Be THE /AUDUBONJBULLE Diay 
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will shelter and feed the millions 
that for ages have followed its 
course. They will be forced to 
seek other ranges for food and 
shelter at the expense of other oc- 
cupants. Hardships and depri- 
vation will be their lot henceforth. 
Nolonger will the erstwhile manna- 
strewn highway permit of easy mi- 
gratory stages nor offer protection 
to those who pass there the most 
important period of life, the mat- 
ing and nesting season. Its con- 
verted meagre farm lands will be 
unable to support the varied bird 
life dependent on them, nor can 
the lowlands and bottoms aid un- 
told millions to reach safely their 
destination. 
Said a land promoter to me 
recently “Lhe conversroneas 
marshes into fertile agricultural 
lands justifies wholesale drainage. 
Furthermore, if you were to pay 
taxes on useless swamps, it could 
not be drained too quick to suit 
you.” The point is very well 
taken, brother, were it not for the 
fact that you bought these worth- 
less lands voluntarily and specu- 
latively. We cannot be asked to 
sympathize with you on this self- 
imposed task. 
There are other economic rea- 
sons why this area should not be WINNESHIEK Bortroms 
drained. Its value as converted 
farm lands will be less than that in its present condition. An estimate 
made by the Bureau of the Biological Survey of the United States places 
the annual fish production in the land-locked waters at twelve million 
pounds. Reams have been written on their value as breeding grounds 
for all warm water food and game fishes or as breeding grounds of small 
fur bearers who find congenial habitat in the territory. Flood control, 
stabilizing of water levels and consequential conservation of soil produc- 
tivity, its recreational value to the nation are each and every one 
weighty enough reasons why the Upper Mississippi Bottoms must not be 

