The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-06-17

Speak to anyone who has visited
| Yellowstone National Park and they
will tell you perhaps first of the
| gysers, of the canon or of the hot
springs but before they get through
they will invariably tell of the seeing
of live game in that great play
ground. And it is without question
true that one of the greatest assets
| that that great American playground
has is the wild game that fearlessly
| comes to the edge of the road and
watches the passing tourist.
Yellowstone today is the greatest
game preserve in the country and
the value of the live game there far
| exceeds the value of that same game
on the market as meat and in the den
of some home as dead stuffed heads.
For the dead animal feeds the stom-
ZACH of one small group and the head
is stored away in some room where
| only few can see. In the live
| animal one has continually a feast
| for the eye in the graceful move
ments exhibited and there is no limit
to the amount of enjoyment the pub
| lie may receive from live deer or elk
for it may be view time after time
| without any loss whatever.
The Superior National Forest may
some day take rank with the Yellow
stone as great game refuge where
wild animals may become fearless
and where one may view them at all
times. But if it is to become sue
cessful rival to that greatest of all
game preserves the people of North,
ern Minnesota and of Ely and vicin-
ity especially must recognize the
great Forest.
The Superior National Forest COM
bined with the Quetico Provincial
Park of Canada aggregates nearly
two million acres of game preserve
The Minnesota State Game Sanctuary
does not coincide with the boundaries
of the Forest but substantially they
are unit. 1t was an express wish
of our great American President
Theodore Roosevelt that this area
should have great game sanctuary
such as is established and the fore
sight of that great statesman and true
sportsman is in no small measure
responsible for the opportunity which
now confronts the people near the
Superior Forest in having one OF the
greatest of all game preserves in the
Nation.
In the past there has been univer-
sal feeling that wild game was the
property of anyone who could kill
it-and get away with his kill regard
less of law. 1t is founded perhaps
on the necessity for the early settler
getting fresh meat. But that neces-
sity has passed and the man who now
kills game out of season or within
the game sanctuary is just as much
a law violator and a thief from the
entire community as is the man who
would come in and take equipment
from the Community Center.
In the case of a man killing cattle
the owner has swift recourse to the
law courts. Public sentiment will
quickly brand one who does such a
lawless deed. 1t is necessary for the
good of all that property rights be
protected or there would be indis-
criminate stealing of cattle, chick
ems, and hogs. But it is no less a
violation of property rights when a
law violator takes game illegally for
he is not offending against one in
dividual but the whole community.
The greatest game value is reached
when live game can be seen in its
natural habitat 1t is value then
that will draw tourists hundreds OF
miles. If the people of Ely were
able to guarantee each visitor q
glimpse of moose or even beaver
they would annually draw thousands
of visitors for that one reason alone
And as live game is such a drawing
power 1t becomes even moro thar
ever community asset taking RANK
with the community property found
IN streets, community center, water
plant and such public service proper.
ties. For each is pulling power in
the mind of the tourist.
There is opportunity to take the
situation in hand now and protect
the great value found in the live
game which can be found in the
game sanctuary at Ely. The game
population can be doubled and in
stead of doubling the pulling power
this doubling of game population
will more than triple the interest
there for the tourist. This section
of the state has a great property
right in the game which is in the
game sanctuary and if it can
fully appreciate the fact that the
game law violator is stealing from
the big assets of the community for
the benefit of himself all will turn
in to see that such a practice is
stopped.
When the community as whole
realize that in the live game they
have a value which is in its way as
much a community asset as the cleo