The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-06-09
COMMUNICATED

Winton, Mimi, June S, 1888.
Mr.. Peter Schaefer,
Ely, MINI.
Dear Pete: 1 wish to call your at
tention to your remarks in your column,
On This Occasion, in last weeks Miner,
regarding the proposed water power de-
velopment along the North Shore.
For the past several years have read
this sort of stuff in your paper. Always
with ridicule and sarcasm for those that
do not happen to see things your way,
as they pertain to conservation You
came here something like forty years
ago, along with others that had one
idea when they came, and they have
still got it, to the exclusion of all others.
That idea was to develop this region,
which was quite necessary and in keep
ing with the times. However, it would
not have caused any harm to have had
a few conservationistS here even at that
time. For instance, if the timber on
the shore lines had been left then, our
lakes would be much more beautiful
today. That law is now on our statutes,
after the timber is gone, but it is law
because of the conservationists.
You have jumped on the conserva-
tionists because they time and time
again have come to the front to defend
the natural resources of this region
This time you take another stand and
jump on them because they have not
responded to date. Here is your own
statement, as follows:
Governor Olson says that he will ask
the national administration for $780,
900 with which to build dams and de-
velop water power. Now note this, as
far all that has happened is that the
Governor has made statement to that
effect. No action has been taken
Then we take this out of your column
as follows:
$50 far we have not heard q peep
out of these self constituted guardians
of this north country" Now just what
would you expect us to do Pete, get al
het-up because our Governor makes a
statement? In another place in your
column you state that maybe we would
not care to buck up against Governor
Olson. Maybe he is that big man tt
you Pete, but he isn't to me, or any
Of the rest of the so called self con-
stituted guardians.
We note that you refer to these
guardians as living in the cities. Wei
maybe you don't know it, but there art
quite a few living right here in Ely
and the next time you feel like letting
out a sqawk about what the conServa.
tionists are doing or not doing, as thu
case may be at that time, don't give. the
city boys all the credit. We are MOI
at all ashamed of our stand in thi!
matter.
Another little thing that is wrong ir
your column and then I am through
You make a statement that is very mis-
leading to the uniformed about the
acreage that would have been flooded
if the Minnesota Power Co., had beer
granted it's request for the Gabro pro-
ject. The actual acreage that woulC
have been flooded is very near 5000
acres. You state that 400 acres OF
State lands would be flooded and let il
go at that. The 400 acres of State lands
is correct but did you forget about the
rest of it or didn't you like to mention
it? In other words, why not give the
public the whole truth instead of g
half truth.
After all is said and done Pete, what
does all this stuff get you? Does ii
really get you anything worth whilef
You might as well reconcile yourself tc
this fact: The conservationiSt is here tx
stay and whether you like it or not, you
will have to put up with them. In fact
their ranks are growing, as you may
have noticed lately. The conservation
lists have had to take it on the chin
more than once but I never heard such
sqawk from them as heard from the
Old Guard when they have to take
the count.
have no desire to get into printed
debate with you or anybody else. II
would not get either of us anything
I am making no effort to convert you
to the causes of conservation. do not
wish you to interpret this letter as q
criticism of your personal views but
would have you understand it as q
criticism of your policy as newspaper
editor The periodicals of today that
are popular with the thinking public
are those that are impartial, broad
minded and present both sides of q
question. Would it be asking too much
for The Ely Miner to lean little bit
in that direction.
Sincerely yours,
NJ w. PETERSON
J.