Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-09-30
WHERE BEST KNOWN IS LOVED
AND RESPECTED BY PEOPLE "
= 49,, OF ALL CLASSES. 49,:
SOUND ON PUBLIC QUESTIONS
HONEST AND INDEPENDENT, IS
TIED 70 NO SPECIAL INTER. ~
So. :-v. EsTs OR cLloUEs.

For the. first time in the history OF
Minnesota the people Of this common
wealth have an opportunity to elect a
native son of Minnesota to the chair
Of governor John A. johnson was
born in st. Peter, Nicollet county,
Mimi, July %, 1862, and as school.
boy, editor and state senator has lived
shere ever since. - -
Minnesota has reached the period tn
It's development when it is great
own blood and brain, bone and sinew.
It is bigger than all New England,
which has produced not only governors
but presidents. It's population today
exceeds that Of Maine, Vermont, New
Hampshire and Rhode Island COM
bined. 1t has more homes free Q:
mortgage ana owned by the family
tenants than Massa chusetts. 1t ha,
nearly as many pupils enrolled in the
public schools as Massachusetts and a
much less percentage Of illiteracy.
Ranking nineteenth among the states
In population, it stands tenth in num-
Der of newspapers, the state press of
Minnesota outnumbering that of Mas
sachusctts by nearly $50 newspapers
tire Russian empire. Minnesota stands
first among the states in the produc-
ton of wheat, -four and iron, as well
as in the quality of its creamery but
ter In short, it has every element
necessary for the production Of high
grade class of governors governor
who will be all Minnesotan in birth,
breeding, education, environment, In
:erest and loyalty, and for the public
interests and welfare of Minnesota
and its institutions first, last and al
ways-and in John A. Johnson it has
the man.
= left School at Early Age. :.
By reason of the poverty and hard
circumstances Of youth young johnson
was compelled to leave school at the
age of thirteen to help support the
family. He had three years expert
ence in grocery and general merchan-
disc business and year in railway
construction. To this strenuous work
day activity and to a good constitution
Inherited from Scandinavian stock
Johnson owes his muscular vigor. He
learned thoroughly the drug business,
following it as man and boy for nine
years, being the thirteenth registered
druggist to receive the certificate of
the state. Not because he considered
In sr%4 b1
cause he finally had saved enough cap
ltal to get small start in the news.
paper business, he at length, Dec. -,
1886, at the age Of twentyfour, pur-
chased half interest in the St. Peter
Hgfa1d,,> the editorial firm being the
now long familiar one Of Essler c
Johnson, and joined the Minnesota ed
itorial fraternity, of which he has been
one Of the leading lights, as We'll as
one Of the most popular and beloved,
Tor eighteen years.
One of the greatest factors in the
upbuilding of Minnesota is the state
press. It's influence has been great
educationally and politically, in both
civic and material advancement. 1t
has advertised Minnesota and it's re-
sources until it has gathered within
the state BOUNDARIES nearly 100000
people in less than Fifty years. 1t has
brought dn immigration and preached
diversified industry until Minnesota re.
quires railway mileage greater than
that of New England to market it's
productions. It has stood b. TIE pub
lie schools and the university until
Minnesota has more pupils enrolled in
the public schools than Maine, Yer:
mont, New Hampshire and Rhode ISL
and combined and one Of the greatest
universities in America. The state
press has been always and is now the
chief power in controlling legislation
and determining the state government.
It placed railroad lands upon the tax
list In spite OF a most powerful rail-
road lobby. It defeated weak legisla-
tors and built up public sentiment IN
til it carried the cause for the passage
of the law for. the increase Of railway
gross earnings taxes from 3 to 4 per
cent. It. made the popular sentiment
Of Minnesota almost q unit against the
railway merger. It has made nearly
Ill the governors and q good share of
the United States senators of Mime
pota during the past twenty years. sz7t
Coed Influence Of state Press. S
The state press of Minnesota mum
bers over 700 publications. It out
numbers that Of all New England out
aide OF Massachusetts and is over one
fourth greater: in number than the,
press Of Massachusetts,. In proportion
to population Minnesota has from one
half more to twice as many xnewspa-5
pers as New York, Pennsylvania or
Ohio The voice Of the press Of Min
snssota u the voice Of the people: y