The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-14
SON OF PAUPER
RISES TO FAME
John A. Johnson, lust Elected
Governor of Minnesota.
ATTACK ON ORIGIN REACTED
CAMPAIGN OF ISLANDER is RE-
BUKED AT THE POLLS.

Ol- Raut, NOV l3---JOnu a JOnISoH,
whose father died in poverty. and
whose mother did washing TO support
the large and helpless family, and who
was tainted with these facts during
the campaign, has been elected COVER
nor of this state by a plurality that
will exceed $4,000. He was the Demo-
cratic candidate, and President Roose-
welt carried the state by a plurality of
not less than 125,000. The campaign
against Johnson's lowly origin had
reactionary effect, and the people are
proud of their governor-elect, who has
worked his way to the highest office
in the state against odds and obstacles
that have tried his mettle and found
it always true. Now he is projected
on the political screen as q candidate
for the highest office in the nation.
Robert c. Dunn, the Republican can
didate, had for several years been
looked upon as the logical candidate
for the Republican nomination, but he
won the honor only after a bitter fac
tional fight, which split the party.
Johnson was nominated by the Demo-
Gratis when there was but the faintest
hope of electing him. The nomination
was given him in the nature of an
empty honor, and, as far as the party
managers were concerned, the incident
was closed when the convention ad-
journed.
Goes in to Win.
But Johnson, always vigorous, al
ways earnest and sincere took his
nomination seriously. No sooner had
the campaign entered upon its first
stage than he and handful of friends
began NEST vigorous agitation. The
faction of the Republican party which
had practically forced the nomination
of Dunn drafted into service Senators
Nelson and Clapp and made strenuous
efforts to counteract the tide setting in
toward Johnson.
Meanwhile Johnson, who is of Swed-
ish parentage, was making a house-to-
house canvass of the state. The fact
that he is a Swede and native OF
Minnesota appealed 10 the large Swed-
ish population. and his progress
alarmed the Republican managers. The
newspapers of the Twin Cities took up
his cause, tentatively. With one ex-
ception they did not support Dunn with
anything approaching yigcr or effect
iveness. His record as state auditor
was assailed by newspapers of all po-
litical creeds, but the chief fault found
with him was that his personality was
not acceptable TO the people.
Attack on Origin.
At this stage of the campaign a Sc
ries of slurring attacks upon the lowly
parentage of Johnson began to circu-
late Circulars, widely distributed, but
the authorship of which could not be
traced, announced that his father had
died a pauper. This statement was
backed up by an affidavit. Stress was
laid upon the fact that his mother had
taken in washing. The intent was
clearly to prove that Johnson had suf-
fered his father to die pauper when
he could have supported him.
Then Minnesota experienced the SEN
sation of the campaign. A Republican
political writer investigated the entire
story and told the true history of John
A. Johnson's life, with all it's pathos.
its heartaches. its struggles and
achievements. Born in st. Peter, Mimi,
of Swedish parents, he was forced when
yet a child to take up hard labor or
starve. His father had become addict
ed to drink. John was handicapped be-
cause his mother was not in robust
health. The family was large and must
be fed and clothed. but the boy was
brave of heart, and he won. The faith
CT, dIlcE tHJStS, OflllcU dS
from home and became an inmate of
the Hennepin county poorhouse.
Studies at Night.
From the time he was Ia years of
age the boy, with what help his mother
could give, was practically the sole
support of the family. He did what
ever work he could obtain. Alright he
studied. His schooling had been ire
gular, but he gradually educated him
self to the point where he was eligible
to position in a newspaper office. He
had won the respect and confidence
of the entire community, which was
his chief capital. But he saved his
money, invested his dollars. became a
man of property and eventually was
elected 10 the state senate.
He is the only Democrat elected in
the state. He is married and has two
children. He lives at ST. Peter, where
he publishes and edits a daily paper.
Nominated by the Democrats. he was
elected by the people, and today they
mother took in washing may yet be a
candidate for president of the United
States. A Democratic paper here made
the first suggestion along this line in
its issue this morning.
A coincidence of the campaign was
that Jchnson's opponent also is "A news
paper man, as are also the chairmen
of the two state central committees.
ELECTROMAGNETIC REPORT