The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1907-08-06
Governor johnson OF Minnesota.

So many new candidates are being
mentioned for. the nomination by the
Democracy for President. who are
comparatively unknown by the great
majority of the voters, that it would
seem appropriate to give brief biogra-
phies Of the most prominent ones. AS
William Jennings Bryan has been twice
the candidate Of the Democratic party
and has thus been more in the public
eye than almost any other American it
would be superhuous to give his biog-
raphy, for his public life is an open
book to his countrymen.
Among those most frequently men
toned besides Mr.. Bryan are Gov. john
A. Johnson, of Minnesota; Gov. Hoke
Smith. of Georgia; Senator John W.
Daniel, Of Virginia; Senator Charles
A. Culberson of Texas; Gov. Folk, of
Missouri; President Woodrow Wilson,
of Princeton University; John Sharp
Williams, of Mississippi; Gov. Beck
ham, of Kentucky; former Senator
Carmack, of Tennessee. and Judson
Harmon, of Ohio.
Gov. Johnson will be first considered.
He was born at st. Peter, Minnesota,
July %, 1861, of Swedish parents. His
father was a blacksmith, who died
leaving his family unprovided for. In
1873, therefore, John was obliged to
quit school and work for the support
of the family. He was employed in a
printing Office at $40 a month, and
gave all his earnings to his mother
Afterwards, he became a clerk in a
drug store, and. in 1877, he was get
ting SIS a month. though but sixteen
years old.
He joined the National Guard, in
which he served seven years reaching
the rank of captain. Returning to
the printing business, he became a
member of the firm Of Essier and John
son, publishers. of the st. Peter Herald.
Of which ne was until recently theedi-
tor. He has always been a Democrat,
and was elected, as such. to the State
Senate in which he served one term be-
fore he was nominated for Governor by
his party. in 1907. As q candidate for
Cover -r n that yea he received a
majority Of c,852; in ttal vote O
297, 592, although Roosevelt carried the
State by majority of 161, 900. As the
first Democratic governor Of Minnesota
since the war he gave the State a wise,
decent, economical administration. He
opposed extravaganza and every kind
of fraud and successfully planrel and
advocated legisla ton taxing mort
cages, and the Steel Trust, iron ore
monopoly. sleeping car companies, etc.
He also procured the establishn 1t OF
a permanent tax commission to adj
just the burden Of state taxes upon
the different counties. He obtained
reduction of freight rates in Mime
sofa; also a two cent passenger fare,
and the abolition of the corrupt free
pass system; and secured the passage
Of statutes regulating the managemt Mt
Of life insurance, which have pro- e j
entirely efficient. $50 a SSas
In consequence of these reforms, he
was renominated for Governor by the
Democrats in 1906, and carried the
State by majority of 1858 votes,
showing greatly increased popularity.
Gov. Johnson's position on the i'm
portant issues of the day can be best
told in his own words. For instance,
ne has recently said: 81 believe the
State must be absolute in their autho-
rity to regulate and control railway
rates on business wholly within the
State. believe that the Government
should do no business which can be
done as well, or better, by private in
dividuals. The time has not arrived
when there should be even a sugees-
ton of government ownership Of rail-
roads,"