The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1915-03-05
Mayor Power of Hibbing,- Under
Fire from the Ranks of the
Ants, Makes Greatest Speech
of Career Before Joint Com
mittee of House and Senate.
County Divisionists Return to
City Jubilant Today and De-
clare Chances for Passage of
Amended Bill Have Improved
100 Per Cent as Ad Lib Result.

Virginia's delegation to the joint
senate and legislative committee hear
ing on the county division bill in the
state capitol in St. Paul returned to
the city at noon today we'll satisfied.
Opponents Of county division declare
the net result Of yesterdays hearing
was to discredit the entire county divi-
sion movement effectively. Is advo-
Gates are jubilant. They enthusiastic
ally declare that the anti county divi-
sionists although they outnumbered
the county divisionists three to one
were out-generaled, out-argued and
completely put to rout. The chances
for the passage of county division
bill so amended that vote of go per
cent of the people in the seeding
county will be sufficient to carry it,
they say, have been improved 100 per
cent as result of the hearing. That
the senate will pass such a bill there
is no doubt, they declare, and that it
has better than fighting chance in
the house is equally certain. It is
practically assured that the bill will
be reported for final action to the
house and senate tomorrow. Whether
or not the committee will dispose of it
by the recommendation that it pass,
or whether it will be sent to the gen.
eral assembly without recommendation
could not be authoritively stated to-
day. However, all factions are agreed
that it will go before both the house
and senate for final disposition. The
anti-county divisionists, it is said
have already arranged to maintain an
elaborate lobby at the capitol city to
work against the measure from this
time on.
Duluth Strongly Represented.
Duluth was strongly represented at
yesterdays hearing Eight sleeping
cars over the 500 Line took the Du-
luth contingent to St. Paul. 1t in
cluded many men prominent in the
various subsidiaries of the United
States Steel corporation. They d.
rected the anti-county divisionists
fight under the leadership of J. L..
Washburn, of the law firm of Wash
burn, Baily & Mitchell. Washburn
made a disheartening showing. He
attacked the county division bill pend
ing on its constitutional merits and
was openly discounted when it was
discovered that the authority in law
which he cited in support of his posi-
ton had been obsolete for several
years and imperative because of sue
ceeding enactments. County division
lists declare that the only really ef-
fective speech from the anti-division
side of the house came from John
Owens, Cook farmer. Mayor Saari
of Eveleth and several others read set
speeches, evidently prepared for the
occasion.
Sensational Speech by Power.
The feature of the hearing was the
speech in behalf of county division by
Mayor Victor L. Power of Hibbing.
Under fire for weeks from the anti
county divisionists, accused Of wanton
extravaganza in his conduct of the af-
fairs of the village of Hibbing, during
his two years administration as
mavor. belittled and made the targe'
of shafts of sarcasm thinly yelled ane
bitter in the extreme, the peerless ora
tor of the Iron Ranges made the great
,est speech of his public career ane
demonstrated anew the remarkable
powers of persuasive eloquence whlcf
from a blacksmith's helper in thu
shops of the Oliver Iron Mining com
pany at Hibbing, have brought him II
a few short years to be considered th'
most able and convincing public speak
or on the Iron Range and its mos
successful attorney-at-law. Power
speech electrified the crowd that at
tended the hearing. It shattered an
nunctured and knocked into a cooke
hat the arguments advanced by tn
previous speakers against county d'
vision. Suave and forcible, and wear
inp his characteristic smile, wit
matchless self-confdence for the bet
ter part of nhour he occupied tn
floor of the house chamber with
straight from the shoulder talk tha
left many faces the color of a Sa
Francisco sunset, and set the less com
posed of the anti-county divisionist
in a frenzy of impotent rage.
Range Residents Grilled.
Ranoe residents who went to al