The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-09-21
HIBbING AGAIN IN
CENTER OF stage
PUBLIC EXAMINER TURNS SPOT
LIGHT ON IRON RANGE
TOWN
VICTOR POWER STRIKES BACK
MAYOR OF RICHEST VILLAGE"
ALLEGES POLITICS ARE BACK
OF REPORT


it has had the spot light thrust upon
it. This time its bid for fame is
report compiled by Public Examiner
Fritz covering a claimed exhaustive
examination of the towns financial
affairs which is not to the credit OF
the municipality or those in charge OF
its affairs. A shortage in public funds
amounting to about $65,0D0 is init
mated, gross extravaganza is charged
and a general misuse Of municipal
moneys is claimed. By reason If the
presence of valuable deposits of ore
and the location of particularly valu-
able mining properties the town en-
lows almost unlimited revenue IN the
shape of taxes, and the burden OF the
public examiners report is that both
officials and residents waxed fat as
result. Little in a criminal way is
charged. but considerable in the way
of malfeasance is inferred. In the alb
sence of any further information on
the part of the public examiner or
any answer by the accused officials
outside of Victor Power, mayor OF
Hibbing, who styles the whole thing
2 political frameup, cold blooded COM
ment is inadvisable at this time, but
7 think | can safely say that the whole
thing will bear watching. l have a
lunch that some one is due to be po-
litically undone in the linen Washing
game that is to follow. Who or what
o.ne will be hit, time alone Will tell.
This is no brief for either Hibblng or
its doughty mayor, Victor Power VINO
has weathered every storm turned
loose to get his official head, but the
belief is strong down here that POWER
will come out on top. To get at the
bottom of Hibbing's troubles one must
barken back to the legislature OF 1919
when a southern Minnesota memoei
introduced bill limiting the annual
expenditures of any munlclpallt! 10
s25 ner CAPITA. Hibbing was the ad-
m;tted goat. and simultaneously Win
tbe introduction of the bill inspired
correspondents began filling up lwiii
City papers with accounts OF Inc IL,
.richest little village IN the wofla
and it's extravagances. What they toid
was simply awful.
To continue: A Chicago paper sent
writer of note to that village. he
took in a number of the range towns
and out of a serious review of condl-
lions turned the whole thing into
burlesuue. The immense property val
ues present and how an enterprlslng
mayor and his aids had converted the
whole to the benefit of the town as
founded this particular writer and ne
wrote accordingly. The bill failed to
mass. not because it lacked votes but
because of the ingenuity of Mayor
Power and his friends, who simply
pitted the cupidity of one faction
against the hopes and designs OF an
other financially or otherwise con-
cerned. The bill, which never got
bevond the calendar, dominated every
piece of legislation passed or attempt
ed during the closing weeks of the
session and was so adroitly handled
bv Mayor Power and his aids that in
stead of a menace to himself and the
municipality it in reality worked out
as a club to compel what he and MS
supporters wanted in the way OF leg
islation. 1t was following the failure
of this bill to pass that steps were
taken to "sic" the public examiner on
the town and the report as hled py
that official the other day is the hrst
move in the new order OF things. ina'
Public Examiner Fritz has gone INTO
the inquiry with every resource at ms
command and that it is thorough Is
not doubted. That he has tried 10 De
square in his findings is also accepteo'
though if he and his examiners nave
erred in any way in their conclusions
# is to be credited more to the ac.iV,
;+v of those who have overlooKea
nothing in their efforts to put .ne
town and it's officials in bad, ratner
+h.n anv bias on his part. Following
the report Governor Burnqulst oire1..
cd ATTORNEY General Smith to make
;mmediate inquiry regarding posslole
official malfeasanse and the prosecu-
+;on of those concerned. Mr.. Smltn Il
now engaged in the task. and viii
probably be able to report in Jew
weeks.
There is probably not more unique
nolitical figure in the state than VIZ: :.
tor Power, mayor of Hibbing' ana i
;s safe bet that in the present con
+roversv he will come out OF tne Tray
,ioht side up. He seems to nave the
bappv faculty of landing on his feet
when attacked and of winning IN the
face of opposition that would moor
most other men. Every attempt 10
defeat him as Mayor OF Hlbbing mas
SO far failed. No sooner was the pup
lie examiner report out than MI;
Power was ready with an answer, ana
II was to the effect that the flllng OF
the report at this time was for poilti-
cal purposes. Friends he declared
were preparing to offer him as an IN