The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-09-20
Gov. Johnson Declares He's Not
Presidential Candidate.
INFORMS A NEBRASKA BUNCH
Further, He Is Not in the
HumOr To Be One.
81 am not a presidential can
didate, and 1 do not intend to
become one"


This is the emphatic declaration
made by Governor John A. johnson to
a delegation of prominent Nebraskans
who came to see the chief executive
at the new capitol yesterday.
The delegation included George L.
Loomis, of Fremont, candidate for
supreme court judgeship; John L. Sun
dean, of Wahoo, official representative
of the democratic state central COM
mittee and populist and democratic
candidate for regent of the Nebraska
state university; Rev. E. Wallen, a
clergyman from Lincoln; w. o. john
son, merchant from Osceola; Jacob
l.. jacobson, of Omaha, republican
and a presidential elector in 1900, and
d. w. Edgar of Mead, Neb.
The party arrived in the morning, and
spent few hours in visiting with the
governor. The object of their visit was
not to talk politics, except in an
informal way. Their main purpose was
to extend three invitations to the
governor, which came from various
sources.
Declines Stump Stunt.
Mr.. Sunbeam, for the Nebraska demo.
cratic state central committee, invited
the governor to take the stump in be-
half of the party ticket in the state.
1t was in this connection that the
governor made this statement denying
his candidacy for the presidency.
The governor told Mr.. Sunbeam that
he was sorry he could not except the
invitation of the Nebraska democrats.
He had declined similar invitations
from Massachusetts, and Kentucky, sim
ply because if he accepted such invi-
tations it would be taken as an indi-
cation that he was trying to gain pres
tige. as presidential possibility, and
it would place him in false position.
He had not the remotest intention
of becoming candidate for the nomi-
nation. AAAAAA
Another invitation came from the
democrats of Lincoln, who invited
Governor johnson to attend and be
one of the speakers at banquet to
be held under the auspices of the
state central committee at Lincoln on
the oath of this month. This invita-
ton the governor declined because of
conflict in the date with his present
plans
Declines Another Invitation.
A third invitation was presented from
the Swedish Americans of the state,
who desired the presence of the COVER
nor at banquet to be held at Oma-
ha The affair is to be a non-partisan
and the governor was told that he
could select the date and they would
arrange the time to suit him.
Governor johnson declined this invi-
tation also at least for the present.
He told the delegation that he con-
templated making trip to Kansas,
in December, and if possible, he would
stop off at Omaha for the banquet,
provided the committee found it
convenient to hold it at that time.
Mr.. Sunbeam is an attorney at Wa
hoo, and is well acquainted with politi-
cal conditions in the state. When ask
ed as to his view of the sentiment OF
the people of the state, in regard to
the next presidential possibility, he
said that it was very strong for Bryan.
Think Well of Johnson.
sWhat do the people think of Cover
nor johnson as a candidate?" was ask
ed
"Snce Bryan is a Nebraska man
Governor johnson could not possibly
draw the formers following away from
him. The people regard Bryan as a
hero, and he would be their first
choice, but there is a growing senti-
ment of having Governor johnson for
second choice If he should become
presidential candidate for the vice presi-
dency. l think that there would not
be any doubt of his carrying our state