader park management sponsibility of Gifford Pinchot and the Forest Service, which was part of experience that was needed. The Olmsted name, too, was one that the Department of Agriculture. Moreover, some of the national mon- Gifford Pinchot could not easily, and probably would not, attempt to uments were managed by the army. For those that were called parks, impugn. The chief forester considered Olmsted's father, under whom Congress authorized separate appropriations based on the park Pinchot and Manning had worked at Biltmore, North Carolina, to have superintendent's request and the peculiarities of the legislation under been "one of the men of the century" with "one of the best minds I have ,5 which the park had been created. Each superintendent, as well as the ever had the good luck to encounter." secretary of the interior, made annual reports to the people. Although the In spite of making such choices, and, also his reputation-not SO sizes of, and the inconsistencies in, the appropriations for the various much for having a temper but for being able and willing to use a cutting parks were issues, J. Horace's primary concern was over the lack of remark to best an opponent-McFarland never seems to have had a uniform management and policy setting. Just as when he first walked into falling out with any of those with whom he worked. Phelan did "abuse" William Kurtz's Coloritype operation in New York City to be the firm's him during one of the Hetch Hetchy hearings and then quit the American manager, there was not a single desk in Washington devoted to the Civic Association. But there are no exchanges of letters of apology; only running of the nation's parks. correspondence-sometimes at odds with even a friend, often in the most In 1910, then, he began the process of patiently hectoring a national frank of language-evidencing a mutual striving toward objectives park bureau into being. First he needed to "befriend" each incoming that J. Horace considered important. Even when he and Gifford Pinchot secretary of the interior. Without their support, little could be achieved. stopped writing and talking with each other for a number of years, it was Then, with the secretary's favor, he began the slow process of building a because both men found that further discussion was fruitless-each was consensus within the government and with the public. He used publicity unable to convince the other on any point and gave up trying. to arouse the public and the public to agitate among their legislators. And always to accomplish these ends, he enlisted the aid of the best Having gained the full support of Secretary Ballinger, J. Horace individuals he could find. The use of these strategies accounted for the spent a week in early December 1910 in the Washington office of the many successes he enjoyed at the Mount Pleasant Press, and in running secretary, drafting the first version of a bill to establish a park bureau. the American Civic Association. Aside from the purely administrative provisions, such as the salary of the As he had said of Frank and Nellie Doubleday, McFarland always "commissioner" of the "Bureau of National Parks," and those relating to seemed to make the best use possible of people. He passed over Warren legal issues, such as the power to arrest violators and the relationship of 174 175 the parks to state and federal courts, the two key provisions of the act purposes. I understood the Secretary to tell me that the Yosemite National were contained in Section 4. It charged the secretary of the interior with Park, for example, is simply in the condition of a Forest Reservation at present, without dedication to any particular purpose. I see no good to be publishing the "rules and regulations for the management, care and gained by making an opening for Mr. [Robert M.] La Follette, for example, to preservation of such parks, monuments, and reservations, and for the get off an abusive speech about the leasing of the Hetch-Hetchy Valley to a protection of property and improvements, game and natural curiosities power company for thirty years under the terms of the bill. Such talk might 10 and resources therein." It also stated that the secretary was the individual not kill the bill but it would not help its chances for passage. who would "grant leases and permits for the use of the land, or the McFarland agreed, made some minor changes in the Olmsted development of the resources, as well as privileges for the accom- wording, and, after thinking over Olmsted's point on congressional modation of visitors in the parks, monuments, and reservations." These "6 opposition, suggested to Ballinger that they also revise the grants, were to be "for periods not exceeding thirty years. franchises, and concessions limitation from thirty to twenty years. When Olmsted received his copy of the draft, he objected, however, Ballinger made the Olmsted and McFarland changes and, "upon to Section 5 of McFarland's draft, which provided that the "parks, monu- consultation" with the members of Congress interested in the bill, also ments, and reservations shall not at any time be used in any way eliminated those sections dealing with criminal offenses in the parks. He detrimental or contrary to the purpose for which dedicated or created by was advised that those sections might "interfere with the success of the Congress." Olmsted thought it was of "vital importance" that the four-line ,11 measure. By January 4, 1911 the bill was ready to go forward. The section be rewritten. He pointed out to McFarland and Ballinger that it following week Reed Smoot, of Utah, introduced it into the Senate, where was "an unfortunate feature of the present situation of the national parks it was referred to the Committee on Public Lands. that Congress had not in all cases adequately defined the purposes for By the end of the year, however, it was obvious the bill had little which they were dedicated or created. 7 He proposed that Section 5 chance in that session of Congress. Not only was there insufficient interest include specific language regarding recreation and natural scenery, that among legislators, but the bill faced tough opposition from the Forest the parks, monuments, and reservations Service and the Pinchot forces in Congress. Henry Graves and Pinchot shall not at any time be used in any way contrary to the purpose thereof both objected to the McFarland and Ballinger idea and suggested that the as agencies for promoting public recreation and public health through the functions of park management could be performed by the Forest Service use and enjoyment by the people and of the natural scenery and objects without setting up another bureau. Many of the parks were adjacent to a of interest therein, or in any way detrimental to the value thereof for such 8 Forest Reserve, some actually were surrounded by Forest Service lands. purpose. They asserted, moreover, that many of the functions of the proposed Over the ensuing years this change has come to be considered as bureau would be duplicative of services already being performed by the the "defining clause" for the National Park Service-one writer has Forest Service. described as "enshrined. ",9 it Words such as "public recreation," "natural McFarland, who wanted no part of the Forest Service mixed with the scenery," and "objects of interest" have, like mantras, taken on a life of national parks, began the slow process of building support for the Smoot their own in park philosophy, programs, and arguments over agency Bill. He started by drawing additional important people into the effort on purpose. Rather than intending it that way, however, Olmsted the side of the parks, by building the case to counter the Forest Service recommended the change because he felt "the bill seems to me SO arguments, and above all by gathering public backing across the country. desirable as a whole that I should be very sorry for any needless feature William Colby, of course, promised the support of the Sierra Club, in it calculated to arouse opposition or even to offer a good handle for although he wished "we were a little nearer the seat of war SO we might anyone who may be predisposed to opposition." He explained: enter into that end of it more actively. And by January 1912, McFarland If the bill is introduced as now drafted, without some such proviso as I enlisted-or rather had accepted-the efforts of Frank A. Waugh, who have indicated, it could hardly fail to be the case that some of the Senators headed the Division of Horticulture at the Massachusetts Agricultural and Congressmen who have shown a disposition hostile to Secretary College. Waugh was on good terms with Graves and the Forest Service Ballinger would attempt to make political capital out of the apparent power (or at least had access to Forest Service personnel) and, as a member of which the bill would place in the hands of the Secretary to grant leases for the American Civic Association, was a friend of McFarland's. He acted as a the development of the resources of some of the parks for business 176 177 go-between or a facilitator during much of 1912, downplaying differences, was responsible for many of the twenty-eight national monuments. reporting changes in attitude, mentioning when opportunities for common Officials of the railroads that served the parks, and