The Saint Paul globe., 1898-11-03
in LEVYING ASSESSMENTS
CONSIDER YOUR FRIENDS
Records Show That He Is Opposed to Applying the
Same Rule to Merchants That He Does
to His Own Property.

that prince of political dodgers, Billy John
son, now running for county auditor on the
Republican ticket l have known Billy ever
since he emerged from the Franklin school,
where he used to WELD the broom as handiy
as he now agttates his tongue. Later on
"Bill' turned up as janitor and master at
arms for the Odd Fellows, and has managed
to hold onto this job ever since.
But 1t is as a politician that Billy has
shone Ever since he leaped into the political
arena he has managed to keep himself in the
political eye as a candidate for some office
or other. Largely through Democratic votes,
he broke into the assembly and was known as
the gabbiest man on the floor.
The people of the Eighth ward will recall
now ne cheated the German school district
out OF an addition to this school The school
board has recognized the crying need of a
larger building at the German, and the proper
authorities were ready to make the necessary
appropriation. But Billy had little project
OF his own. His children had to walk a
block or two to get to school, so he conceived
the idea of doing up the German and having
school built right at his own door. Being
member of the assembly, it was no trougle
to turn the trick. So it came to pass that
on certain evening Billy brought down all
his friends and relations to the council meet
ing, and with the aid of this Strong dele
CATION managed to impress the council, him
self included, of the necessity of having a
school in Johnson's back yard The council
fell in to the trap and Johnson got his
school. The result was that the German,
..
to go without an appropriation on account of
'too much Johnson"
But the German waited, and two years from
this time, the conditions at the German being
worse than ever, another effort was made to
get the needed appropriation. The matter
came before the council, which, recog-
nizing the fairness of the demand, appro-
priated 900 for an addition to the German
school. The amount went into the budget
and everything looked serene for the German.
But Johnson, who was then a very common
citizen was yet to be reckoned with. De-
termined to beat the German a second time.
he 1naugurated the movement for a new
school building in the German district rather
than an addition. He drummed the district
with the aid of some of his strikers to create
the impression that what the district wanted
was new building and not an addition.
Johnson failed to move the Democratic
council, but after the new Republican council
had taken hold he worked on once Aid.
Kaldunski, and got that fragrant individual
to move reconsideration of the vote whereby
/ the appropriation was made for the addition.
Kaldunski claimed this was strictly an Eighth
ward matter and the other Republicans sided
with him. 1t was enough for the Republicans
to know that it was Democratic council that
had passed the original resolution for them
to undo what had been done
The result that the German school was
again deprived of its appropriation, and an
other triumph was scored for the artful Mr.
Johnson.
These are couple of tricks that will not
be forgotten by the voters of the Eighth ward
on election day. Any resident who ever sent
his child to the German who would cast a
vote for Johnson should be drummed out Of
the ward.
Since then Johnsons career has been
known. He has been a standing candidate
for every office in sight and some that never
were created. He seems to- have imagined
that the office of city treasurer was his by
some inscrutable divine right. While an
nouncing that he was only candidate for
treasurer he was laying pipe for the Office
of clerk of the municipal court, sheriff, mem
Der of the board of public works, member of
the water works and several other places
In the spring the young mans fancy lightly
turned to- thoughts of city treasurer but his
party slapped him the wrist. 1t was then
that he contented himself with the proud dis
tinction of being Kiefer's right bower. OF
course he expects for this condesension ON
his part that the Germans will be only too
eager now to give him first mortgage ON the
Prussian empire.
Finally "Willum" got nominated for county
auditor because he had ''de solid ate" be-
hind him, And it may be that ''de solid ate''
may give him a pain in the spine bfore he
gets through. 1t is too bad the people don't
know Johnson as he really is. j. A. NJ.
st. Paul. Nov. 2, 1898.