The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-01-25
On This
Occasion
Just few thoughts by the Editor on things
Material and Immaterial

The resident anglers license law,
passed at the last legislature helps the
taxpayers. But it isn't going to help
the fish and game department. Be-
cause before it went into effect the
state appropriated some over $15O,OO0
a wear to assist the said game and
fish department. And now they won't.
At least it is said that the department
will not ask the solons for any ap-
propriation this year because they rear
il would be refused by the committee
The anglers licenses bring In just
about that amount, or more, and one
provision in the law is that TINS money
shall go to the department. There
would be nothing to prevent the regu-
lar appropriation also, but it is not
likely that it viii be granted
We have carefully read the pro-
posed legislation proposed by the st.
Louis County Road Planning Com
mittee and fail to see why all TINS
is necessary. The thing originated In
Duluth and why the sudden desire on
the part of the committee to change
the county road laws is not hard 10
analyse from the brief prepared. How
ever the whole thing sounds false ana
elusive What we can't figure Is, why
this law for st. Louis County alone
and not the other counties OF the
state if it is such boon for the build
ing and maintaining Of roads? Inc
st. Louis County trunk highway sys-
tenn is very complete as we take 1t
and if the highways already establish
ed will be kept in order by those
charged with their maintenance, some
attention can be paid to the second
airy roads by the County Commls-
SionerS.
From our angle it appears as II the
trainers of the bill feel that more men
are necessary to have charge OF the
highway system. From the same angle
it also appears that with seven county
commissioners, duly qualified and cleo
ted by the people, this should be about
sufficient to handle the affairs OF the
county. road building and establishing
included. With Gar at the head OF
the roads, how long will it be before
other cars at the head Of other dl-
visions of the county will be asked Tor?
We already have a county engineer
who is sufficiently able to advise the
commissioners on these matters with
out an added sectional committee 10
gum up the works.
ST. Louis County is fortunate in hav-
ing a Board of Commissioners who
are capable of conducting the affairs
of the county. Road matters are
prominent, to be sure, in their work
but there are dozens Of other matters
monthly coming up of equal import
ance. With the financial and official
affairs of one of the largest and richest
counties in the country on their
shoulders, the commissioners have
their hands full without being Saddled
with the supervision Of road COM
mission. While there is no salary at
tached to commission, it nevertheless
remains a fact that there will be ex-
penses galore. These expenses left in
the treasury or expended on roads will
make an appreciate difference.
For instance, the Moose Lake road
which will shorten the way from the
farming district of Embarrass into Ely
by a dozen or so miles, could be COM
pleted with the money which must
necessarily be paid to commission in
expenses. And at that, the commits
sion may decide that this road is not
necessary and that a stretch leading
into Duluth, Hibbing or Virginia
would be of more Importance. This
may be selfish on our part, but we
fail to see where a commission is so
necessary that this bill should be
showed over at this time. As long as
the county commissioners are doing
their work and doing it we'll, why an
other board of commissioners?
That the commissioners are human
and have the welfare Of the people at
heart, can be cited several transactions
in the recent past. One act in parti-
cular stands out as fine thought.
This is the purchase of a tract Of viz
gin pine alongside the highway near
Elbow Lake for park purposes. While
this came little late, it nevertheless
shows that the board is not all mater
ialism. The program Is to buy such