some of the con- 13 ground became available. cessionaires who operated hotels and trading posts in the parks also At first McFarland cautioned Waugh: "Make no mistake about Henry attended. McFarland had been invited "as representing organized effort to Graves in this connection. If he is not absolutely and potentially against promote park efficiency." ,18 the plan, it is because he is afraid to be against it. He opposed it When McFarland returned from his trip to Yellowstone and Hetch personally to me when the bill was first drafted last year, and in company Hetchy, he got Lyman Abbott to publish three columns in The with Mr. Pinchot, joined in the most intemperate denunciation of the Outlook that J. Horace had written concerning the Yellowstone general idea." McFarland claimed that he "fought Graves to a stand-still," conference. After mentioning that "the holding of such a conference of but that Pinchot would not budge, because "he will not answer an officials, those commercially interested, and a civic authority, is as unique argument directly or admit that he is anything else than the entire in government practice as it is admirable in any practice," he explained 14 law !" Eventually Graves came around; Pinchot never did. "the facts." These, of course, dealt with the situation whereby "no official Earlier in 1911, of course, President Taft had dismissed Pinchot and in any department is definitely charged with the control and management Pinchot then had brought down Ballinger. The ex-chief forester, however, of the nearly six million acres set aside either for pleasure or scientific continued to involve himself directly with Graves, his replacement, and interest." McFarland's piece continued by decrying the lack of "uniform with the Forest Service. Ballinger's departure appeared to wreck policy of improvement, or of control of concessions"; and that the "funds McFarland's plans. In a March 1911 letter to the American Civic for improvement and maintenance are incidental and pitifully meager." Association's president, Olmsted expressed the fear that Pinchot's Among the conclusions which were reached at the conference, he 15 continued visits to Graves are likely to "sow discord. McFarland wrote asserted the first was agreement upon "the absolute and immediate back that "Pinchot's hostility would only be annoying but not serious, if 19 it necessity for the creation of a Federal Park Bureau." His unsigned were not for the change in the situation at Washington. Walter Fisher is Outlook article made no mention that McFarland and the American Civic his personal friend, and I feel very much afraid that he will Association had been working to that end for the previous two years or immediately undo everything that Ballinger has done I am lost in that the chief forester, Henry Graves, was also there and argued for Forest amazement at the curious perspective which must have existed in Mr. Service management of the parks. Taft's mind when he wrote SO strong a letter of endorsement of Ballinger, containing SO strong a condemnation of Pinchot, while at the same time During its six-year progress many people contributed to the process 16 appointing in Ballinger's place Pinchot's personal friend Although as well as to the various iterations through which the bill went. Some Olmsted expressed "amazement" over Taft's "curious perspective" in the were quite small, but significant. One, which resulted from an editorial appointment of Fisher as Ballinger's replacement, he told McFarland that conference in the offices of The Outlook over the merits of setting up a 17 "upon the whole I take great satisfaction in the appointment." It turned separate organization, had to do with the name of the new park bureau. out Olmsted was right. Walter Fisher did as much, if not more, for Ernest Abbott, the chief editor's son, suggested a change in the name to McFarland and the national parks as did Ballinger. From the beginning he that of the National Park Service. Abbott felt that there would be "less and McFarland worked closely together on items of American Civic opposition in Congress and less criticism out of Congress." Not only was Association interest; Fisher included the association and its president in the word "service" less officious sounding than the word "bureau," but it discussions and major Department of the Interior meetings on the parks. also would complement and connect in the minds of the people and congressmen the management of the nation's parks with a sister bureau, The conference on the national parks, which Walter Fisher called in the Forest Service. After the meeting, McFarland recommended it to Yellowstone in the summer of 1911, was one of the many public and Walter Fisher. Fisher wrote a letter to Senator Smoot agreeing with the congressional awareness activities that the advocates of a national parks American Civic Association's suggestion. The next revised version of the service conducted between 1910 and 1916. The superintendents of the 20 bill contained the name change. thirteen national parks were there, along with the chief geographer, who 178 179 The editors of The Outlook had approved of the general idea of The president opened with a lengthy cautionary statement over properly maintaining the national parks, but they initially were "unfavor- government finances. He explained that the thought of the costs of a new able to the formation of a separate organization for that purpose." The bureau "sends gooseflesh all over the body of anyone who has any sort magazine was already committed to supporting the establishment of two of responsibility in respect to the finances of the government." The other new government agencies-a Children's Bureau and a Department president acknowledged, however, that "utility involves expense." He of Public Health-and felt that to support a third would be asking for too followed with a discussion of how the parks and the national monuments much new government. McFarland had to write several "pretty stiff letters" came into being. He described it as "that lazy way we have in our and to ask for the meeting, at which Ernest Abbott suggested the name Government of first taking up one thing and then another." Then he came change, to get them to agree. In a January 1912 letter to Walter Fisher, out foursquare for the new agency. "If we are going to have national McFarland reported that The Outlook would "come out squarely favoring parks, we ought to make them available to the people It is going to the formation of a separate bureau, just," he wrote, "as we have been add to the expense of the Interior Department, but it is essential that we planning it. Richard Watrous also received a letter from Howland should use what the Lord has given us in this way, and make it available 24 stating, "Mr. McFarland lunched with us yesterday and we are converted." for all the people Let us have the bureau. As if gleefully, Howland also reported to Watrous that the "Bureau, Walter Fisher also addressed the convention. He cited a number of however, is not to be a bureau but the National Park Service. If you do problems that could be solved by establishing the new bureau: the not believe it look at The Outlook next week. ,22 There is no record of disparity in the statutory authorities by which each of the parks had been whether or not McFarland thought the name change was a good one or if, set up, the way that money was appropriated separately for each, and the perhaps, he traded it for The Outlook's support, but his ability to lack of uniformity in handling similar issues across all of the parks. Of the persuade, to negotiate, was obviously at work in getting the backing of latter, he mentioned the building of roads, the protection and disposition the magazine. of trees, the awarding of hotel concessions, and the establishment of regulations dealing with visitors. Before turning the podium over to Although the writer Harlean James claims in her book, Romance of McFarland, he closed his talk by "recognizing the practical and vigorous the National Parks, that McFarland began the campaign to establish the manner" in which the president of the American Civic Association has National Park Service in 1908, following the White House Conservation gone into this [proposition]." Fisher then made it clear that McFarland was conference, the first real evidence of such efforts is his private meetings the leading, the dominant player in the effort: with Ballinger in late 1910 to put together the initial draft of a legislative I feel we have gained an ally-I should not put it that way-that we are bill. The first real public campaign did not begin until late in 1911. It was allies with him, and that we are willing to help him and this Association in the result of realizing that congressional support was dependent on carrying on this work and see that we get from this coming Congress, if constituent pressure. As was stated in a 1912 American Civic Association possible, a bill along the lines of that which Senator Smoot has advocated. pamphlet: "When the American people make their demand insistent McFarland then gave the major address of the evening: "Are National enough, it may be expected that Congress will enact the legislation Parks Worth While?" In it he spoke of the origins of the American park necessary to make possible the large and dignified administration and "23 idea. He compared the United States to Europe. He mentioned that development of the National Parks that is recommended.' "London has barely an acre of parks for each thousand of her people- To help create the "demand," McFarland set aside one evening for only one tenth of the ideal American provision," and how Paris had the national parks during the Seventh Annual Convention of the American "almost as large an area of cemeteries in which to store the dead as of Civic Association held in Washington in December 1911. It was planned parks in which to restore the energies of the living." In attempting to "with especial reference to the necessity of creating by Congress a Federal answer the question of the worth of parks, he explained that the Bureau of Parks, within the Department of the Interior." He induced "American service park idea its relative efficiency, has its intensive Walter Fisher to preside over the session. More importantly, he asked the development in modern playgrounds," which he called "first aids to secretary of the interior to invite President Taft to address the group, endangered American childhood," and "of which few examples are found which was meeting in the new Willard Hotel. Taft agreed! 