The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-07-04
.On This
|. Occasion
Just few thoughts by the Editor
on things Material and Immaterial.

Louis county to curb the Backus in
tereStS in border waters, have been
aware of this for some time. Should
this vast territory be segregated as per
the proposed program, it will be a
safe bet that these same Minneapolis
Sportsmen have never, or will ever, see
a minute part of the territory they
have worked to segregate. In fact,
the wilderness north of 60 in Lake
and Cook counties is so large that
every man, woman and child in Mime
apolis could be set down in it and they
would have three or four acres each In
which to disport themselves.
ssss
If this same Minneapolis, Illinois,
Indiana and Ohio bunch of sportsmen
will run true to their save the country
for posterity" propaganda, they will at
once start movement to have the ter
ritory placed in game reserve.
Judging by the messages sent out this
is not the object as they desire the
territory for hunting and fishing" It
was always the opinion of those living
in the territory affected that the
agitation was to stop Backus from
making an ocean of the northern end
of the state. What the northern end
of Lake, Cook and ST. Louis counties
could not understand was why it was
necessary to take in all the valuable
mining and timber lands embraced in
the 100000 acres just to stop a water
steal and the ruination of the border
shore lines.
We are glad, or will be, when the
thing is over. Every man who has
tried to express his opinion has been
classified. Those who were in favor of
the move were classified as patriots
working for the perpetuation of the
state" while those who felt that SO
much territory was unnecessary, were
classified as "damphools" and catal-
ogued as bolsheviks. A hazy and vague
idea has just penetrated this thick
head. Under the clause prohibiting
entry and appropriation without an
act OF Congress" wouldn't it be Just too
bad if the vast territory could not be
entered and appropriated for the pur-
poses for which the Minneapolis
sportSmen so valiantly fought2
st. Louis County has 2,067 less popu-
lation than it had in 1920 notwith-
standing the fact that Ely, Duluth, Ev-
eleth, Hibbing, Stuntz Township, Proc
tor and Tower and several of the
farming districts show increases. The
principal losses sustained were in Aur-
ora, Biwabik, Buhl, Chisholm, Gilbert,
Kinney, Mountain Iron, Virginia Win
ton and several of the unorganized
towns. Cook County, our little neigh
Dor on the east, gained in population
from 1841 in 1920 to 2,421 in 1890
Lake County lost from 8,251 in 1920
to 7,O37 in 1880.
The loss in population in the range
towns is attributed to the closing of
mines. The closing of mines, in a
large measure, is attributed to Excess
sive taxation occasioned by the Oc-
cupation and Royalty Taxes. Less
miners and more machinery tends to
lessen the population. Less No. rs and
more Slushers, necessary because of the
low prices Of ore, higher wages, higher
taxes and cost of supplies-principal
among which is higher taxes have
made it necessary for the larger COM
panleS TO combine with steel making
interests and the smaller independent
concerns, who are forced to sell their
ore in the open market, to close up
shop.
O1 course, Mr.. Legislator from down.
state, who measures the state in sec
ton lines with his individual section
as the focal point, will not believe this.
The propaganda he has listened to
and upon which he bases his opinion
shows the mining companies and the
range towns as octopuseS who fasten
their tentacleS on the State of Mime
sofa in general and the township upon
which Mr.. Legislator has taken root.
In particular. "Steel Corporation" and
school houses" in range communities
are the pet peeve of the statesman co
from rural Minnesota and additional
taxes is his method of satisfying that
peeve. In justification, he brings up
that old WORKOUT heritage" excuse
in which he processes to believe that
iron ore and timber in st. Louis
county is his very own because he was
elected to the legislature and proposes
to levy all kinds of taxes on them In
lieu of paying a few dollars himself
for his farm which he would not sell
at $500 an acre but is on the tax roll
at SO an acre and upon which he pays
80 1-3 per cent. The mining company
pays in direct taxes so per cent of a
true valuation besides paying oceu-
patton, royalty and other taxes leases,
ETC., and furnishing the state with
about 70 per cent of all cash received
for operating expenses and to be added
to the enormous trust funds.
believe it or not" as Mr.. Ripley
would say but in 1907 when tonnage
tax fight was on in the Minnesota
legislature, we heard one of the pro-
ponents of the measure make the
statement that eff Hennepin, Ramsey
and ST. Louis counties would pay what
taxes they should, my county would
not need to pay tam cent" Some
logic surely. We could tell this fellow
something else. Were representation
based on taxation, he would be out oil
a soft sit for the winter and about &C
per cent of the legislature would be
composed of men from st. Louis Hen.
nepin and Ramsey counties. The
other "a counties of the state woulc
have the other 25 per cent with maybe
this mans county not having tam
one.
We always were of the opinion thai
several of the delivery truck and joy
riding drivers of Ely using the through
street as a speedway were about tn.
swiftest things going but now come
- - 1l<r L. L.