The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-09-08
LICENSE FEES FOR
CAMPERS URGED.
STATE FORESTER cox HAS
IDEAS-HOW THEY WILL
SET is A QUESTION.

A license fee to be charged
against all campers utilizing Mime
sofas playground acres, in order to
provide a sufficient revenue to fur
nish adequate fire protection for
the settlers and summer tourists in
the North country, will be proposed
by w. T. Cox, state forester, to the
next session of the state legislature,
to meet on Jan. l.
at is absolutely necessary to get
larger funds than we have had or
may hope to get from the board of
relief or from the appropriations of
the state Legislature" said Mr.. Cox.
''For this reason / have been con-
sidering for, some time the desir-1
ability of having a license fee for
campers.
at would have to be a nominal
fee, of course. Il had thought 81
charge would be sufficient. There
is no thought or desire to discour-
age campers or tourists from MAX
ing use of our forests. But | think
it both just and probable that any
one interested enough to go camp
ing and build fires in the wooded
country should be willing to con-
tribute a small sum to be used in
the protection of the forests.
"My idea is to make the fee
small, and make it possible to get
such a license from any county
auditor, in the same way that hunt
ing licenses are now secured. With
out the protection which this would
make prossible there will soon be
no forests and hence no camping.
The fires are destroying the seem
cry and the game, to make no men
ton of the ever present danger of
the loss of human life. 1t seems
very appropriate that the public
contribute in this way"
1t is estimated that the So tax
would bring in approximately $780,
900 per year to the forestry depart
ment. This in addition to the
SIZE, 900 appropriation now made
by the state legislature would give
enough funds for the work, Mr..
Cox believes.
That the forestry department is
getting about 100000 worth of |
work done for the S125,OO0 appro-
priation is the state forester's claim. |
The lumber companies, railroads |
and settlers have Joined in without |
charge under the direction of the |
department in the work of combat
ing the ravages of flame.
Il have talked with a number of |
men on the matter of the proposed |
license fee on campers" said Mr.. |
Cox, "and | find that while at first |
they are all afraid that the enact
ment or such bill would tend to |
discourage camping, after more mat
ure consideration they change their
minds and agree with me that it is
not only sound and just, but will
tend to encourage camping in the |
long run. We must look to the
future"
Other measures to be proposed |
before the coming session of the |
legislature include the proposed set
ting aside of large tracts of virgin |
timber in the North as reserves to |
be cut conservatively, and the in
auguration of a fairer system of
taxing growing timber, if such can
be devised. Committees all over
the state are working on the latter
1--WE have made lot of progress
in fire and forest protection in the
last ten years" added Mr.. Cox.
I'VE know We have the right sys-
tenn now. 1t is the one which eve:y
civilized country on the globe has.
1t is merely a matter of expanding
that to handle the thing properly.
You can't expect to protect a city
with two firemen, nor can you pro-
tect a million acres with two patrol
men. That's all we have at some
seasons of the year."
Mr.. Cox believes that there is
enough growing timber in the state
to supply all the big lumber COM
panies and keep them running in
definitely if it is correctly cut and |
protected from fire.