180 181 road." He then stated that, as does the American flag, parks "foster true views" of "Some Picturesque Features of Our National Parks." Both men 26 triotism. He asked the delegates: delighted the audience, which included President Taft, who, against the wishes of his aide and bodyguard, stayed for the evening. The public Is it the smoking factory chimneys, the houses of the grimy mill town, the malodorous wharves along our navigable rivers, the metropolitan portion of the campaign for the National Park Service had been launched skyscraper, or the great transcontinental steel highways that inspires us with appropriate splendor. Frank Waugh wrote McFarland: "Your pres- as we sing the national hymn? idential address struck the popular chord," and William Colby claimed that Into the brick and concrete heart of the city the park brings a little of the Gleason was "much impressed with [your] ability and enthusiasm." The primeval outdoors, and here grows best the love of country which sees with New York Times even wrote for a copy of McFarland's address "for adoration the waving stars and stripes. editorial reference. "30 And when Watrous saw the sheets McFarland So I hold that, in safeguarding and stimulating the essential virtue of patriotism, the beauty of the American park stands forth as most of all worth used-annotated on the typed copy, with various forms of penciled 27 while. underlinings, with slashes and double slashes, and with other "con- tingencies" for delivery nuances-he wrote, "You are a wonder." ,31 From community parks he moved to the national ones. McFarland The following February, President Taft sent a special message, imed that they "are our larger playgrounds. Everything that the limited written by McFarland, to Congress. In it, he "earnestly recommended the pe of the city park can do as quick aid to the citizen, the national establishment of a Bureau of National Parks." He told the legislators that rks are ready to do more thoroughly, on a greater scale." To drive his the legislation was "essential to the proper management of those ints about parks home, he hit again at the difference between them and wondrous manifestations of nature, SO startling and SO beautiful that ests. He insisted, "There must be no confusion between the differing everyone recognizes the obligations of the Government to preserve them ctions of the forest and the parks. The primary function of the nation's for the edification and recreation of the people." ests is to supply lumber. The primary function of the national parks is During 1912, hearings were held on the bill by the House maintain in healthful efficiency the lives of the people who must use Committee on Public Lands. The Forest Service arguments were debated at lumber." He closed his justification for the "removal from devel- at some length. Even some of those supporters who were interested in ment of upward of five millions of acres of the public domain for the new agency were concerned about the duplication of technical tional parks," by asserting, "The parks are the nation's reserve for the 28 services for tree and land management and road building, which would intenance of individual patriotism and federal solidarity." exist between the two agencies. There were those, too, who felt that the He came finally to the lack of park management. How "with 41 work which would be required in managing the parks more properly tional parks and monuments, aggregating an area larger than two belonged in the Department of Agriculture. Walter Fisher made the main vereign states, and containing priceless glories of scenery and wonders presentation before the committee. The hearings were not very long, nature, we do not have as efficient a provision for administration as is reflecting perhaps the lack of interest in the subject and the inadequacy of ssessed by many a city of but fifty thousand inhabitants for its hundred the park group's preparation. When the secretary was queried he did not SO acres!" He then explained that when three years before "several of even know how many parks there were-an aide had to count them on combined to scotch and kill four vicious legislative snakes under which the list they had with them. And when it came to the costs for the y one might have condemned at $2.50 per acre the Great Fall of the proposed agency, the only figures the Department of the Interior had llowstone"-to get at the little information which was available-it had come up with were for three men and for printing (apparently of reports, en necessary "to pass around" through three departments and "to brochures, bulletins, etc.). This in itself, of course, was evidence of the insult clerks who had taken on the extra work of doing what they could the parks. "29 inadequate administration of the parks, but it did not instill confidence in the rest of Fisher's presentation. Although John Raker, the bill's author, The American Civic Association's evening on the national parks tried to answer the other committee members' questions when Fisher sed with a talk by Enos Mills, of Estes Park, Colorado, on "Wild Life in faltered, the lack of strong replies to the ones on costs and the duplication National Park" and a stereopticon presentation by Herbert Gleason of of effort and thus for the "need" of a new agency apparently was ston. Gleason, a Sierra Club representative sent by William Colby, drew damaging to the cause. phasis to the floral life in the parks with a hundred "exquisitely colored 182 183 By the end of the year it was clear to those who were interested in a reasons I was not anxious to push the bill very strongly during the last ,34 parate park service that the issues of the duplication of effort with the Congress, with which Senator Carter's term expired. rest Service as well as the development of more specific bureau costs Olmsted's wariness over pressing for the establishment of the buld have to be addressed. Although McFarland stated in a letter to National Park Service during 1911 was typical of his involvement in the illiam Colby that he did not care whether the new agency was in the effort. In one letter to McFarland he wrote, "I shall always be glad to be of epartment of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture, he wanted a any service I can to the Association in protecting or advancing the interest w agency; one, moreover, separate from the Forest Service. This not of the National Parks, but it is SO important to my usefulness as a member ly because of the different functions which parks and forests served, of the Commission of Fine Arts (for the redesign of the Federal City) not it also because the management issues and problems were different. to be mixed up in any matters over which political controversy may n the technical level they appeared to be the same; their underlying arise He then told McFarland that "it would be just as well to destroy hilosophic principles, however, and thus their management needs, were my letters about it. ,35 And although he wanted the support of Mark ssimilar. Pinchot, of course, disagreed. In a letter to Olmsted he wrote: Sullivan of Collier's magazine for the National Park Bureau, he told him that "I have been entirely frank with you perhaps to the By far the best part of the work of control and protection in very many of point of them [the parks] has been done entirely by the men of the Forest indiscretion because I should be sorry to have Collier's oppose the bill Service The methods of protection in both Parks and Forests are on insufficient grounds " But he also asked Sullivan, "As a personal substantially the same. The National Parks, because of their great extent, can favor destroy this correspondence and keep me entirely out of not be handled like City Parks, as McFarland has always seemed to me to 36 anything you may say or do in the matter. think they must be, but rather like great open spaces in condition and needs From the time McFarland brought Olmsted into the national park mainly like the National Forests, and differing from them chiefly