The Washington herald., 1907-12-10
JOHNSON IN LIMELIGHT.
OTinnesOta's Governor Makes Good
Impression at GridirOn Dinner.


Impression at GridirOn Dinner.
Charles H. GFasty. in Baltimore News.
After all. Henry Watterson is pretty
good judge Of colts Six or eight months
ago, when it looked as if the next cleo
tion would go by default 10 the Repub-
licans because OF the poverty Of Presi-
Dental material in the Democratic party.
the Louisville editor announced that he
had made a discovery
The name of Mr.. Watterson's unknown
did not at that time revive the jaded
hopes OF the millions Of people who have
been yearning 10 get together on some
plan and leadership that would make
effective an opposition in this country
In our admiration Of the brilliant and
picturesque qualities OF Henry Of Ken
lucky we had all forgotten that almost
feminine instinct OF his about men And
so when he mentioned the uninspiring
name OF John Johnson most Of US hardly
took the trouble to recall whether Il was
in Minnesota. Iowa or Dakota that the
Republicans could not always be sure OF
winning against a popular Democrat Of
Swedish extraction
But Mr. Wattcrson knew From HIS
editorial observatory his shrewd and
eager gaze had swept every horizon
Thus. while all the rest were submitting
themselves I'm reluctant resignation 20 a
third-time Bryan, the cunning hand Of
Watterson plucked from the hitherto
mediocre mass Of Democratic cfilcialdom
the man OF hope.
At the psychological moment, when the
mighty Republican party is divided
against itself. and when Bryan has Just
left US with a fresh impression OF his
mastery of the situation and our own
helplessness. Gov. Johnson appears on
these coasts. 1t is the first time he has
been seen in the Presidential limelight
He attended the GrIdiron dinner He
made speech. A barnyard rooster never
goes through tie experience without los
ing his tail feathers. mere prairie
phenomenon would have been exploded
demagogue would have been found
out. Any word Of buncombe would have
made the gTidiron sizzle.
new man has arrived Cannon saw
him and jumped across the table 70 greet
him. Foraker wrung his hand. Harry
New. Republican chairman that he is.
ran 10 meet the man coming from Min
nesota 10 greater things. ROoseveIt-Taft
editors Ike Nelson. OF Kansas City.
pressed around him. And as for Demo-
Craftsmen groanlng under the Bryan
yoke and looking FOR deliverance-they
fairly went wild.
Here is q Democrat without demagOgy
A leader whose head is not in the clouds
sober thinker with the saving grace OF
humOF. A right-doer whose temperature
is perfectly normal. A man Of action
without strenuosity. A young man OF
seasoned Judgment. A man Of the people
who looks well in evening clothes. The
pOssessor Of that greatest gift Of the
gods. sense-which means Judgment and
taste-but all the while virile son OF
the West with every red eorpuscle intact.
This Is not one mans enthusiasm; It is
the unanimous verdict of a set Of men
trained TO size uD other men and cold
blOoded 20 the point OF cynicism The
Supreme Bench OF the United States is
not less subject 10 emotion than these
singed cats OF journalism. It is some
thing TO be a Democrat who is a two
times winner in a strong Republican
State but that does not matter so much
10 them. They rub elbows and sit at
meat with President, Cabinet Ministers.
Ambassadors, and all the rest. But John
Johnson, modest. self-poised. keen -witted.
clear-minded and good 10 look at-coming
70 Washington with an official record be-
hind him without flaw at a time when
every eye is straining for Democratic
timber-wen. they all think he'll do.