The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-12-16
SAVE THE OUTING
SPOTS UP NORTH.
(By Arthur Hawkes)>


history of foreign governments act
ing comparatively in the disposition
o. their own territory occurred in Sir
James Whitney's time between Min
nesota' and Ontario. Nothing was
said publicly about it then, and it is
recalled now because the time is
ripe for that forgotten precedent in
diplomacy to be repeated on a big
ger scale, by the setting aside as an
international playground CT the
whole of the Rainy Lake watershed,
which is divided between the Canad-
ian province and the American state.
Nineteen years ago, w. A. Prest-
on, the member for Rainy River,
asked the Canadian Northern Rail-
way for help in trying to get part
of the forest-river and lakeland
country on the Ontario side of the
water boundary set aside as a game
preserve. Law breakers were eros
sing the line and killing moose in
summer for the sake of their velvet
horns. Preston had come across car
cases of moose so destroyed in the
proceeding summer; and knew of
many other defiances of the game
laws. A reserve on the Ontario side,
he said, should be duplicated on the
Minnesota side.
The North American Fish and
Game Protection Association auth
orized Mr.. Preston and the Canadian
Northern superintendent of public
ity as a committee to ask the govern
ments of Minnesota and Ontario to
take the necessary action. Before
the spring of 1909 the Ontario gov
eminent by order-in-council estab-
lished the Quetico forest AMI game
reserve of a million acres; and the
Minnesota legislature established
similar reserve of a million, four
hundred thousand acres, adjoining
Quetico. At the same time, Presi-
dent Roosevelt declared portion of
Minnesota to be the Superior Nation
al Forest, wherein scientific lumber
ing has been carried on ever since.
Six months later, Frank Cochrane,
the Ontario minister of lands and
forests, told the railway official he
had fooled the government. He
had said that if Ontario set up
reserve, Minnesota would do like
wise. Ontario had acted, but Min
nesota hadn't done a thing-and
what was to be for such break of
faith? Then it was realized for the
first time that each of two foreign
governments had set aside a con-
siderable slice of its territory for
public uses for alltime, and so as
to make one single block dedicated
to one purpose, and that neither
government had had word of COM
munication with the other. A priv
ate citizen, working for a goddess
corporation, had done the ambassa-
dorial work, and had not even re-
garded the job as of sufficient dig
nifty to report the results to either
of the high parties concerned.
Unofficial Diplomacy Brings Good
Results.
For eighteen years good effects
have followed this singular essay In
unofficial diplomacy. There was a
good case for cooperation across the
line then; there is a tenfold strong
er case now. Twenty years ago we
were prophesying that the marvel
Gus watershed of Rainy Lake, BIZ
sected at the boundary, would be-
come the greatest natural play
ground of middle North America.
Wisconsin and Minnesota, of course,
have isolated lakes of great beauty,
but nothing to compare with the
amazingly connected lakeland of the
Rainy Lake watershed, which lies in
two countries and drains into Hud-
SON Bay. 1t is remote enough from
cities to be as wild as any central
section of the continent ever was,
and is near enough to be easy ac-
cessible to all outdoor lovers.
No other region of North America
is as populous in moose. Deer also
abounds. The fisherman may find
endless delight in thousand rapids,
streams and lakes.
A great summer country has been
ruined before now because, largely
through the common belief that the
primeval picturesqueness north of
the Great Lakes is inexhaustible,
there hasn't been enough government
care. over the resources that reed
conserving even when they are be-
ing most literally used. The oppor-
tunity here is for new co-opera-
ton.
But why not let Ontario and Min
nesota each go its own way, and let
the overfiows of summer holiday and
fall hunting work themselves north
ward to the mutual advantage of
both sides of the line? What has
the province got to do with the
state or the state with the province?
Let us be Scotch for once, and
answer questions by asking others.
Why, in view Of the venerable tariff
policies, and of immigration re-
stric.ions, is there interchange of
motorist courtesies, without money
and without price? Why does On
tario pride itself on the myriads of
motorists who invade its counties
with tired machine and tired money?
The case for magnifying occas-
ions of happiness between the citi-
zens of the two countries does not
have to be argued.
The International boundary is on
the very lakes and watercourses
which have a unique value to sum-
mer recreation and fall sport. They
are already within the purview of
the international joint commission