in the fact 37 that certain uses which are permitted in the Forests are forbidden in the issue in October 1910, both men were concerned about the type of in- Parks. dividuals they wanted to see staff the new bureau. In January 1911, in my judgement the creation of a separate organization to handle the McFarland called a Saturday meeting of the American Civic Association's Parks would involve a needless duplication of effort. executive committee in New York specifically to "work on the personnel McFarland, of course, never wanted the parks "handled like City of this matter. "38 And, after stating that "the selection of the right man for rks." It was management policy, moreover, not control and protection, head of the Bureau is of vital importance, especially at the start," Frederic hich concerned him. Even though Pinchot was gone from the Forest Olmsted outlined, in a long letter to his brother John, the requirements for rvice, the power of his ideas was still strong. Concerning the Forest the position: "A man of really large calibre, of executive ability, of strong rvice lobby, Watrous wrote to his boss in February 1911 that "there has backbone, of reasonable tact, of good taste, with the instincts of a st to be a mighty shaking up some way to dispose of the hammers that gentleman. Although Olmsted, Ballinger, and McFarland anticipated ,33 em to be in too general use. that the position would pay $5,000 a year, they were hoping "to get an From the beginning, too, considerations of possible political able public-spirited man of at least $10,000 grade." fluence consumed time and thought. When Ballinger was secretary of When the American Civic Association held its next annual e interior, McFarland and Watrous, as well as the legislative foes of the convention in Baltimore in November 1912, Secretary Fisher spoke to the I, were concerned that Ballinger's support of the bill might be a cover again. He told them that while in committee "the general result [on 1 a wish to place a friend in public office. And as early as 1911 Olmsted the bill] was favorable," the congressmen "were SO engaged in preparing ote McFarland: "It has been my private opinion all along in regard to for the presidential election that they made little progress for us." He e Bureau of National Parks that Senator Carter (Thomas Henry, of asked the association, however, "to continue to use all the influence in its ontana) had his own personal political reasons for advancing the project power" to see that Congress would provide for the application of "sound "40 dependent of any public concern in the matter. I have been keenly principles of administration to our National Parks. ake to the danger that he would slip one of his political henchmen into The main speaker to the American Civic Association on the parks e position of commissioner if the bill went through, and for those that year was James Bryce, the British Ambassador to the United States. Bryce, who knew more about the United States than many of its citizens, 184 185 had visited four of the parks. He spoke eloquently of the nation's Fisher assigned W. B. Acker, an assistant attorney in the office of the "magnificent forests" and of its "beauties of nature." And he told the secretary, part-time responsibility for park business. And, in 1913, Lane delegates that "if there is one thing better even than the City Beautiful, appointed Adolph Miller as an assistant to the secretary of the interior for that is the Country Beautiful." He then explained how a great deal of the the National Parks. Then in 1915, Stephen T. Mather came to Washington finest scenery in Scotland and England had been taken into private estates to replace Miller. He was a "tireless worker" and a "born promoter," and thus lost to the public. He begged them "to consider that, although according to park's historian John Isle. Although Mather rightfully gets your country is vast and has scope of natural beauty far greater than we credit for later publicity campaigns on behalf of the national parks, the can boast in little countries like England or Scotland, even your scenery is one for the establishment of the National Park Service was well underway not inexhaustible, and, with your great population and the growing desire by the time of his arrival at the Department of the Interior. to enjoy the beauties of nature, you have not any more than you need.' Grosvenor had been publishing long features on the parks in the When Taft lost the 1912 election to Woodrow Wilson, it was National Geographic, starting in 1912 with L. F. Schmeckebier's "Our necessary for McFarland and Watrous to start over with the cultivation of National Parks." In 1914, he followed with Ellsworth and Emery Kolb's yet a new Secretary of the Interior, Franklin K. Lane. The week following "Experiences in the Grand Canyon," and then in April 1916 with a 102- Lane's arrival at Interior, McFarland briefed him on "the national park page article entitled "Land of the Best." More than half of this piece, "42 story.' Although Lane may have been committed to San Francisco's side which included the Rockville Bridge across the Susquehanna as among of the Hetch Hetchy fight, under McFarland's prodding he quickly became the nation's "best," was devoted to pictures and commentary on the an ardent supporter of the parks and the need for their efficient admin- national parks. (The inclusion of the Rockville Bridge was probably due istration. to McFarland's influence.) It was probably copies of this Geographic Between the years of 1912 and 1916 the forces for the establishment article which were placed on the desk of every congressman and senator of the National Park Service introduced bills in the sixty-second, sixty- just prior to the 1916 vote on the bill. third, and sixty-fourth Congresses. In addition to those of 1912, hearings During these years, the Sierra Club had been busy sending out were held in 1914 and 1916 before the House Commmittee on Public flyers, and Edmund Whitman of the Appalachian Mountain Club had Lands. Although the Department of the Interior was better prepared in regularly consulted with Watrous on the various drafts of the bill. As early 1914, the issue of costs was still the big stumbling block. Congressmen as 1913, too, Enos Mills, of Estes Park, Colorado, was going around the were unwilling to accept the idea of paying for a new agency. John Raker country gathering support for the establishment of the Rocky Mountain of California had become the principal House backer of the effort, while National Park, telling of his encounters with bears (stories with which he Smoot remained the central figure in the Senate. Because of the House had enthralled President Taft in 1911), and in promoting the parks minority leader James R. Mann's animosity toward Raker, however, generally. When he appeared before Chicago's City Club in 1913, Stephen 43 McFarland asked William Kent, a friend of Mann's, to help in the effort. Mather, the club president, who was also a member of the American Civic Kent willingly agreed. Kent's old Early American brick home at the Association, sent McFarland a copy of Mills's speech. In it Mills liberally corner of F and Eighteenth Streets soon became, along with the Cosmos quoted the president of the American Civic Association, especially on the Club, a meeting place for the park group. There (in the same house topic of "Do Parks Pay?" At one point he paraphrased J. Horace by saying, which had been headquarters for the San Francisco group planning the "Using land for its scenic attractiveness is perhaps putting it to its highest campaign for damming Hetch Hetchy's Tuolumne River), Raker, Kent, 45 and greatest use; this is real conservation. After telling his audience: "If Watrous, McFarland, Robert B. Marshall, Adolph C. Miller, and Gilbert I were asked to name the most useful American citizen, it would be Mr. Grosvenor, the editor of the National Geographic, met to plan their McFarland," Mills closed by asserting, "Let us have parks, SO that when strategy on getting a park bureau established. this age shall pass away we can say with Keats": Beauty is truth, truth beauty-that is all Unable initially to get a national park bureau through legislation, Ye know on earth, all ye need to know. Fisher, and especially Lane, had attempted to put oversight of the parks on a sounder basis by "resorting to administrative devices." 