The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-07-18
Price s.. per year in advance
FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1919
4 Chance tor Governor Eberlat.

4 Chance for Governor Eberhat.
The Grand Rapids Herald-Review
editorially endorses the discharge
of George Wood of hibhing as
game warden and expresses the
opinion that the people and news
papers of this end of the range are
not fully informed of the circum-
stances or they would not now be
seeking his reinstatement. The
people Of this section will not de-
fend Wood against proven charges
OF dishonesty, neither do the peo-
pie OF this end Of the range take
the position that he was without
fault as a game warden. They do
contend however, that his dis
charg by the commission without a
falr statement as to the cause was
wrong While it is a very fair SAM
PIE OF the way the state game and
1sh commission ordinarily con-
ducts It's affairs. Neither are the
people of this section particularly
interested in Woods reinstatement
They do believe, however, that no
section OF the state needs a game
warden more than does this Sec
ZION and that its needs receive
small consideration from the state
game and fish commission. Neither
90 they agree with the Henald-Re-
views statement that Woods SER
vice did more harm than good.
Whatever else he may have been
Wood was an excellent game war;
den.
The people of Itasca county have
never wanted the state game and
fish laws enforced. That county
has in the past sheltered more
game and fish hogs, poachers and
pot hunters than any county n
the northern section of the state.
Public sentiment is not behind the
enforcement Of the game and fish
laws in Itasca county. 1t has been
a tavorite hunting ground of men,
bers of the commission. The plea
that extraordinary latitude should
be given the SETTLER and home
steader in this SETON is about eN-
hausted regarding the game laws.
1t has been abused to the limit.
Ii the homesteader and the settler
would ever reach the point of pros
perjty where he could get along
without violating the game laws it
would be different. But he doesn't
reach that stage until the game is
all killed off or driven out of the
country. Then he usually moves
TO fresh hunting grounds and con-
tinues to ''settle,' "hometsead,"
and live a Daniel Boone existence
as long as venison and moose meat
is available, in season and out of
season.
Wood is not an issue in this Sec
ton, but the mefficiency of the
state game and fish commission is.
1t is just now clamoring of lack
of funds. No department of the
state needs a more thorough house.
cleaning. If politicians holding
positions on the board and under
it could be done away with and
somebody placed in the saddle who
would make an honest effort to
give this section an adequate en-
forcement of the game and fish
code it would be a great day for
northern Minnesota. There is good
ground for the belief that the state
has recently spent as much money
to send amateur detectives to this
section Ito find out how the peo-
pile felt," and to quietly explain to
them that eN-Game Warden Wood
was "as crooked as a barrel of fish
hooks,' as would have paid the
salary of an efficient warden dur
ng all the thine this section has
been without the protection of one.
If Governor Eberhart would look
into the conduct of the commits
sion's affairs he would no doubt
find that it is paying salaries to
game wardens in southern Minnie
sofa who could be dispensed with
in favor of at least half dozen
more good men in Itasca, Cook, St.
Louis, Koochiching and Lake coun-
ties. Lake and Cook county are
practically without protection, at
present and it is a we'll known fact
that violations Of the game and
fist laws there are open and fla
grant.