The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-02-25
FROM PAUPER'S
SON TO GOVERNOR
Continued from page one.

the Juveniles or the household. At
tached by harness fearfully and
wonderfully made, the gentle COW drew
an old Red River cart, loaded with the
little Johnsons, through the meadows
of the Minnesota River. The crealking
of the great wheels on the wooden
axle gave notice to the neighbors that
Johnson was giving his little sisters
a ride. On Sunday, when the stern
work Of fighting off the wolf was CIV
en- over,-an opportunity Of which the
wolf not infreQuently took advantage,
- the boy, carrying one or two Of the
children, when the cow was out of
commission, made excursions into the
surrounding country with the family.
For himself, he had none Of the things
a boys heart craves,-if he earned or
bought a. dainty, it was taken home
to the little girls. They had nothing
but what he earned or bought. The
independence Of Mrs. johnson, in which
she was stoutly supported by her son,
would not permit that the children
should accept Of the most trifling gifts.
the boy suffered beyond telling when
death took tn first one. But the event
helpd in strengthening his character.
There was no time for weeping, be-
cause extra money must be earned to
pay the funeral expenses. Every hand
and every pocketbook In st. Peter lay
open to John A. Johnson and his
mother, at that time, but they took
nothing. my boy will pay" said this
Scandinavian mother with the Spartan
spirit. and the boy set his face reso-
lutely to the work Of paying. The only
credit the Johnson family ever accept
ed. after John became it's head, was
from the undertaken and for five
years that gloomy parsonage, by reas-
on of the three funerals, took what
might be pinched out Of the money
needed for the living expenses Of his
family.
Hard Labor Rssortsd to.
1t was to meet this extraordinary
demand on him that young johnson
put aside his ambition to study phar-
macy, and took place in a general
store, where the work was harder but
the pay higher. The present need was
his handicap. H worked long enough
to get even with the world. then went
back to the druggist, managed, by such
means as he could compel, to obtain
a certificate, and registered under the
state law.
my certificate was No. 49," he said,
"but I never believed much in hoo
doos."
Mr.. Hennessy deals strikingly with
Mr.. Johnsons early days in the drug
store, as an editor, and as a politician,
and graphically describes each stage
that led to his nomination for Govern4r
as follows:
Last summer the Democrats cast
about for candidate for the COVER
A dozen men who had been
observed the progress of John A. John
son went down to st. Peter, one day,
and had talk with him on the porch
of his cottage, They pointed to where
his duty lay. He pointed to the GER
tainty Of a. majority Of one hundred
thousand for Roosevelt. How could
any Democrat hope to win against
that? But there was a split in the
Republican party in the state. john
son admitted that. too, and he allowed
to be persuaded. He was nomi-
mated, and in his first speech he noti-
fled the opposition that he was a real
candidate. Several influential Repub-
lican newspapers bolted the Republican
candidate and came out for johnson.
People said that was mere sentiment.
But with johnson it was a serious mat
ter. His friends expected him to make
good. He made a very vigorous cam
paign. He made ten or fifteen brief.
fiery speeches every day for two
months. Nearly everybody knew and
liked the man, and it was too bad, they
said, that he would have to be showed
under the Roosevelt majority. He
would make deep inroad into the Re-
publican ranks, but he could not over
come one hundred thousand. johnson
said that, if it was no more than one
hundred thousand, he would do the
trick.
Induced to Become Candidate for Gov.
ernor.
Then fate took a hand in the CAM
paign. Having 1t In mind to destroy
Johnson's opponent, the gods put it in
to the head of somebody in authority
on the Republican committee to circu-
late the story that John A. Johnson's
father had died a pauper. The thing
was done surreptitiously, and stupidity.
County chairmen received bundles Of
debasing circulars, stating that his
father had died a pauper, with the re-
quest that they should be placed where
they would do the most good.
So the vile epithets were flung wide
and far. The voters Of Minnesota be-
gan. to probe into his history and pc
digree. They found the allegations to
be correct. But the other side Of the
mans character came to light. They
learned Of his self-sacrifice, his devo-
ton to duty, and his tender care of
his little brothers and sisters and his
Dver4burdened mother. During the
poverty and suffering he was our only
comfort and support" his mother said.
HE cheerfully turned over his money
to me on every pay day. When he
was fourteen years old, he was earning
enough 80 that was no longer COM
PEELED to take in washing"
Then the old patient mother looked
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