Human Rights at Home and Abroad: Past, Present, and Future

dynamic that encouraged rapid and thorough exploitation of the earth‘s resources‖ (Nash, 521). Along
with large scale mining, came the transportation means, which also contributed to the destruction of
forests. Railroads, as well as mining, depended largely on wood in order to stabilize mines and transport
the goods on railroads to markets. Documentation from ―California State Board of Agriculture estimat[es]
in the late 1860s that one-third of the state‘s forests had already disappeared‖ (521).
During the time the Timber and Stone Act was being passed through legislation, John Muir
argued for the preservation of the country‘s natural beauty. His philosophy was to ―climb the mountains
and get their good tidings. Nature‘s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will
blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn
leaves‖ (Our National Parks, 1). Muir and his followers also believed ―preserving the wilderness was a
spiritual and psychological necessity for over-civilized residents‖ (Nash, 651). Thus, he was greatly
against the destruction the lumber and mining businesses caused to natural resources and the profits they
gained.
In 1890, after coming across the Great Valley of California, his efforts to preserve the ―‘all one
sheet of plant gold, hazy and vanishing in the distance…‘‖ persuaded President Harrison to pass the
Forest Reserve Act of 1891, which classified certain domains of public land as forest reserves (521). The
most notable national reserve, which Muir helped to create, is known as Yosemite National Park. Two
years after Yosemite National Park was founded, Muir established and was inaugurated as the first
president of the Sierra Club. The mission of the Sierra Club members is to protect and promote the use of
eco-friendly appliances in order to protect the loveliness of the wilderness surrounding us all. Members of
the club protect, promote, and educate others of the destruction of the wilderness in ways, which are
lawfully abiding as to not demean the club. With his ―back-to-nature‖ philosophies, John Muir‘s ideas
and foundations for preserving America‘s natural beauty greatly influenced millions and continue to be
practiced each year.
At the turn of the century, Americans elected an outdoorsman and naturalist Theodore Roosevelt
as president.. Although he had many achievements during his presidency, the ones he cherished the most
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