44 First Walter In 1916 the national park forces went all out to get the National Park Service established. Not only did William Kent, John Raker, Robert B. 186 187 Marshall, and Stephen Mather appear before the Committee on the Public am in favor of establishing a national park service. To anyone who Lands, but SO did McFarland and Watrous. McFarland's comments were understands the problems of administering large units of land it must be the major "statement" of the forces in favor of the bill. McFarland obvious that there must be provided machinery and money, for carrying surveyed the history of the bill between 1910 and 1916 with special on the executive work on the parks, for effective supervision and in- reference to the Olmsted paragraph, which he explained came about spection of that work, constructive development of policies, and coordi- because "Mr. Olmsted knows how to handle the English language much nation to the application of the policies." In answer to McFarland's second 46 better than I. question of whether there was any opposition to the bill within the Forest To mute the opposition "hammers," McFarland emphasized the need Service, Graves's reply was "categorically, no." McFarland even got the for "the gentlemen who are to consider this legislation" to understand forester to make the statement that in its present shape "the bill is in clearly that "there is an absolute distinction between the handling of parks excellent form. and forests." He explained: "The parks are the Nation's pleasure grounds Graves's statement could not have been more favorable had and the Nation's restoring places, recreating grounds. The forests are the McFarland written it himself. J. Horace and Watrous had done their work nation's wood lots." Olmsted may have been able to write better English, with the chief forester well. The Harrisburg printer's life story is a but McFarland knew how to express ideas pungently, imaginatively, SO textbook case study in leadership, in good management. He knew how to they drew sharp images that remained, like the trail-blazes on a tree, axed get things done: have vision, convince others of your idea's worth indelibly on the mind. (especially those who at first are against it), find the right individuals to After bringing out the point that "the national parks are an American implement it, let them do the job, and when it is finally successful, give idea, the one thing we have not imported," McFarland reviewed the the credit to those who did the work. With this formula and his religious history behind the establishment of several of the parks, how they did not honesty, others were converted, those who labored with him loved him, just happen, but "came about because earnest men and women became and he was able to accomplish great things where others failed. violently excited at the possibility of these great assets passing from the public control." He claimed, therefore, that "these great parks are in the The one issue that was not settled during the hearings and which highest degree, as they stand today, a sheer expression of democracy." Graves also dwelled on at some length in his letter had to do with the He adroitly absolved Congress from blame for the slow development of administration of the national monuments that lay within national forests. the parks on the grounds that the park idea was new, and then he went Graves declared that "it is essential in my judgement, to insure a full to lengths to describe what a park was. coordination with the administration of the national forests." This was I think sometime we fall into a misapprehension because the word "park" because "the parks and forests have common problems of fire protection, in the minds of most of us suggests a place in which there are a number of insect protection, road construction, game conservation which must be flower beds, and probably stone dogs and iron fountains We forget that worked out in common to be successful." Although the Office of Public the park has passed out of that category in the United States. The park now Roads, with its corps of trained civil engineers, the Bureau of Entomology serves the people, the park decreases the demand on the forces for keeping with its experts in forest insects, and the Biological Survey, which was order, the park is the direct competitor in the United States of the courts, of charged with problems relating to the conservation of game, were located the jail, of the cemetery, and a very efficient competitor with all of them The park idea in America has come to be the idea of service and in the Department of Agriculture, Graves supported the bill. Mather, too, 47 efficiency, and not an idea of pleasure and ornamentation at all. reassured the legislators: "We can cooperate readily with the Forest Service people." To forestall possible legislative questions on forest versus park McFarland closed his statement in favor of establishing the National management issues and the previous opposition by the Forest Service to Park Service by citing the "very great desire in the country back of it." He the new bureau, McFarland had solicited a long statement from the chief mentioned the growing number of people visiting the parks each year forester, H. S. Graves, which he put into the record. Graves's letter and that "the American Civic Association is made up of a nationwide opened by stating that he was "glad" to answer each of the questions that membership, and of people who feel what they believe with considerable McFarland had asked him "to remove any doubt as to exactly where I stand on the subject." From the outset, he made it clear: "Most certainly I 188 189 tensity.' He asked the committee members to report the bill out "in such Pinchot on the Forest Service. The nation's first chief forester never fully shion as may seem best to insure its final passage." understood, and thus built an agency that does not comprehend, the full During the legislative campaign that followed, Watrous and Mather's import of McFarland's whole-cloth view of conservation. Although Pinchot bung assistant, Horace Albright, who later became the head of the wrote McFarland in 1909, "I am realizing more and more the value of the ational Park Service and also the third president of the American Civic aesthetic side of conservation, and by and by you will make a complete ssociation, attended to its progress. Watrous kept McFarland advised by 56 convert of me," he never did. The forester may have agreed with the ng letters and frequent phone calls. The House passed Kent's version of idea that the forests were the nation's wood lots and the parks were the e bill on July 1, 1916, without much debate. It was an election year and nation's recreating areas; but he was never able to accept that beauty- ent and Raker lined up enough votes that, with the absence of provided sustenance for the spirit was a national resource equally as impaigning office seekers who were opposed, they were able to slip it 50 important as that of material nourishment for the body. McFarland's claim rough. They did have to agree to amend it, however, to reduce the that the parks are "the nation's reserve for the maintenance of individual rector's salary from $5,000 to $4,500, to leave some national monuments patriotism and federal solidarity" is still a visionary statement seventy-five the Department of Agriculture, and give the secretary of the interior years after he made it. It is not surprising, then, that Gifford Pinchot did athority to issue grazing permits. Senator Smoot led the Senate effort and not embrace it in 1916. was passed there, but with an amendment that struck out the provisions In a December 1911 letter, Waugh had lamented that it is a h grazing. The conference committee let the grazing provision remain 51 weakness of human nature "that men must always quarrel over matters of ut eliminated it for Yellowstone Park. The agreed-upon amendments 57 public interest, and therefore he believed that the parks should be assed easily in the Senate. In the house, however, Congressman William managed by the Forest Service to avoid the problems that would result. afford of Wisconsin, who opposed the creation of any new bureau McFarland agreed with him. "If you knew as much as I do about the gardless of its merit, attempted to block the bill. Raker assessed the vote bickering and jealousies that prevail between separate departments at tuation, requested unanimous consent and got the conference report 52 Washington, often administered by good men, you would feel as I do, proved by a voice vote. On August 25, 1916, President Wilson signed that a weekly meeting, at which some great big man could either fight e bill. It was not until the following year, however, that enabling these people into happiness and efficiency, or bang their darned heads gislation was passed to provide money to set up the National Park together until they were SO sore that they would quit kicking each other, ervice. Stephen Mather-after consulting with McFarland, who advised 58 53 would be a great public benefit.' He thought that Walter Fisher might be m to take the job-became the first head of the new bureau. just such a man, and did hope that eventually both the National Park There had been a flurry of last-minute concern in mid-April, when Service and the Forest Service would end up in the Department of the atrous discovered a clause which William Kent had inserted in the final Interior. He may have believed, too, that in an ideal world the parks and raft of the bill at the suggestion of the Department of Agriculture. The the forests could be managed by a single agency, but unlike Waugh or fect of the "revision" was "to make impossible the creating of a national Pinchot he understood that, for practical reasons, the gaping firebreak ark from the Grand Canyon (or any other National Monument), unless it which separated those who leaned toward one or the other of the two as established in the Department of Agriculture." Kent provided Watrous ideologies-the utilitarian or the preservationist-necessitated that the ith access to all his congressional correspondence on the bill. Watrous forests and the parks have separate management. McFarland was willing et with Mather and the two