Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-10-17
TOMFOOLERY

there is another mix-up in the State
Department of Conservation. partic-
ularly the Division of Game and Fish.
1T appears that a game warden,
Rueben F. Grandquist, of White Bear
Lake, was relieved of his job some
weeks ago, following a frame-up to
get him. After a hearing at Wal
ker, before the State Conservation
Commission, the director of the Divis-
ion of Game and Fish was told to
reinstate Grandquist. This he has
refused to do.
Anyone who takes part in an under
handed game to frame" someone will
usually be caught at the nefarious
business sooner or later and receive
his just dues. 1t has even been re-
ported that part of the frame-up work
took place in Pine county. No per-
son of honesty, sincerity, and loyalty
and an ounce of self-reSpect would
knowingly take part in frame-up.
The writer, as member of the
Legislature, never took an active part
in the enactment of game and fish
other legislation of more Importance,
especially in these depression times.
There are always enough legislators
who take quite an interest in laws
pertaining to wild game and the
sportsmen.
Nevertheless, though one may not
be hunter and a fisherman, he can
hn1r hnt hot
Zens get much enjoyment out of fish
ing and hunting and they are not,
as so often loosely referred to, only
the city sports. Anyone who is a
little observing will know that there
are hundreds, or even thousands of
citizens in rural counties like Pine,
who derive great pleasure from hunt
ing and fishing, and the records
plainly show that hunting and fishing
licenses are issued in great numbers
to folks living in all parts of the
state
But it is rather disgusting to read
about the petty politics being played
in the Division of Game and Fish
1t looks like some of the men are
more interested in politics. and the
hiring and firing of certain individ-
uals than they are in conservation
Some one with authority and enough
courage and determination ought to
go in there and clean up the dirty
mess. In stating this. we are not
taking a slap at any certain political
party for the Game and Fish Division
seems to be blessed with a personnel
of different political faiths.
Big game hunting is not relished
any too much by farmers, especially
in a county like Pine, where the land
is partly titled and partly of the
brush and cut-Over variety. The deer
said of the pheasants, so the actual
farmers here are none too keen for
preserving wild game If they were
paid for crop damages it might be
different. The recent open season on
prairie chickens was another example
of deficiency in the Division of
Game and Fish, and sportsmen all
over the state were loud in their dis
approval of the open season when
there were practically no birds to
shoot
There is. of course. always the talk
of protection to favored ones. How
ever. there is not as much protection
as the talk would indicate, but on
the other hand. it is also quite evil
dent that there is some protection.
Hunting is fine in the forest coun-
ties that have not been transformed
into farming. but it does not go hand
finland with farming. If there is
too much politics, wire pulling, IA
vors. and framing of certain individ-
uals. whom il is desired for political
purposes to get off the pay roll, and
in general. too much attention to
politics and not enough to conserva-
ton. many folks will feel like throw
ing the whole works overheard.
That some rules and regulations
are required to preserve game and
fish goes almost without saying. How
ever. that is more of an education
than il is a matter of law. and in that
respect many game wardens have
done good work Going back far
enough in the history of the state
there was no Game and Fish Division
and so il there is going to be toe
much politics the state could again
get along without it.