The Owosso times., 1922-02-17
PAGE EIGHT

Now that John Baird has sug-
gested that he may bring himself
into court, along with his policies
of conservation and propagation
of wild life and forests in Michi-
gan, through a libel suit which he
has publicly announced may be
brought against me in Shiawassee
county, L feel 1t my duty to give
to the press and the people OF the
state, and to the governor, certain
convictions which are in my mind.
Personally, l have no shadow of
doubt but that an astonishing con-
dition Of affairs will be revealed in
this court action, If it occurs. The
inefficiency and amazing happen
ings OF our present system will be
laid naked to the very bottom. So
monumental are the truths that
they cannot be smothered. After
this court action every man and
woman in Michigan who can read
will know why we have lost our
forests, why our freight costs on
imported timber alone were ten
million dollars last year, why our
lakes and streams are becoming
barren. why our wild life is near
ing humiliation, and why many of
the guardians Of our natural re-
sources-our fire and game war
dens, are so pathetically inefficient,
though numerous enough. Moth
ing could be better for the state
than this airing Of a. deplorable
condition in a public court.
In bringing this airing about
in prosecuting the crusade which
L am making with absolutely no
personal or political ambition of
my own-I have more than once|
publicly appealed for action on the
part of Governor Groesbeck. know
ing that at all times he is in al
position to cast a powerful infiu
ence in the balance. 1 realize the
fact that o governors task, even
under the best of. conditions, Is a
big one, and that no one man can
Know everything. have also
taken into consideration the fact
that Governor Groesbeck is pri-
nafily a city man, and has always, |
as believe. been interested in big
movements which have had veryl
little to do with the great outdoors
and its enormous natural resources.
Therefore, up to the present time,
I have realized that he must have
tlIIle III WIiCii " dllth dtt
q matter Of such great Importance
as that which Is now at issue.
Rut it is my personal opinion
that the time to act has come.
From the farthest settlement in
the Upper Peninsula to the south
ernmost counties the men and
women of the state are reused
Tens Of thousands of them haveY
long known of the conditions
against which have been fighting.
Public sentiment is overwhelming.
Facts have risen to the surface in
hundreds. Proofs are easy to
reach Out and seize.
Therefore, believe that the
of Michigan, the one man
above all others in whom we
should have faith, should himself
take action and show his interest
and sympathy in a great cause
before a court enquiry says that
such action is necessary.
Forests with a possible value of
billions. and innumerable lakes
and rivers, cannot, be, run POLITICAL
ly. though government can.t
Only efficiency, spelled in capital
will preserve these assets,
which belong to all of us.
At this writing. when heart and
soul 1 am in this fight to the last
ditch, j would willingly and /
speak with no desire to be dra-
a year of my life If
Governor Groesbeck could have
seen what / have seen during the
past two years of my Investigations
In Michigan.
If he could drive with me over
the one hundred square miles of
which were burned
during the two years of 1919 and
1920, he would feel that same chill
OF horror in his heart which 1 feel,
and would know that a house.
cleaning is necessary.
II he could see fire after fire
without a warden on the job, If he
could travel the forests and
streams and see for himself the
outlawry and slaughter, with so
seldom a warden on the job, he