of them then convinced Kent of the dangers to build bridges across the chasm that divided them-those on each side the provision. In a meeting with Scott Ferris, the chairman of the 54 needed those on the other-but he refused to ignore its existence. ommittee on Public Lands, the objectionable clause was removed. McFarland, if not the first, was among those who initially saw that to John Ise states-but with little conviction-that because there are sustain its objectives, the park preservationist movement (as opposed to ery few national parks in Europe, "it is possible that a measure of the Pinchot's fair-use forestry group, which was already bureaucratized) had ostility that foresters have sometimes shown toward the national parks to be moved away from its control by amateurs and inside the as due to the European origin of American forestry principles. ,55 The government. The president of the American Civic Association certainly ostility is more likely the result of the continuing influence of Gifford began working to that end before others. More importantly, he was 190 191 uniquely qualified by temperament and position to achieve that objective. When McFarland was invited in August 1941 to the twenty-fifth an- Others may have seen, along with him, the disjointedness which existed niversary celebration of the passage of the National Park Service Act, he between the many preservationist organizations and even have realized had to decline because of poor health. He asked, however, that Horace that the future of the movement lay in consistent, effective management. Albright read the following words for him: It was because of his vision, his persistence, however, that others began to realize and then to accept that this could only be accomplished by a Down through the quarter century you are celebrating I have seen the permanent institution in the government. It was his patience, his skill, his parks win their way against opposition, sometimes selfish, often only perserverance, moreover, which were needed to take it there. 59 ignorant, in the Congress and out of it. The work of Stephen Mather, taken up by Horace Albright, and then Arno Cammerer, is in Newton Drury's good While there is truth in the thought of recent years that the hands now, but best of all, it is in the hands and the hearts of the great establishment of the National Park Service marked the transfer from American public which visits, knows, and will defend the National Park amateur to professional control of the preservationist movement, its System as it has matured into magnificent accomplishments. He would be a significance is debatable. Who is a professional? And of what? Gifford hardy man who should now attempt to lay hands on these areas in which Pinchot was trained as a forester, but did he really function as a pro- our free way of life comes best to expression. The parks are vast factories of 62 effective patriotism. fessional forester or as a professional politician? If he was a forester when he served the nation as its chief forester, does that mean that the national Recalling that it was a cornerstone belief of early twentieth-century parks were receiving "professional" management when they were under progressives that expanding education and increasing enfranchisement of the Forest Service's jurisdiction? And if Stephen Mather was an amateur the successive waves of immigrants was essential to the building of the the day before he assumed a position at the Department of the Interior, nation, it is interesting to speculate on the extent to which they might did he become a professional the day after? McFarland was a professional have recognized that the controlling elites of subsequent generations only at printing, photography, and writing. His knowledge and practice of could not be trusted to extend or even to continue the preservation efforts horticulture, landscape architecture, and park management and their close they had begun. McFarland, at least, seems to have felt that this could connection with the three skills he did use to make a living, would seem, only be done by turning responsibility for the environment over to the however, to rank him near those who, like Mather and Albright, acquired people. In this way the "great factory of democracy" could continue to status as professionals by becoming government employees. In the end sustain itself: the national parks would nourish the people; the people the ability to influence attitudes and to achieve results is the only thing of would protect the parks. import. The essential accomplishment of the 1916 bill was the In 1970, sixty-two years after McFarland had objected at the White establishment for the first time of uniform, full-time management of the House Governors' Conference over the "tourist travel tribute" paid to nation's parks at the national level, exactly what McFarland had set out to Europe to see less impressive scenery than that which existed here at do six years and three secretaries of the interior earlier. home, George B. Hartzog, the director of the National Park Service, McFarland continued to wield considerable influence on the national reported that visitors "on their way to, and in the vicinity of, areas of the parks within the Department of the Interior through successive admin- National Park Service" were spending 7.8 billion dollars annually. This, strations and secretaries of the interior. He served on the Department of according to Hartzog, was more than 10 percent of the total expenditures 63 he Interior's Educational Advisory Board for the parks and also as a that year for the travel industry in the United States. member of the National Park Trust Fund until his death in 1948. As late is the 1930s, Harold Ickes, President Franklin Roosevelt's secretary of the nterior, still sought the advice of the former president of the American Civic Association on "problems in connection with the National Park service," as well as his recommendations on appointments of new directors to run the agency. The last of these, Newton Drury, was ppointed director of the National Park Service in 1940 as the result of a McFarland suggestion to Ickes. 61 192 193 apter Eleven: "Father" of the National Park Service (1910-1916) 29. Ibid. 1. McFarland, Getting Acquainted, 16. 30. Richard Watrous to McFarland, December 19, 1911. 2. McFarland to Caroline Bartlett Crane, December 30, 1913. 31. Ibid. 3. Frederick L. Olmsted to Gifford Pinchot, December 23, 1912. UCBan. 32. Gifford Pinchot to Olmsted, December 26, 1912. UCBan. casionally Olmsted is identified as "junior," to distinguish him from his father 33. Watrous to McFarland, February 13, 1991. derick Law Olmsted (1822-1903). This he did SO seldom in his letters and papers 34. Olmsted to McFarland, March 15, 1911. UCBan. t it is often necessary to know the context in which the name is used to determine 35. Olmsted to McFarland, December 19, 1910. UCBan. ether the father or the son is being referred to. Since he did not use the term junior 36. Olmsted to Mark Sullivan, December 19, 1910. UCBan. nself, he is not called junior here. 37. McFarland to Olmsted, October 13, 1910. UCBan. 4. Manning did perform valuable service on behalf of the parks through the years. 38. McFarland to Olmsted, January 5, 1911. UCBan. one point, as head of a New England committee on park preservation, he marshaled 39. Olmsted to John C. Olmsted, December 19, 1910. UCBan. port to kill the proposal of several park superintendents to hire landscape architects 40. Walter L. Fisher, "The Need for a Bureau of National Parks" (address to the "beautify" the parks. They wanted Congress to appropriate money SO that brush American Civic Association, November 20, 1912). American Civic Association Bulletin, uld be cleared and attractive plantings made which would "enhance" the series 11, no. 6 (December 1912). LibC. onumental scenery. 41. James Bryce, "National Parks-The Need of the Future" (address to the American 5. Pinchot, Breaking New Ground, 48. Civic Association, November 20, 1912). American Civic Association Bulletin, series 11, 6. U.S. Senate Bill, S. 9816, January 9, 1911. no. 6 (December 1912). LibC. 7. Olmsted to Franklin K. Pierce, December 31, 1910. NatlArc. 42. McFarland to Stephen R. Tripp, August 25, 1941. 8. Ibid. 43. Elizabeth T. Kent, William Kent, Independent (Privately published, 1950), 281. 9. E. Max Nicholson, comments during the discussion on Paper 3, Session II, 44. Donald C. Swain, "The Passage of the National Park Service Act of 1916," cond World Conference on National Parks, printed by the International Union for Wisconsin Magazine of History (August 1966), 6. Writers on early National Park Service nservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Morges, Switzerland, 1974, 45. history have mainly begun their detailed accounts in the year 1915. McFarland has 10. Olmsted to Pierce, December 31, 1910. NatlArc. During Roosevelt's presidency, been given praise for his persistence with the idea prior to that date, but there have Follette was considered to be one of the more radical conservationists. been little more than sketches of what was actually going on between the years of 11. Richard A. Ballinger to McFarland, January 4, 1911. NatlArc. 1910 and 1915. 12. William Colby to McFarland, November 28, 1911. 45. Stephen T. Mather to McFarland, April 2, 1913. 