The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1908-10-16

III
Greeted BY Crowded tloase .aod hua.
4 dreds fail to Get k10issio0.
The throng at the SMissabe depot
to meet Governor John "A. johnson
and party as their special pulled in
at 1:45 on Tuesday was evidence OF
the fact that the frantic antics OF
! the yellow journal at the head OF
the lakes to imbue range ,residents
with the idea that their salvation
depended on the defeat of the Gov
ernor had taken deep root and
struck responsive chord in the
minds of the enlightened, populace
of the range-nit; and the banners
of welcome and profusion of nation
al colors which met the EYE of the
party at every step as, headed by
the Eveleth band, they walked to
the Fay Opera, bore mute <attesta.
ton to the fact that partieanship
has been cast aside by our business
element in their admiration for one
whose honesty of purpose has won
their loyal support.
At the Opera he was greeted by a
packed house, hundreds of those
seeking admission being unable to
find room. E. NJ. Tredway, in neat
but effective preliminary, introduc-
ed the Governor, who delved into
his subject for the full time at his
command, devoting his opening
to national Issues. referring specif.
cally to the the .triff and bank guar.
antee planks of the Denver plat:
form and paying William Jennings
Bryan the highest compliment to
be coveted by any man regarding
his honesty and integrity of pur-
pose in every word and act. He ask
ed his hearers to take the platforms
of the two great parties and study
them carefully to the end that they
might rightly judge. not what was
best for Bryan or best for Taft, but
what was best for themselves.
Touching upon his own candi-
dacy for election-a position
thrust upon him by the unanimous
action of his party, he said it was
his province to give an account of
stewardship" for the two terms
just closing. This brought him
into touch with the allegation of
extravaganza made by his oppon-
ent, Mr.. Jacobson. in his keynote
speech at West Duluth, and in his
defense of the allegation of his op.
ponent was forced to present the
paradox of a Democratic governor
defending Republican Legislature
from the attacks of Republican
candidate, and charged Jacobson
with now criticising the Republican
Legislature for incurring the very
expenses for which he consistently
worked while a member of that
body, and rightly contended that
any expenditure of state monies
was made permissible only through
Legislative sanction. He stated that
Mr.. jacobson, as a member of the
state board of control, had asked for
necessary Increases in appropria
tions for the support of state insti-
tutions and after they were granted
charging the administration with
extravaganza. He claimed that he
had worked in harmony with the
Legislature throughout his tenure
of office and cited the anti-pass law,
the two cent fare law, the law reduc-
ing commodity rates and the law
forbidding rebates as among the
beniticent results accomplished.
He also cited the fact that during
the past year there had been ex.
pended, at his request, 100000 for
state drainage purposes, and that
through his efforts and recommend
ations there had thus been reclaim
ed more swamp land than in the
previous 4S years in the history of
the state.
Referring to paramount issue on
the ranges he scorched the Duluth
News Tribune and the Eveleth Star
on their Justification of his position
on the tonnage tax, branding their
statements that he had ever favored
tonnage tax all to go to the state
as the most absurd thing ever said
OF him. In support of his past po'
, sition on this momentous question
he read excerpts from his message
to the 1907 Legislature in which he
went on record as clearly opposed
to any system of taxation which
would tend to deprive local munich
palities of their source of tax reve
] nue.. And that he still stands or
! the same ground. as regards ton
\ mage tax on ore, he stated plainly
I that "if the Legislature should pass
any law which would deprive ths
j range or other municipality of it
just portion of taxation, would no
sipn it,"