[letters]
Gettysburg Ruling
I read your column on your visit to the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. (Viewpoint, July ’16). I thought you might be interested in another [perspective]. There are those who oppose federal land ownership because they claim that the U.S. Constitution does not say national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and public lands can exist. [Gettysburg is a unit of the National Park System.] That argument was rejected in 1896 by a conservative U.S. Supreme Court in the case of the United States v. Gettysburg Electric Railway Company. Congress appropriated money to purchase the Gettysburg battlefield, either from willing sellers or by condemnation. The Gettysburg Electric Railway filed suit alleging that such purchases were unconstitutional since a commemorative park was not a “public use” as described in the Constitution. The court found that the combination of the property clause and the general welfare clause of the Constitution enable federal land ownership. Gettysburg National Military Park is slightly over 5,000 acres of federal lands and it has been found by the Supreme Court to be a valid “public use.” The same holds true for other federal lands managed in Western states such as Colorado. Scot McElveen, Cortez Retired National Park Service employee
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Pets Need Our Care
I enjoyed the stories about the rescued animals (October ’16), but what are we doing to help stop people from throwing away animals that die cruel deaths from having no food or water or being hit by cars? Is there information that can be shared with others to help stop these problems? In over 50 years, we have provided homes for many animals. Only two were animals we were looking for to share our home. All the rest came when they were dumped or when someone was leaving and just going to leave the animal on its own. Gwenda May Burk Black Forest Got something to say? We welcome letters to the editor. Not all may be printed and all will be edited for length. Send your letter to Editor Mona Neeley at 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or at mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org. coloradocountrylife.coop
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DECEMBER 2016
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