13. See Frank A. Waugh to McFarland, December 19 and 27, 1911, and January 3, 46. J. Horace McFarland, testimony at the Hearing before the Committee on the 12. Public Lands, Sixty-Fourth Congress, April 5 and 6, 1916. 14. McFarland to Waugh, December 19, 1911. 47. Ibid. 15. Olmsted to McFarland, March 10, 1911. UCBan. 48. Ibid. 6. McFarland to Olmsted, March 13, 1911. UCBan. 49. Ibid. 7. Olmsted to McFarland, March 15, 1911. UCBan. 50. Swain, "National Park Service Act," 16. 18. J. Horace McFarland, "The National Parks Conference," The Outlook 99 51. John Ise, Our National Park Policy (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1961), 190. eptember 30, 1911). 52. Swain, "National Park Service Act," 16. 9. Ibid. 53. Robert B. Marshall, who had been given an interim appointment as 20. James R. Hickey to McFarland, January 12, 1912. NatlArc. "Superintendent of the National Parks" in December 1915, served as acting head until 21. McFarland to Walter Fisher, January 11, 1912. NatlArc. Mather took over in April 1917. 22. Harold J. Howland to Richard Watrous, January 9, 1912. 54. Watrous to McFarland, April 13, 1916. 23. "The American Civic Association's Movement for a Bureau of National Parks," 55. Ise, Our National Park Policy, 189. erican Civic Association Bulletin, series 11, no. 6 (December 1912). LibC. 56. Pinchot to McFarland, November 24, 1909. 4. William Howard Taft, speech to the American Civic Association, December 13, 57. Waugh to McFarland, December 27, 1911. 11. From the undated pamphlet, "The American Civic Association's Movement for a 58. McFarland to Waugh, December 30, 1911. reau of National Parks." UCBan. 59. According to John Ise, bills were introduced in the House in 1900 and again in 5. Walter A. Fisher, speech to the American Civic Association, December 13, 1911. 1902 to establish a national park commission. Ise, Our National Park Policy, 188. om the undated pamphlet, "The American Civic Association's Movement for a Bureau 60. Harold L. Ickes to McFarland, May 18, 1933. National Parks." UCBan. 61. Ickes to McFarland, June 27, 1940. George B. Hartzog has written of Drury's 6. J. Horace McFarland, speech to the American Civic Association, December 13, stewardship: "If the seventeen years of Mather and Albright (1916-1933) may be said to 1. From the undated pamphlet, "The American Civic Association's Movement for a be the years in which the promotion of use was the emphasis, the eleven years of reau of National Parks." UCBan. Drury (1940-1951) may be characterized as the preservation emphasis years." George B. 7. Ibid. Hartzog, Battling for the National Parks (Mt. Kisco, N.Y.: Moyer Bell Limited, 1988), 81. 8. Ibid. 62. McFarland to Stephen R. Tripp, August 25, 1941. 366 367 63. George B. Hartzog, paper presented to the Second World Conference on 16. J. Horace McFarland, "Liberty H. Bailey as Poet, Editor and Writer," draft of National Parks (Morges, Switzerland: International Union for Conservation of Nature article submitted to Cornell Countryman (October 23, 1913). and Natural Resources, 1974), 160. 17. Ibid. 18. Liberty Hyde Bailey, The American Rose Annual (Harrisburg: Mount Pleasant Chapter Twelve: The City Beautiful (1913-1921) Press, 1917), 16. 19. Henry Lewis Bullen, "Eminent Living Printers," The American Bulletin (February 1. J. Horace McFarland, "The Feast of Vegetables," The Countryside Magazine and 1916). Suburban Life (July 1915). 20. J. Horace McFarland, "Lo! The Fool Printer," draft of article sent to Printing Art 2. Holway R. Jones, John Muir and the Sierra Club (San Francisco: Sierra Club, (April 20, 1910). 1964), 148. 21. J. Horace McFarland, "Printing for Profit," Printing, Walden-Mott Company, Inc. 3. McFarland to Colby, December 28, 1912. McFarland cited one instance: "This (March 15, 1918). attitude became apparent when Robert Underwood Johnson took an extreme, and 22. "William Bailey Howland," memorial booklet, the American Civic Association, indefensible position, and then would not retract it." 1917, page 29. HarWdnr. 4. Colby to McFarland, May 7, 1912. 23. Ibid., 10-11. 5. Jones, John Muir, 119. McFarland also zealously guarded the name of the 24. Ibid., 21-24. American Civic Association. When a Richmond, Virginia, betterment organization 25. William B. Howland to McFarland, February 28, 1916. unknowingly adopted the same name, and was hesitant to change it, he forced them to 26. Dewey, who was prominently connected with the American Metric Bureau, do SO with threats of a lawsuit. created a storm at Columbia in 1887 when he started a "School of Library Economy" 6. The strength of the organization and McFarland's ability to manage it are based and opened it to women. Dictionary of American Biography, Suppl. 2, S.V. "Dewey, largely on a review individually of the extensive, existing correspondence and the Melvil." results that the group achieved. Unfortunately no central repository of American Civic 27. Howland to McFarland, February 28, 1916. Association papers-membership lists, organizational ballots, board meeting minutes or 28. Municipal League of Harrisburg flyer, October 31, 1913. treasurer's reports-has been found. A 1931 "Ten Year Survey" (probably written by 29. McFarland to Lawrence Abbott, March 23, 1915. Harlean James) stated that the American Civic Association was negotiating with Dr. 30. J. Horace McFarland, "Not Only the City Beautiful," speech to the American Civic Putnam of the Library of Congress to designate the organization to act unofficially as Association, November 20, 1912, page 5. American Civic Association Pamphlet, series 11, the arm of the Library of Congress for inquiries in the group's field, and ultimately to no. 8, May 1913. HarvWdnr. place the association's papers in the Library of Congress. Apparently nothing ever came 31. McFarland to Abbott, March 23, 1915. of it. 32. J. Horace McFarland, "Beautiful America Department," Ladies' Home Journal 7. McFarland to Emerson Hough, April 3, 1922. (March 1904). 8. The law was not directed against Mather or the National Park Service. It was 33. Vance C. McCormick, "Our City and Its Future," address delivered to the written by Senator John D. Works, a Christian Scientist, to stop the Bureau of Education Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce, September 23, 1915. from distributing hygiene and therapeutic pamphlets by ostensible dollar-a-year men 34. Ibid. who actually were members of the American Medical Association. Robert Shankland, 35. William H. Wilson, The City Beautiful Movement (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Steve Mather of the National Parks (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1954), 167. University Press, 1989), 257. 9. Shankland, Steve Mather, 167. 36. Dictionary of American Biography, Suppl. 4, S.V. "Dealey, George B." 10. McFarland to Colby, December 10, 1934. McFarland's letter goes on to mention 37. Wilson, The City Beautiful Movement, 259. an instance of his difficulties with Yard. "I well remember one hearing (Congressional) 38. George B. Dealey, "Getting into Action," booklet, pages 3-5, quoted by Wilson, with a total of one hour to go, more than half of which was taken up by defenses Yard The City Beautiful Movement, 260. had to make against foolish statements criticizing one of the Senators. After that we 39. Dealey to McFarland, March 9, 1932. managed to get him to stay away." 40. Wilson, The City Beautiful Movement, 273. 11. J. Horace McFarland, "Running on a Reserve Basis," The Printing Art (April 41. McFarland to Dealey, October 10, 1911. Quoted by Wilson, The City Beautiful 1913). Movement, 273. 12. "Which Garden Books Do You Read," Better Homes and Gardens (November 42. J. Horace McFarland, "Isn't Trenton a Dirty City?" Ladies' Home Journal 1935), 27. (November 1912). 13. Liberty Hyde Bailey, The Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, vol. 1 (New York: 43. J. Horace McFarland, "War-Time Housing and the Government," American Macmillan Company, 1915), v-vi. Review of Reviews (December 1919). 14. In addition to J. H. Hale and McFarland, Harlan P. Kelsey, Warren Manning and 44. Ibid. C. S. Sargent were among the more than four hundred contributors of articles. 45. Harlean James, "The Government Hotels for Women," American Review of Manning, for example, wrote on Banks, Herbs, Landscape Gardening, Planting, and Reviews (December 1919). Rock-Gardens. 46. Electus D. Litchfield, "Yorkship Village," American Review of Reviews (December 15. J. Horace McFarland, "Man Bailey-Who Is He-and What Has He Done?" 1919). Litchfield, an architect, was also a member of the American Civic Association's Countryside Magazine (October 1914). Executive Board. 