Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-20
WILL GIVE UP BIG HOUSE
Will Also Dispose of His Autos and
Other Luxuries.
PROTECTING BROTHERS ESTATE
Money Lost in Trying to Preserve
Property for Family,
LONG FIGHT FOR HIS IDEALS
lie Says lie Does Not Feel DtSco1r-
AGED and VIII He n CandI-
date for Mayor
Again,

date for Mayor
| Again.
| CLEVELAND. o., Nov. lC-Mayor Tom
! l.. johnson, who for years has been cred
! tied with possession of a very large for
tune, today announced that he had lost
everything and would be compelled to give
up his beautiful home on Euclid avenue ana
| move into smaller and less expensive quar-
ters. The mayor also stated that he would
give up his automobile and other Iuxurles
! because he could no longer afford to keep
them. His fortune was wrecked the mayor
declared. by his devotion to the affairs OF
the estate OF his dead brother Albert, who
was heavily interested in traction properties
in the east.
After Alberts death a question was put up
to him whether he should resign his office
as mayor and take up the management OF
Alberts estate.
II decided that l would not I had en-
tered the fight in this city with certain
ideals before me. wanted to fight privi-
lege and special interest and | had already
decided to give up working for dollars
So l concluded to stay right here and do
what could to help my brothers children
at long distance.
| 'Why did i choose the course i did? I'll
! tell you. 1t is not because I am a philan-
thropist. for 1 am not l acted on a purely
selfish motive. I wanted happiness and
nothing else when 1 closed up my business
affairs and took up civic activity.
And I've been happy, too. The last
seven years have been the best of my life,
leaving out Of consideration the loss OF my
brother.
I'm going to be happy yet. too. We may
have TO go back to a cottage. but that's the
way we started and we can look upon life
just as joyfuly there as we did in the big
house on Euclid avenue
BIames Special Privilege.
"They tell me my enemies are planning
to bring financial trouble upon me. I've
been expecting it. There is one mistake I
have net made.-that of failing TO foresse
the efforts of those who would like to
destroy me II opportunity presented. My
ehtmies are capable of doing that. One
may expect nothing else from special
privilege However, 7 realize that any
other set Of men in the same circumstances
would act the same. Let them do what
they may. Let them make any sort OF
attack upon me they choose with whatever
success and they will find me with a thou
sand fights left in me.
"Tll never give up. I'm we'll and strong
end confident, and they will always find
me at the front.
| IF / had been coward-lf I had run
away from this fight for the people of
Cleveland-I could have saved my fortune
and built It up. But / had chosen my
course and l did not have any mind for
altering it,
THE pursuit of mere dollars does not
| interest me. l suppose 1 could go down
in Wall street now and make some money
I've bought and sold with e. II. Hartman
and 1 suppose l could go and do It again.
I'm not going to do anything of the sort
l don't want you to misunderstood what
have been working for as mayor l have
not been laboring with the expectation of
being rewarded by the gratitude of the
people One cannot count on that. u is
the pleasure in doing work that like that
has kept me in the fight.
Political Expenses Small.
81 have never made a single penny out
of the street railways since l became
mayor Nobody else has worked as hard
| as I and have not drawn a cent OF pay
! from the Municipal Traction company as
treasurer ] don't propose to ask a cent
| for my work in helping the receivers. 1
have never spent money in politics. In no
campaign have l ever paid more than my
| assessment. $500 in the 5000 salary of
| mayor. Some times l have not paid that
much in cash when the committee has
| allowed me. a certain amount for the use
| of my fonts. We have never been in debt
at the end Of a campaign but once. When
] gave up active business affairs / did IL
because the requirements OF my work ala
not square with my principles.
II suppose / could have taken up a life
of ease when l retired. had l wished 1
was welcome at the clubs Fast horses.
yachts and other allurements were open to
me. For me, though. happiness lay in an
other direction.
| My only recreation has been automobile
ing. I'd like to keep one OF my automo-
bles, but I'm afraid l can't. Back in my
prosperous days l gave the home on Euclid
avenue to my wife IT is hers yet and she'll
own 1t still, even though we can't afford
TO live In it. / don't feel discouraged. I'm
a free man and that means a great deal to
me, and ! have my friends too
Don't you suppose It will be worth some-
thing to me to have my friends realize that
I entered the mayors office rich and left
1t poor? The realization of what all that
means Is worth more to me than all the
money I've lost
I'm going to keep on just as I've started.
I'm going to be candidate for mayor again
when this term is over"
! The Municipal Traction company. OF which
Mayor johnson treasurer. passed into
the hands Of receivers in the federal court
several days ago. Following this came the
! transfer 10 two local banks of the deposits
IN the Savings and Trust company, OF
which the mayor was president. II is said
this action WAS precipitated by the threats
OF Mr.. Johnsons individual creditors 10
! file suits 10 obtain payment on notes en-
doTsed by the mayor
! IL is said Mr.. johnson has recently lost
approximately $4,000 in connection with his
I interests at Lorain. o.
welsh Coal for BRttleships.
! LONDON, Nov. ia telegram received