The Boise citizen. (Boise, Idaho) 1906-1910, 1907-11-15
VICTORY OF JOHNSON
MOST IMPORTANT ADVANCE OF PROGRESSIVE
DEMOCRACY YET ACHIEVED

1t is no exaggeaon say OF Tom l. onons reelection as
mayor OF Cleveland the most important political victory
the progressive Democracy of the United States has yet acheVe
saws The Public But not because it puts Mayor Johnson in the
running presidency hougntless enough 10 Dc
ieve So far presidency concerned Johnson Victory %
Byans johnson his friends do not want the presidential nom
natio, for Johnson they do want Bryan What Johnson
and his friends want for Johnson his complete triumph along the
Democratic lines OF municipal development which he began SIX years
ago and which with skill courage ana deVouo nc ~
already carried so far
Could anv man have higher ambition than be the leader in
the work Of giving practical application those principles OF Democ
racv in municipal life which, by aboshng privileges and eNter
mating parasites would make of our municipalities communal
and of every Individual home in them worker Parade! Wd'
noe purpose in life devotion this ideal! The presidency
could not exat man with purpose and the ability and oppor
tntv to accomplish 1t could offer temptation TO any person
Of onons ideals philosophy and practical skill IN constructive
leadership situated Johnson now IS with his pehay "oN
of clearing away corporate dominion almost done ana MS
i've work of municipal development about to begin
In carrying this work Mayor Johnson leadership WIDER
political fields may indeed become necessity; TOR muncpaes are
still held in the leading strings OF governments Oh Wue
ton whose ubservenc political bosses and corporate power @
m rna1 DEVELOPMENT impossible without greater local freedom
But for the present his work is cut out for him. 1t lies IN CeVeu
the municipality which his hope city set upon NIL,
for all other municipalities which there the vital spark OF de
ocracv that has vazed Cleveland electorate to look upon and
pattern after .o
To realize magnitude Of Mayor Johnson victory IS dcu
without considering the he has encountered III winning
il Cleveland Republican city ana Mayor JolSol
His repeated elections regarded hitherto as due to FAC
tona differences Republican party the weakness OF KePuD
can candidates and stayaome Republican vote But TINS e
te Republicans were The candidate the best the traction
ooraton could bring the field The Roosevelt administrator
I tho election nartv issue in national politics. There no
home vote The baloting from $4,000 IN 1902 TO
80 OOO-a gain 5OOOhe great bulk of which was claimed fo
M Burton the Republican candidate who confidently counted III
consequence upon beating Mr. Johnson did the traction corpora
; nv from 1000 to 5000 But the shoe IS on the other
~ ionsn plurality of u 900 years ago only reduced
Inv 5000 Notwithstanding that all Republicans voted and that 9ooo
more votes were cast words Mayor Johnson got more than
= third of the And this in spite OF the use against
him Of coraon corruption fund beyond all precedent In CeYe-
land Of the united hostility the business interests OF the cal
naton of Mayor Johnson which Mr. Burton fahered and which
ooether with his shameless aaon with vicious corporate inter
es ought him for Congress next year. and OF the open do
well as secret support Of the national administration