368 369 non patron due 9/18 MEMOIRS of a ROSE MAN TALES FROM BREEZE HILL by J. HORACE McFARLAND 1949 If RODALEPRESS, EMMAUS, P PENNSYLVANIA Walter C. Hinkle Memorial Library Phone: (607) 871-6314 State University of New York Agricultural and Technical College Alfred, New York 14802 SEP 24 14 THE ROSE MAN OF BREEZE HILL THEROSE MAN OF BREEZE HILL never smoked or drank might enter into the picture. by Robert Rodale Dr. McFarland was a man of manifold achievements. Besides being a connoisseur and capable judge of roses and piants in gen- TC eral, he was a master printer. Infected with HE BEST FRIEND of the rose in the printer's ink germ as a boy, he remained America, J. Horace McFarland, died at his in that profession until his death. Only the home in Harrisburg on the second of Octo- finest work in color and monotone was al- ber, 1948. He was 89 years old. lowed to leave his plant. Whenever we hear of an individual who He continuously sought to preserve the scoffs at man's normal life span and advances natural beauty of our national parks and to into his eighties and nineties we feel open ad- beautify American cities. The American Rose miration for him. He has seen and absorbed Society was his pet. His desire to publicize the much of life and has observed the passing of rose and arouse interest in this queen of flow- many eras. He can be compared to the wise ers led him to build the organization to its owl, sitting on his perch and watching the ac- present size. tivity of the world, knowing all. If he is of the caliber of J. Horace McFarland, he has no re- A native of his favorite state, Pennsylvania, morse. Dr. McFarland was born in McAlisterville, Dr. McFarland (he received his degree of Juniata County, September 24, 1859. His fa- Doctor of Humane Letters from Dickinson ther moved the family to Harrisburg in 1865. College) had no patent formula for his long- In 1871, when John Horace was 12, Col. Mc- evity. Perhaps it was his devotion to his work, Farland took two steps that were to have great his interest in life, and his desire to live that influence on his son: He abandoned teaching kept him alive and alert. The fact that he as a profession and went into the nursery bus- 136 137 MEMOIRS OF A ROSE MAN THE ROSE MAN OF BREEZE HILL iness. A short time later, he started a temper- had to do much of the early work himself. In ance newspaper. That combination of inter- fact he is credited with originating several ests, printing and horticulture, was to stick photographic formulae. Today, the Mount with Dr. McFarland until his death. Pleasant Press has in its files one of the At the age of 19, he opened a small print world's largest assortments of horticultural shop in his own name, and eleven years later photographs. purchased the old school building that was Black-and-white photography soon lost its the nucleus of the present plant, known as the appeal for Dr. McFarland, who felt that the Mount Pleasant Press. The firm name, J. true beauty of nature could never be repro- Horace McFarland Company, was adopted in duced without natural color. Consequently, 1891, seven years after his marriage to Lydia he spent the year 1894 in New York manag- S. Walters. They had two children, a daugh- ing the Coloritype Company, introducers of a ter, Helen, and a son, Robert, who now man- German-invented three-color printing pro- ages the press. cess still largely in use today. His experience Dr. McFarland was never satisfied with with this company enabled him to do color anything less than the best in printing, horti- printing of the highest quality in his Harris- culture, city planning, or any of his other burg plant. fields of endeavor. When he began printing Although the first actual color photographs seed catalogs, an item that now makes up 95% produced on this continent are believed to of the output of the Mount Pleasant Press, he have been made at the Mount Pleasant Press realized that the woodcuts then in use did not in 1907, Dr. McFarland was never satisfied graphically represent the plants. Dr. McFar- with the variable results obtainable by direct land felt the need of a better medium of illus- color photography. He always felt that the tration, and the infant science of photography only accurate way to reproduce the colors of seemed to be the answer. Experienced pho- nature was to have an artist superimpose tographers were scarce in those days, SO he them on a black-and-white print. Nearly all 138 139 MEMOIRS OF A ROSE MAN THE ROSE MAN OF BREEZE HILL the color printing done by his company today all phases of rose growing, Dr. McFarland al- involves the use of hand-colored photographs. ways favored amateur rose growers and the Dr. McFarland spent a tremendous amount outdoor rose growers who catered to amateurs of time growing, testing, publicizing, photo- rather than the hot-house growers and flor- graphing, and writing about his favorite ists. flower, the rose. However, he never did any One of Dr. McFarland's customs was to breeding of new types of roses. In the fall of conduct a rose service at Grace Methodist 1915 he visited the famous Elizabeth Park Church, Harrisburg, every June. He provid- rose garden in Hartford, Conn., and immedi- ed and dedicated cut roses which flower girls ately realized the potentialities of municipal distributed to the congregation. rose gardens. It was his desire to spread the Dr. McFarland was often asked by the cultivation of this outstanding flower among many visitors to Breeze Hill to name his fav- the people of the United States-along the orite rose. He usually named the rose he hap- roads, about the homes, and in the parks. pened to be holding in his hand at the time. It was in 1916 that Dr. McFarland became However, he occasionally admitted a prefer- affiliated with the American Rose Society, of erence for three blooms named in his honor, which he was president from 1930 to 1932 "The Doctor", the "Editor McFarland," and and in which he remained a prominent fig- the "Horace McFarland." ure. Hc edited and published the "American One of Dr. McFarland's first efforts in the Rose Annual" and the American Rose Maga- fields of horticulture and printing was the zine, organs of the rose society, from 1916 to American Gardening Magazine, which he 1943. Seeking to publicize the rose, he scour- printed and contributed to from 1901 to ed the world for information on new types of 1903. Besides editing twenty-eight "An- roses being developed. He established a meth- nuals" of the American Rose Society, Dr. Mc- od of rose identification and registration for Farland wrote a number of books on horticul- use in the "Annual". Although interested in ture subjects: "Roses of the World in Color", 140 141 MEMOIRS OF A ROSE MAN THE ROSE MAN OF BREEZE HILL "Photographing Flowers and Trees", "Get- Ardent exponent of city planning and ting Acquainted with Trees", "Laying Out beautification that he was, in 1904 Dr. Mc- the Home Grounds", "My Growing Garden", Farland went to St. Louis to assist in the for- and "The Rose in America", co-authored mation of the American Civic Association "How to Grow Roses", "Garden Bulbs in and became its president. The city of Harris- Color", and "What Every Rose Grower burg, his residence for all but a short period Should Know". He also edited the "Beautiful of his life, received his special attention. It is America" department of the Ladies' Home now a bustling and beautiful city with many Journal from 1904 to 1907. parks and well laid out streets. Dr. McFar- Motivated by his love of nature and her land traveled over the entire country prais- unregimented beauty, Dr. McFarland con- ing Pennsylvania's capital and telling "the tinuously fought to preserve and develop our Harrisburg story". He was always campaign- National Park areas. He was instrumental in ing for roadside betterment and the elimina- having Yellowstone turned into a National tion of highway billboards, and gave freely of Park and was appointed to the first National his time to other public works as well, becom- Park Board by President Wilson. The need ing active in a number of local and national for protection of Niagara Falls was also real- societies. ized by Dr. McFarland. Seeking to determine On six occasions he was awarded a gold who actually owned the falls, he worked for medal in recognition of outstanding service- the treaty with Great Britain and was ap- two in 1933; by the American Rose Society pointed as the American representative to the "for his unstinted effort for the advancement Niagara Control Board by President Cool- of the rose in America," and by the Massa- idge. Evidence of the quality of his leader- chusetts Horticultural Society (the George ship on these boards is the fact that, although Robert White Medal of Honor) for "eminent a Republican, he kept his appointments dur- service in horticulture". The American Scen- ing Democrat ic administrations. ic and Historic Preservation Society gave him 142 143 MEMOIRS OF A ROSE MAN the Cornelius Amory Pugsley gold medal in 1938. The inscription described him as a "leader in the protection of Niagara Falls, in establishment of the National Park System, and in general city and park betterment, es- pecially in Harrisburg, Pa." Dr. McFarland's service to nature, plants, and flowers was recognized in 1939 when he was awarded the Arthur Hoyt Scott Garden and Horticulture Award. For his "distinguished service in the realm of the rose" he was given the Jane Righter medal by the Garden Club of Ameri- ca, and the Dean Hole Memorial Medal by the National Rose Society of England, both in 1942. With the death of J Horace McFarland a great leader was lost-not only in the fields of horticulture and printing, but in society as a whole. His efforts to make this country a more beautiful and pleasant one in which to live affected millions of people from many localities. A man of high ideals, his goal in life was to spread happiness and joy. The world will not soon forget the rose man of Breeze Hill. 144