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since Mr. Phelan made his first application I have never heard a word on the subject from anyone else, or seen a line in the
newspapers from any other citizen, though all of course would be in favor of Sierra water, Marsden Manson and Warren Olney
are the noisest pleaders The specious plea they make that damming Hetch Hetchy would prevent damage to the lowlands during
the spring floods is rediculous--not half an inch would the flood waters be lowered. The plea that the Park water is purer
than any outside sources and will for forever be free from contaminating influences all other are exposed to, is not true.
On the contrary it is far more liable to contamination from camp sewerage than any other adjacent source, hundreds or thousands
camp for months on the Tuolumne Meadows, and soon these will be multiplied ten or a hundred fold by campers and travelers
from all the world. And so on with every plea and claim and statement. Think what a monstrous responsibility is placed on
young Garfield, and now heavy must be the load however able and strong he may be, while submerged beneath reservoirs of lies
and lopsided truths inextricably mixed--Woe is he andthee and me and all the world's beauty-lovers that such dollar-dotted
tangles should approach our sacred Sierra temple, 0 for a touch of Ithuriel's spear to these eloquent water changers--How
queer they would look and how facts take to thickest cover. Does it not seem strange to you that the only parties recognized
so far in this great question are the Irrigators and Supervisors--What of those of all the world for whom the Park was created?
Faithfully yours John Muir 10054