Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Maguire. Senator, I'm James Maguire, Boise, Idaho. Recipient of both a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award, Wallace Stegner has earned a reputation as an authority American West. In his wilderness letter of 1960, Stegner wrote: on the We need wilderness preserved — as much of it as is still left, and as many kinds — because it was the challenge against which our character as a people was formed. His latest book, 'One Way to Spell Man,' contains an essay enti tled 'The Gift of Widlerness' in which Stegner presents the histor ical justification for wilderness preservation. For the record of this hearing, I am submitting copies of Stegner's informative and eloquent essay. In his conclusion, Stegner writes: 'I wish we could establish a maximum system of wilderness preserves.' Having seen parts of the West spoiled and parts of it preserved, I agree wholeheartedly with Stegner that what we need more of is wilderness preservation. And we need as much of it as possible. If the Congress reduces the number of acres that should be added to the wilderness system, some corporations will no doubt applaud. 175 But corporations are only legal entities. As such, they are mind less, conscienceless, soulless, homeless. The people who work for corporations keep their jobs primarily by maximizing profits, a task most easily accomplished by harvest ing the rich resources of the public domain. As a fifth-generation westerner, I have some knowledge of the extent to which the public domain has been exploited for private profits. If our wildlands were limitless, such exploitation could continue indefinitely. But our wilderness is limited. And we must recognize those limits if we want to retain our national character. If you choose to open any of our remaining wildlands to the prof iteers, you may destroy what is best in the American character. Thank you.