problem that has caused considerable difficulty in administering the national parks to the best advantage is the existence of private lands within their exterior boundaries. With the exception of the Yel lowstone national park and Hot Springs, which were created be fore any of the lands desired for original inclusion had been set tled, practically all of the national parks contain bona fide private lands, which are given the same protection accorded private lands elsewhere. During the past 13 years continued efforts have been made to secure such private holdings for donation to the United States. Private contributions amounting to $150,000 have been secured to purchase magnificent stands of Sequoia gigantea and other private holdings in Sequoia national park alone; they were turned over to the United States for addition to the park. The only appropriation made by Congress before 1927 to purchase lands for park purposes was in 1916, when $50,000 was appro priated to purchase an important stand of big trees in the giant forest of Sequoia park. This appropriation was supplemented by $20,000 contributed by the National Geographic Society. In 1927, however, Congress recognized the importance of eliminating private holdings, and appropriated $50,000 for the purchase of privately owned lands within the boundaries of any national park, to be expended only when matched by equal amounts of donations from other sources and which are available for the same purpose. A similar appropriation was made in 1928.
Although not reserved for economic reasons, and not open to commercial development, the national parks, and to a lesser extent the national monuments, have a very decided value to the United States and this value lies in their complete protection from commercialization. Their forests, left standing, are of immeasur able benefit to nearby communities through affording protection to the watersheds of important streams, thus often preventing floods and the droughts that may follow in their wake. From a strictly financial standpoint, they bring in large revenues each year. During 1928 the revenues derived from franchise fees, automobile licences and other sources amounted to $808,255.81, and these funds were turned into the treasury of the United States to be available for appropriation for the purposes of the Government. In 1916 park revenues amounted to only $177, 470.69. Of still greater economic importance is the part the parks play in offering to American travellers objects of such general scenic interest as to lead them to "see America first," in this way keeping at home millions of dollars which would other wise be spent abroad, and which spent in the United States in travel brings increased taxes into the Federal Treasury.