The Minneapolis journal., 1904-09-26
MERGER Il LIVE ISSUE
SAYS JOHN Il. JOHNSON
OPENS His Campaign
Telling Address at International A,tditor1nnt-He Dis
cnssas HIS Opponents Record Comments
Upon Abuse of Discretionary


man chosen to this high office, well every
other Office shall be the servant of all the peo-
pie, and not the servant Of any particular class
Or any set of individuals. 1t has the right to
know that he will be true in his support of the
constitution Of the nation and state, and, that
he will obey and enforce obedience to the law
and that striving for right. absolute Justice and
the best interests of the state the poorest citizen
will know that he stands for the whole state
and nothing but the state.
A Question of Nominees.
1t had been remarked, Mr.. johnson
continued, that the two state platforms
were so near alike it was hard to tell
one from the other. That being the
case, the real issue became the charac-
ter, ability and quality of the nominees.
However, there are centain issues which
concern the people in the campaign. AS
to the primary election, Mr.. Johnson
said that he had supported the original
law, and he believed it had come to
stay; but he was not ready to see it
tenn was further perfected. What we
have ought first to be made good. Ju-
dicial nominations ought to be removed
from the primary, and be made by non
partizan conventions.
| AS to taxation, Mr.. johnson said that
| he, like Mr.. Dunn, favored tax reform,
but he went further to favor a consti-
tutional amendment placing an income
tax on credits and other property now
escaping taxation entirely. There was
no issue between himself and Mr.. Dunn
as to swamp land drainage, good roads,
or treatment of the veterans Of the civil
war.
AS to the gross earnings bill, Mr.
johnson cited his own record in support
of the measure in the legislatures of
1899 and 1901, and said that in this
campaign it was an issue only as re-
CARDS the individual duty of the voter
to remember it when he casts his bal
lot. In this connection, however, he
Young, the republican candidate for at
torney general, who in those Legislative
sessions fought the increased tax as un
constitutional. Also the republican
convention nominated for governor {
candidate who favored the merger o:
parallel and competing lines, and de
feated for justice Of the supreme cour
the attorney general who prosecuted tn
merger.
Dunn's Law Enforcement Record.
i Mr.. Johnson then reached the ques
tion Of law enforcement, and arraignet
his opponent for having ignored tn
laws when state auditor. He said:
II am elected governor Of this state, as
naturally hope to be, I shall abide by and en-
force the laws as they are found on the statut
books. If the laws are wrong they should b
corrected, but public officer has a right t
assume that his position or authority Is create
than the law Of the land. The constitution 1
. more than a convenience, it is a sacre
instrument; the law is more than
mere vehicle for the comfort and conyenienc
Of any particular class. 1t is the declared will
L Of the people, by which we must abide. If put
lie officers will ignore the law, little can b
expected Of the people individuals. BY hi
own party officials the republican candidate 70
: governor Is accused of deliberately ignoring tn
law in the settlement of claims Of the state an
Of using discretionary power not given him b
law. ir--. sf'
, By the use Of this discretionary power it
alleged that state claims against trespassers wer
settled at small percentage of the amount du
the state. In answer, he says he did the best
could under the circumstances. Who is to
the judge as to what was best? Clearly it wa
the duty Of his department to insist that th
llegal machinery! Of the state bs set in motto