The Ely miner., 1928-04-13
ON THIS OCCASION
Continued from 1st page.)

timber cutting and no mining as the
tract set aside must remain in its
untouched state. Through the Ell
forts of the Izaak Walton League,
Senator Shipstead has introduced
bill in congress setting aside all pub
lie lanos north of the line OF Town.
ships 60 north in st. Louis, Lake and
Cook Counties into national PARK.
The bill also provides for logging op-
erations under special permits from
the Forest Service We may be
dense, but cannot see where there
would be any difference from the
present conditions which call for all
that. We feel that Forest laws and
Park laws cannot be made or chang
ed for this piece Of land to the eX-
clusion of all other forests and parks
in the United States and that the
park laws would govern were the ter
ritory under discussion placed into
national park. The park laws are
altogether too stringent for this sec
ton destined to be the redeeming
feature in the timber and mining IN
dustries of the state. Besides, the
United States has plenty of parks
while this is the only exclusive forest
and canoe country in it.
Also, in this connection it is under
stood that another bill has been in
troduced by the same senator, to take
the matter of water and other power
permits out of the hands of the COM
mission now administering such and
placing the issuing of power permits
and attendant building of dams, etc.
into the hands of Congress. Here
again, we desire to ask, why2 As the
bill Is ostensibly meant to curb the
BackuS dam matter, now in the hands
of the International Joint Commission
wouldn't it be reasonable to- suppose
that the joint commission would look
into the matter more thoroughly and
show better Judgment than would a
politically tinged Congress? For the
sake of an argument, let us suppose
that the matter was taken out OF the
hands of the commission and placed
in the hands of Congress. Mr.. Backus
proved himself an able poliuiclan
during the past two months and won
his point by turning the state over
to hls presidential candidate. Would
this mean anything to Congress
Could a political Congress fail to
recognize the able work done by Mr..
BackuS?
The dam subject Is getting under
the skin of vast number OF people
: in both countries. Flood control is
the keynote of the Backus interests.
Why food control in country where
natural floods are unknown and
where floods only followed the con-
strucUion OF dams as in the Rainy
Lake Region?s
Flood control is becoming more
and more of a camouhage to cover
the real issue of water power con-
troll" The governments are to pay
all expense of building Ine dams and
all the damage of overflow. AS the
demand for power increases and Mr..
Backus uses it, he agrees to pay back
one-half of the construction cost.
Fifteen years or so ago the dams on
Rainy Lake were built and up to
date, no damages to the flooded set
tiers has been paid. This does not
look good.
The latter part Of the month the
Associated Choirs of the Vermilion
and Mesaba ranges go to Duluth to
give concert in company with the
Duluth choirs under the direction Of
Prof. Otto F. Schacht. These organi-
cations have proven the greatest
equalizers of social, national and sec
tartan groups in the cities where the
choruses have been organized. Peo-
pie of all nationalities, all churches
and all stations in life are singing
together for the love of better music.
Clques and clans are forgotten and
a whole-souled human atmosphere
surrounds this body Of men and
women.