The recent designation of Bears Ear National Monument in southern Utah by President Obama engendered a predictable storm of rhetorical protest from Utah’s politicians. Yet a review of their comments and those made historically by western politicians when earlier Presidents had unilaterally created public reserves shows surprisingly consistent responses.
In 1887, two weeks before leaving office, Democratic President Grover Cleveland after losing his bid for re-election to Republican candidate Benjamin Harrison, set aside 20 million acres of western lands as “forest reserves.” Republicans were offended that a “discredited leader” of a party that had suffered defeat in national elections two months before could unilaterally create new reserves on public lands.
Reaction to President Grover Cleveland’s 1887 decision to create forest reserves (precursors to our national forests) in western states resulted in similar local outrage and calls to repeal the new reserves. In one historic account of events, the author claims that “in every case…these political spokesmen claimed they spoke for the people of the West. Their solicitude for the settler was in party hypocritical, insofar as they sought to use individual entry and claim to public lands for the enlargement of their own special interests.”
For instance, Senator Wilson of Washington characterized the proclamation as a “ghastly mistake” and “dasterdly blunder”. He called it a “violation of all rights without notice to anyone.”
Senator Petticrew of South Dakota denounced the order as contrary to law and called for the entire revocation of it.
Senator Carter of Montana asserted that Cleveland’s declaration of forest reserves demonstrates a “contemptuous disregard” for people’s interest and called for a suspension pending an investigation.
Senator White from California characterized the creation of forest reserves as “oppressive and ridiculous in the extreme.”
Senator Rawlins of Utah declared that President Clevelands declaration of forest reserves was “as gross an outrage as that of William the Conqueror in setting aside his hunting reserve.”
That was then, and this is what we hear now.
Val Dalton, a San Juan County rancher with grazing allotments within the monument declared: “I don’t know why anybody would want to lock up all the resources in this country so that we can’t use them, and that’s what they’re doing.”
Utah Governor Gary Herbert said: “As outraged as many people are with today’s decision, we know how to challenge this action appropriately through the many administrative, legal and legislative avenues available to us. We will aggressively pursue these options” Herbert went on to say: “President Obama has shown little regard for the input of every elected official in Utah who represents this area. I am hopeful that this unfortunate decision made in the final weeks of an outgoing president will be dramatically improved in the first weeks of our incoming president.”
Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes gave his two cents: “Adding to a long list of executive actions that threaten the sovereignty of the states and the citizens of this nation to chart their own course, our president has chosen to once again subvert the will of the people…This action betrays the interests of Utahns, stands in the way of better stewardship of the land we all love and cherish and ultimately amounts to a blatant federal land grab.”
Utah Sen. Mike Lee asserted: “This arrogant act by a lame duck president will not stand. I will work tirelessly with Congress and the incoming Trump administration to honor the will of the people of Utah and undo this designation.”
Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz characterized Obama’s monument declaration “disregarded the economic development and multi-use provisions necessary for a balanced compromise.”
Finally, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch predictably said: “With this astonishing and egregious abuse of executive power, President Obama has shown that far-left special interest groups matter more to him than the people who have lived on and cared for Utah’s lands for generations. For Utahns in general, and for those in San Juan County this is an affront of epic proportions and an attack on an entire way of life.”
One can find similar local outrage over the past national monument designation of other Presidents. Local opposition to the creation of many of our current national parks which were originally protected through the Antiquities Act and Presidential declaration include Grand Canyon, Grand Teton (called Jackson Hole NM), Acadia, Olympic, Death Valley, Kenai Fjords, Glacier Bay, and many other beloved landscapes in the West, including a number of national parks in Utah, including Zion, Arches and Bryce Canyon.
I suspect if one queried Utah residents about whether they are “outraged” and “dismayed” by the “oppressive” 1887 Presidential creation of national forest reserves in Utah, most would admit they are pleased that Utah has national forests today as well as former national monuments now national parks like Zion, Bryce and Arches.
In every instance, time has proven that local people and their political representatives were on the “wrong side of history”. I am certain that if President Obama’s declaration of Bears Ear National Monument withstands the attacks by Utah’s delegation and the Trump administration, future generations of Utahans will wonder how anyone could be so foolish as to oppose protecting such outstanding and unique a natural and cultural landscape.