Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1900-10-13
DR.. JOHNSON QUITS
EME FAMOUS xANDTYORa POpUEss4
GETS ENOUGH OF FUSION.
LIND AND ROSINGo
REDEfMs HIS 1896 PLEDGE
Says Mckinley Prosperity Suits HIM
and Democratic Hypocrisy
DIsgusts Almo

z
enthusiastic supporters OF Bryan In the
Seventh district four years ago. has
seen the error Of his ways and returned
to his first love. the Republican party.
He had about six years experience az
q Populist. and while he considers
these years Wagtsd, u 9 political sense.
he values the experience as an eye
opener. He learned to his satisfaction
that Organism 10 a hollow delusiqn ;
that Lind Is & designing politician, who
obtained has election by false pre-
fences: that Rosing turns the machine
which grinds Democrats and Populists
into Democratic sausage. and that
Ringdah and Bowler are SO per cent
Democrats but wear the garb Of Popu%
lism in order tQ round Up the Popylist
herd and drive them into Rosing's fold.
DR.. Johnson has praeticed medicine
in Kandiyohi and adjoining counties
some. sixteen years, and thus has an
extensive acquRintan with people and
conditions in that vicinity. In 1894 the
silver idea, as advocated BY Bryan,
was waited through the air in the form
of disease germs. and many Of them
DR., Johnson and few others thought
they saw relief from the panicky con-
ditaons OF that time in the measures
championed by Bryan, and they found
ed the Peoples party OF Kandiyehi
The doctor is an aggressive, courage
ous, fiery fellow. and his first step was
to start PopDlist paper, the Tribune.
All who read that paper during his
supervision Win never forget the sui
try eRfusions Of its intrepid author.
The doctor-editOr was nominated for
the legislature and he advocated the
election Of Bryan, Lind and himself
In way that was both original and
effective, he being defeated by only
votes by Henry F'eig. He
accepted defeat philosophically, and
with characteristic candor and hon
esty promised himself that II McKin-
ley's administration brought the pros
perity that his followers had predicted
he would acknowledge that Organism
was nightmare and would join the
ranks Of McKinley'S supporters. That
promise to himself was redeemed SO
far as the president was concerned.
He remained an active PopuliSt, how
ever, and in 1893 not only supported
Lind with all the enthusiasm OF his
nature, but came within q few votes
Of being nominated for congress by the
Populists. and then made another Nm
race for the legislature.
His present position and his reasons
for assuming 1t are given in hts own
words. His logic is commended to
every Populist:
Eyes, sir, I guess am Republican
this year, and am ant TO be for some
Time to come. I was originally Re
publican and worked and voted for
Harrison in 1892. But unfortunately
cleveland was elected president, and
With him came the panic that struck us
LII amidships soon after his inaugura-
ION. sn Hssaaf1s
AT first the ordinary people were
LACED and dumbfounded by the panic,
but by and by we found out that VIC
we're beggared, that lands, houses and
goods, beyond what was needed for
personal use. were utterly
worthless, or worse, a burden Of taxes
Ind expense. The well-to-do were
and the poor trampled and
starved. The promised relief from the
epeal Of the Sherman law did not ma
and a good many Of US con-
'luded that both political parties had
ither lost their reason or had con-
pired to destroy civilization on this
with this condition or public senti-
nent Populism hove into view and
pened the only plausible avenue of re-
Ief Thousands and thousands of the
ommon people Joined it's ranks, and I
With them. Not that and others SUBJ
cribed to the ultra radical tenets OF
he party, but we believed that the
Movement furnished the nucleus of, a
ew political party that would in time
q able to satisfactorily solve the
Mighty social questions that then con-
ronted the nation. And let me say
light here that If the Peoples party
ad had leaders made Of the right stuff
statesmen instead Of oh1eeseekers at
ne helm-it would to-day have been
he second party in the nation and still
ave had admission to perform.
"NOw am ne ilIx-and- water sort Of
man. If the new party would succeed
vork must be done, and was in it for
ii was worth.
TN Kandiyohi county we fought the
ampaign Of 1894 at swinging gait.
We had no newspaper, but led, and
official friends stood by me, and the
Villnar Tribune was established. It
,as virile. spirited Populist paper,
nd was success from the start.
1.-THE campaign Of 1895, with Bryan at
ae head of the ticket came on and &
ought it with all the power at my COM
Gand. The issue in 1895 was the res
,ration Of prosperity. At that time
ar financial condition, individually and
) q nation, was all out Of order, Our
nancial structure, go to speak, was
llapidated, the windows out, the shin
les OF, and we were at the mercy Of
very squall or gust of wind let loose
rom the gambling money centers of
ne world Two remedies were pro-
osed
''E'irst-Tear out the old dilapidated
loney system, root and branch, and
,tablish an entirely new structure on
new plan-the free coinage of both
loney metals at ratio OF 1e to /.
Second Restore the Republican party
power and let It try TO fix up the old
lack, as its leaders claimed they
,uld.
"The majority OF voters decided In
lvor Of the latter, and said In an
litorial In the Willmar Tribune Just
fter the eIection-in 1S96-that il the