Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-12-30
JOHNSON, ~JoHNsON1SM, v
SHIP AND BOILERS
WIN

The johnson organs are seriously dis
turbcd over the TRIBUSE's challenge
that they enter into specifications as to
what the congressman has accomplished
for the state and nation during his eight
years of cgotism and salary drawing in
the house of representatives. The TRI-
Nj has asked them to examine the
record of the entire eight years and to
give the facts Sc that the people and the
legislature may judge Of his worth as a
representative OF this growing common
wealth. The organs are unanimous in
cyadjng the issue, and devote them
sclyc, to crying down the senators from
this state.
The only suggestion Of I'M answer from
the Johnson organs Is that he is the log
ical candidate and the peoples chuice.''
As to bcin. the logical candidate" that
is merely an c%unhonious phrase which
does not mean anything. In itself it
lacks All the clements OF logic. If he is
the peoples choice" this contention is
not sustained in the election returns for
members of the legislature. The most
conservative estimate puts Johnson'sfull
strength at - votes out of IA total of IS
republicans. Indeed this is the number
claimed for him by a correspondent of IL
johnson organ in Minneapolis, who saws:
"a list which has been made, giving
the best available information as to the
preferences Of the II republican mem
bcrs OF the legislature, gives johnson %
votes on the start"
If the people" had wanted johnson
they would have SAID so at the polls in
November, as they did two years ago in
the case of Senator Hansbrough, when
almost every republican chosen was for
him and was known to be for him on the
day of the election. This was a case of
peoples choice concerning which there
has never been any dispute.
The same correspondent, realizing the
great necessity Of replying to the TR1-
BUNE's challenge. undertakes the task in
the following Manner:
His friends say that the stories which
are being extensively circulated by Ger
tain papers which are unfriendly to him,
to the effect that the state has suffered
in many instances because of his failure
to secure the passage through the lower
house of measures which Hansbrourh
had pushed through the senate, have no
foundation in fact. They point out that
the situation during the lasttwo sessions
has been such that no man could have
accomplished more than Mr.. johnson
has done. and that if measures in which
the state is interested have failed, it is
through nc lack of cndcavOr on his part
First, it will be observed, "the stories
Il = i 81 have no foundation in fact
and in the next sentence the correspond
ent excuses Johnson's ~dclinqucnces by
declaring that 1.-The situation during the
last two sessions has been such that no
man could have accomplished MORE" etc.
What kind of Il "Situation," pray: Did
not the last two sessions the
last four or five scssions-have a good
working republican majority? And yet,
in all Of his eight years of service he has
not put ii line of law upon the statute
books of his country. Where is there
another such record of eternal uniitness
and everlasting worthlessness?
The fact is that johnson is neither
"thc logical candidate" nor ''the candi.
date of the people," He is simply the
candidate of Johnsonism, and Johnson
ism is the parasite of republican politics
in North Dakota. 1t has nourished it,
self at the party breast for eight long
years, and like "thc daughter of the
horsc-lcech" has constantly demanded
more, more, more. 1t returns nothing. It
has feasted upon the fear of timid party
men and raised it's arrogant head in
party councils until it's chief xponen
Johnson himself, became dubious of the
peoples patience and wisely declined an
other nomination for the house. John
sonism had its inception in Il threatened
bolt if the demands of its representative.
Johnson himself, were not complied
with: and aspiring candidates quailed in
the dust before it. 1t is the bulwark of
boilers today, and no greater reward than
the election Of NJ. n. johnson to the
United States senate could be bestowed
upon George p. Winship, who bolted the
ticket last fall, and is now assuming to
instruct republicans as to their duty.
Johnson's election would mean the cx-
a~ltation of the pessimistic Herald scrib-
bier who has for years. like an equator
ial barnaclc, attached himself to the
republican majority. Time is mellow ripe
for getting rid of the incubus of John
sonism.
-,,- re