Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1942-10-29

to issue a few less of the contracts
to commercial fishermen. Then came
the 1941 Legislature. The governor
submitted the name of his commits
sioner for confirmation. With re-
luctance the Senate acquiesced in the
appointment. But the Legislature
recognized the carp menace if the
commissioner did not. The Legisla-
ture put the Game and Fish division
on budget and provided $4,000
for rough fish removal. This has been
ignored by the governor and his COM
missioner.
The commissioner has made no eff
fort to do those things which the
earnest men and women wanted &C
complished, but he has taken the
money paid into the department to
continually travel at the sportsmen's
expense, and talk and talk. While
he has been doing this the carp in
creased, more lakes were destroyed,
and the great privilege to fish and
hunt was diminished in many regions.
Instead of battling the carp we
find the commissioner shouting to the
Federal government that the battle
is on. He forgets that you and I are
citizens of both the State of Mime
sofa and the United States.
The sovereign rights of our state
should never be bartered away, but
should at all times be protected.
This, however, does not mean we
should declare war on our Federal
government. We should adopt pol
icy of cooperation between the state
and the Federal government on con-
servation and work out a program
which will result in the greatest
benefit to our people.
In these troubled days when the
flower of our manhood is making
the supreme sacrifice that we may
continue our democratic institutions,
conservation is vital. Deep love of
the land, the forests and lakes are
natural inclinations of youth. Most
effectively this is developed by close
association with the wide open spaces.
Love, appreciation and patriotism for
the homeland springs from associa-
ton with nature. It is for these
things, and for the blessed privilege
to enjoy them as a free people, that
we are today fighting.
All over our great state conserva-
ton projects are being carried on by
the toll of the people. They are work.
ing trying to make it a better state
in which to live and for others to
visit. But their burdens have been
made heavier for lack of cooperation
from the Commissioner of Conserva-
ton, and this man is supported by
the governor in his methods, in his
refusal to do what the people desire.
The voice of our people is not heard;
their efforts are scorned.
Through all methods, the depart
ment has removed during the past
year in Minnesota slightly more than
three million pounds of carp, while
Wisconsin removed in the same time
some ten million pounds. In Min
nesota there is only one small state
operated crew removing carp, while
in Wisconsin there are ten, and for
a time that state had twenty-four
crews engaged in carp removal.
Wisconsin has had, for many years,
a far better and comprehensive sys-
tenn of fish propagation. This has
caused thousands of Minnesota sports
men to purchase fishing licenses in
Wisconsin and leave our state of
ten thousand lakes to journey across
the line to enjoy their outdoors.
Minnesota has the natural resources
in great abundance, but we need a
wise, working conservation commits
sioner to protect and rebuild this
heritage.