have some definite object. The fish furnishes that object and 

 makes the trip possible, but it is the life in the woods which 

 yields nine-tenths of the pleasure. How often an enthusiast, 

 almost in a trance as he describes the landing of the largest 

 trout he ever caught, will pause in the most exciting place to 

 describe the play of the goldren sunlight on a snowy birch 

 across that enchanted pool. That is really what he enjoyed 

 most. 



It is these men seeking the open after the fish that make up 



the great bulk of the outers at this season of the year. It 



means health and happiness to many a family; it means a 



handsome revenue to the region where they go; it means yet 



more to the contentment of the people; so much in all that it 



certainly has to be reckoned with as an important factor in 



the value of the forests. No man wants to fish a stream that 



wanders through a desolate stretch of forlorn cut-over land. 



The beauty of the surroundings is three-quarters of the fun, 



ften four-quarters with the fish thrown in as a superfluous 



[cuse. Destroy the beauty of these surroundings, and no 



latter how plentiful the fish the greater part of the fishing 



rill cease. 



Our Debt to Fishermen. 



So we owe these fishermen two things; fish in the streams to 



itch, and a forest land in which to fish. 



There are few sections of the United States which can offer 

 diversified and pleasing opportunities for angling, canoeing, 

 md other outdoor sports as Minnesota. Already many people 

 come trouping in from distant states to enjoy our fish and 

 our forests. It is only a matter of time and publicity until 

 we- possess the Adirondacks of the middle West, one of the 

 greatest summer resort districts of the country. 



With such a prospect as this easily within our grasp is it not 

 a shame to sell .our state lands, to allow the timber to be cut 

 off and the fishing ground destroyed, because a few specula- 

 tors have raised the cry that these lands are needed for set- 

 tlement. Needed for settlement indeed! If all of these lands 

 so obtained would raise one hundred bushels of wheat to the 

 acre, they would never be worth to the state, either commer- 



