The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-12-12
c. NJ, Atkinson of the Mesaba
Ore Favored for Appoint
ment to Place..
RANGE GUN CLUBS ARE
ENTHUSIASTIC FOR HIM
Range Sportsmen Want Range Man
Named if There Is to Be Vacancy
on Board and President Backus of
Virginia Gun Club Declares for
Hibbing Editor in Unqualified
Terms.

Hibbing Editor in Unqualified
Terms.
C. M. Atkinson, the veteran editor
Of the Mesaba Ore at Hibbing, an
ardent and an enthusiastic sportsman
and a pioneer of St. Louis county as
we'll, who has always been a staunch
advocate of the better enforcement of
the state game and fish laws, is be-
ing doomed by Virginia friends for
the next executive head of the state
game and fish commission. Whether
or not Mr.. Atkinson would accept
the appointment, if it was rendered
him is not yet decided, but there is a
genuine boom for him in this city and
over the range, the understanding be-
ing that present Executive Agent
Ryder is to be succeeded early in the
new year..
I The range gun clubs have recently
spent literally of their money and
the time Of individual members to
secure for this section of Minnesota,
the section, by the way, where it is
most needed, an adequate and eff
cient enforcement of the game laws.
They have met with some discourage
ing obstacles, but have stirred up a
public sentiment that has resulted in
an outcry against the recent meth
DDS of the state game and fish COM
mission that has put the official acts
Of that body in the limelight around
the state and is undoubtedly respon-
sible for the shakeup in the commits
sion that is said to be scheduled for
next month.
Discussing the matter Monday
President Joseph Backus Of the Vir-
ginia Gun club said. ''If Governor
Eberhart is anxious to do something
that will put the state game and fish
commission on an economy and effici-
ency basis, one Of the first things he
should do is to appoint a northern
Minnesota man to succeed H. J. Ry-
der as executive agent. We have right
here on the range just the man,
Claude Atkinson, the editor of the
Mesaba Ore at Hibbing.
"Mr. Atkinson knows northern Min
nesota. He is himself an ardent
sportsman and he loves the great out
of doors. He knows the Minnesota
woods and the game trails and lakes
bf this section as no other man in
this section perhaps. The Virginia
Gun Club endorses him unqualifiedly
for appointment to the place and is
today beginning campaign in his
behalf which will include all the
range organizations and will endeavor
to enlist all the sportsmen of northern
Minnesota as we'll, who are interested
in the work the state game and fish
commission is supposed to do for the
conservation of the game and fish OF
this section.
"Until the state game and fish
commission is so reorganized that il
is conducted free from political in.
fluence and along the lines of good
business, it can never become much
more than it is now, and if it's activi.
ties in this section are a fair criterion
by which to Judge it, it is to say thu
least highly inefficient. Anyone wh<
knows Mr.. Atkinson will immediate
ly recognize his fine qualifications fo1
this position. He would play no ia
vorites, best of all he would not pla,
politics and he knows the needs O
northern Minnesota. In Virginia w
shall leave nothing undone to secur
his appointment and l do not believ
Governor Eberhart can longer affor
to overlook the fact that the admins
tration of the state game and fis
commissions duties in this sectio
has lost the present administratio
hundreds of friends"
Other Virginia sportsmen are quit
as enthusiastic as is Mr.. Backus fo
Mr.. Atkinson's appointment. >Th
matter will probably come up earl
in the year and if Mr.. Atkinson ca
be induced to accept, there will 6
from the range to St. Paul stron
delegation to urge Governor Eberha]
to name him for the place.
SETTLERS PROVE UP
nNY Nnnn tY0MECTE II