The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-12-31

Id, Sank Centre, Mimi
Of naming wardens upon the recon-
mendation of recognized conserve
ton organizations and not upon
that of politicians. The game and
fish commissioner was given actual,
and not merely nominal, control.
The legislature enacted a law pro-
viding that the receipts from hunt
ers' and fishers licenses should be
used for conservation and restora-
ton exclusively. The result was an
increased budget and an expanded
program. During the fiscal year
which ended June 80, 1881, 10000
600 fish fry were planted. Every
effort has been made to restock the
lakes and streams of the state. In
this presence am impelled to say
that there is no group of people who
can give more valuable assistance
in advancing the cause of conser-
walton in Minnesota than those who
are engaged in the hotel and sum-
mer resort business, and none will
profit more from enforcement of
game and fish laws.
Another factor that has helped
to increase the tourist business is
good roads. There is no state where
the roads are straighter, wider,
smoother, or harder than in Mime
sofa. Nowhere else are they so
safe to travel on. This is the only
state that is eliminating all grade
crossings. More than half of our
1000 miles Of arterial highways are
either paved or bituminized, and by
the end of next year one-third of
their mileage will be concrete.
But by far the most potent factor
in developing tourist business, in
my opinion, was the initiation of
the activity now being conducted
by the Ten Thousand Lakes reater
Minnesota Association. have sew
eral reasons for that belief. First,
the real growth of the tourist BUSH
ness in Minnesota has taken place
since that activity began. Second,
after similar organization in Wis
consin ceased to function there was
a decline of $4,000 900 in income
from tourists in that state.
The Ten Thousand Lakes-Greater
Minnesota Association Il approve
of everything in connection with it
except it's long name) this year
answered 5000 personal inquiries
relative to the scenic attractions of
Minnesota, distributed 10000 maps
and $4,000 booklets, placed moving
pictures before thousands of spec
tators, maintained displays in sta
ton windows throughout the East
and South, and carried display adj
yertisements in periodicals having
an aggregate circulation of 17,0O0,-
600. All this was accomplished on
a budget less than that Of last year,
and still the Association ends it's
year with all debts paid and it's cash
balance undiminished.
I believe this record calls for a
little comment on Herb Hotaling.
For years I looked in vain for a
Scotchman who consistently lived
up to the traditions of his race. I
failed to find him. came to the
conclusion that if thrift is a virtue,
the Scotch are the most over-rated
people in the world. Then I met
Herb Hotaling-in him was Scot
land indicated. Officially but not
personally, he is the closest listed
man I ever knew. He can wear a
dime thinner and stretch dollar
farther than any other man in pub
lie office. Il realize that that is
damning him with faint praise.) I
should not have appointed him
Tourist Commissioner that was
the worst mistake I ever made. I
should have made him Comptroller,
Budget Commissioner and Purchas-
ing Director-the state levy a pal
try thirteen per cent. We should
have distributed dividends among
the taxpayers Of Minnesota!
It Is a new role for me to plead
for an increase in any budget. ]
am making this exception because
I believe that the time has come
to sell Minnesota-and I don't
mean selling it back to the Indians.
We should sell it to ourselves, who
have for too long been passing by
the diamond fields of Golconda. We
should sell Minnesota to our neigh
bors, sell it to the whole wide world.
We have heard too much pessimis-
tic talk Of late. Most Of it has
come from people who think that
the country, and civilization itself,
is going to smash because they did
not guess right which way the
stock market was going to jump,
or did not have the sense to know
that even the best corn land in the
world is not worth $500 an acre.
When times are a little tough we
need greater Investigation of in
come. It is worthy of note that the
industries that have declared divi-
dends this year are those which
have developed new lines. The fact
that other sections are pressing for
more tourist business makes it even
more necessary for us to increase
our effort.
The time has come to sell some
of the farms which have passed
from their owners into the hands
of tenants. Every tenant in Min
nesota should become farm own
er, and tenant farmers of other
states should be made to realize
that here are opportunities for in
dependence and future affluence
such as the pioneers never had
Those who come now will not have
to break any sod. They will not
have to live in log houses and sod
shanties. They will not have to
build roads and fences. They will
not have to wait for neighbors, fol
churches and schools. They will not
have to undergo any Of the priva.
tions the original settlers suffered
They can move into established
communities, with all the things
that sixty years or more of effort
and sacrifice have provided. They
can acquire farm homes at prices
which in many cases are less than
the cost of replacing the improve
ments-like the homesteaders, they
!