The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-10-01

ard. ard died in the roor-house His
mother supported her children IS
taking III washing And John John
son helped his mother With the wash
ing,
Johnson FIRST made good as : clerk
Then he became q popular country
editor His two passions were books
and people lie was elected 10 the
Legislature. and he has been
twice chosen Governor ~ Min
nesota. In 1904. the first time he
ran. Roosevelt. Republican. carried
the State by $4,000 Jonn Johnson.
Democratic candidate for Governor.
carried the state. too. His plurality
was 300. John Johnson rad chang
ed S4.40o votes. ~Eighty-four thou
sand, -four hundred men who voted
for Roosevelt. Republican,. had also
voted for Johnson, Democrat. Two
years later when johnson sought re-
election. with Roosevelt out Of the
way. his plurality, instead or being
$500, was 10000.
OF Johnson's personality, william
Hard, author OF the article, says.
The fact is. that Johnson's person
altty, 50 effective with people that have
known him all his life In st. Peter, is
almost equally as effective with people
who see him only for one evening on
the platform. He is a public speaker
of the first rank. Had this not been
true, ne Cou!u never nave won MS
first election. He was nknoW whom
he started. But every man who has
heard Johnson sneak is acquainted
with him. You hear him and YOU
feel that now you know him and un-
derstand him, and the result is votes
rather than ovations.
For John Johnson today, / repeat,
is just what he always was, except
that he has grown. lie is liked and
trusted as It Governor. Just as he was
liked and trusted as a drug store
clerk and afterwards sc an editor.
They said he had no training TO be an
editor, but he expanded to be an cd
itor. The said he had no training to
be a Governor, but he expanded TO be
a governor
The Platform Of Il Dark Horse
Here is Mr., Johnson's platform:
'Ee is in favor Of a State income
tax. He is in favor Of a state in
heritance tax. He is against passes.
He is in favor of an extension Of
State control over electric railway
lines and over telegraph and tele-
phone companies. He ncEneS tow
ard municipal ownership. In one Of
his b~est-knoWn local speeches he said.
Students Of economics have proved
c0nciusively that the service to the
people is generally better and cheap
er when supplied by the city direct
than when supplied by private indi-
viduals under a chartered or rpO
ation right. and every city should
think well before il parts with these
great privileges .Johnso is also in
favor of an advisory initiative and
referendum, And he is still further
in favor OF submitting to the people
of Minnesota q constitutional amend
ment which will give them the OPP
p%ortunitN Of saying whether or not
they want an initiative and referen-
dunn which will be not only advisory
but binding upon the Legislature. He
would allow the people by popular
vote to give Instructions to the Leg
stature and afterwards by popular
vote to confirm " to veto the laws
passed by the Legislature. Certainly
a progressive and explicit program"
was thirteen in order to support his
mother. left resOurce3ess by her hUs-
bands financial 2nd moral failure.
,Iohn Wa. only the second son. His
mother objected to his leaving school
He insisted. He saw q duty. 1t was
the first element in his education.
He could not at first support the
whole family. His mother took in
washing Peoples first recollection Of
John Johnson in ST. Peter is when
he was wheeling his wash
ing about in a little wagon. But the
washings did not last long Two
years after Johns father failed, two