Willmar tribune., 1900-09-26
Or. JonNsoN's FLOP.

s.~. DR.. JoHNSoN'S FLOP.
DR.. Christian johnson formally
made his debut into the republican
circles last Friday when a four col
umn article from his pen was printed
in the Pioneer Press under double
column headlines on the front page.
The doctor begins his statement with
these words, eyes, I guess I am a re-
publican and am apt to remain one
for some tlme." The article was pub
lished in the Pioneer Press, evidently
for the effect it was expected to have
upon people in other sections of the
state. The editor of this paper, who
Is in charge of the Peoples Party
state campaign at St. Paul, was in
terviewed in regard to DR.. Johnson's
change, and we will reproduce the In
terview for the benefit of the readers
of the TRIBUNE.
YES I noticed DR.. Johnson's exposure OF
himself in the Pioneer Press this morniug,'
said Victor E. Lawson, chairman of the state
pCOpC pdIGy CSuGIdA CO"mltGCC dlO CSAtOA
Of the Willmar Tribune, to Globe reporter
yesterday, who put the question to him. The
republican organ gave up columns TO DR..
Christian Johnson of Willmar, for the ''ex-
posure," and presumably Mr.. johnson might
have had four pages if he had desired it. His
effort in line was to announce to the public
that he, a former active peoples party man,
had decided to cast his vote and influence with
~ L.
Continuing, Mr.. Lawson, who had at one
time been a business partner of DR.. johnson,
stated regarding his former associate: II have
been expecting something OF the kind for the
past two years. I am glad he has come out In
the open, so that even his dullest friend can
see where he stands. AS long as he repre-
sented himself as populist he was able to SOW
seeds of discord among our people, but the
Knute Nelson and Van SAINT managers have
reckoned without their host if they expect to
create any serious detection in populist ranks
by a brass band flop of DR.. Johnson at this late
date.
Nov. I have known the doctor, and I ap.
preciate fully, hope, his many good qualities.
AS neighbor I have good deal of respect
for him, but as political leader he lacks an
essential quality, namely, consistency. I en-
tered partnership with DR.. johnson in 1895 in
the newspaper business and continued in that
relation two years or more. would not care
at this time to enumerate his many wonderful
acrobatic political feats, but will say that he
was one OF the original fusionists of Minnesota
and was willing at one time to entirely oblter-
ate the peoples party, something most of our
people would not consent to do at this time,
more than four years later. have in my pos
session a letter written by the doctor to his
proxy at the St. Louis convention in 1896 which
bears me out in the statement just made"
Mr.. Lawson handed the reporter a letter, of
which the following is copy:
Willmar, Mimi, July 10, 1896-Hon.
Minnesota Delegation, St. Louis Mo.-Dear
Friend promised you to attend the conven-
hereby delegate you my proxy, and authorize
you to cast my vote on all occasions as you
may deem proper, except in the baloting for
candidates, in which case I instruct you to
vote for w. j. Bryan for nominee for presi-
dent, and Arthur Sewal for nominee for vice
president, first and last and all the time.
the convention give Bryan and Sewall their
hearty and unhesitating support, with a hur-
rah that shall strike terror into the camp of
plutOcracy. If the convention will not do that
Will authorize you on my behalf to move to
adjourn sine die.
The peoples party has now the opportunity
OF the age for the cause of humanity, and if
die it must, then
How can it die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes OF our fathers
And the temples Of our gods"
Very truly, DR.. Christian johnson.
Imagine the man who wrote that letter
straining himself four years later to prove that
a plot to destroy the peoples party existed,
and trying to implicate Gov. Lind in the same.
If any one doubts the authenticity of the letter
I have just read to you, he may call here and
see it for himself
'Oh, pshaw! am sorry for the doctor. He
has an excellent medical practice at Willmar,
and II he had stuck to his resolve, so often re-
iterated, that he was out of politics, he would
be far happier man. He is forcing his old
personal friends to leave him, and taking up
with crowd that will probably cast him aside
otter having failed to accomplish their pur-
poses.
mo, am not surprised at the doctors arti-
Gle. But am surprised at the lack of political
sense of the Pioneer Press in attaching signiti-
canoe to it. It proves that the opposition is
woefully deficient in campaign material, or
that their political sagacity fails them at
times''