Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1908-05-16

Mr.. Tolan has summed up briefly
one side of the great governor Of Min
nesota. He is most lovable mana
man who makes friends of all whom
he meets. In this respect, as in some
others, he has been compared to the
great Lincoln.
Gov. Johnson Is man of the people.
Not even Lincoln came up from great
er obscurity and greater poverty than
the virile governor of Minnesota. He
understands the people as perhaps no
man in American public life since Lin
coin has understood them-and the
people understand him.
AS Democrat, Gov. Johnson ap-
peals to the thoughtful members of
his party, because he is prominently
qualified to unite and blend its discord-
ant elements into competent, enthu-
siastic, well-organized militant political
force.
Gov. johnson appeals to the people
regardless of party, because he has
a record of achievement behind him
that guarantees that If he is chosen
to the great office of president he
would fill it in manner wholly salts
factory to vast majority of the plain
people of America.
Poor Swedish immigrants.
Gov. Johnson's mother and father
were poor immigrants from Sweden
the former arriving in st. Peter, Mimi,
in 1852, and the father year later
They were married in 1858. The father
was a blacksmith in Sweden, and took
up his trade in his new home, conduct
ing at first small blacksmith shop
in the country near st. Peter. Later
the family moved into the village, and
1t was here, July 81, 1861, that the son
John was born. The father was cursed
with the drink habit and, in conse-
quence, after few years of prospect
ty, the family was reduced to desper-
ate straits. So dire was their poverty
that the mother had to take in wash
ing for a living, and the son, John,
acted as her delivery boy. When in
his twelfth year. the restitution of the
little family, consisting of the mother
and father and three children, had
reached such point that John begged
his mother for permission to quit
school in order to help her. She re.
luctantly consented, fearing that her
son would never be able to return to
school. This fear was fully justified,
for after that time the future governor
of Minnesota knew the four walls of
the schoolroom no more.
The boy went to work in a general
store in the village at $40 month,
and every cent of this generous salary
was turned into the family treasury.
His spare moments from the store
were still devoted to delivering laun-
dry for his mother, and the earnings
OF mother and son were sufficient to
keep the little establishment going. AS
time went on their condition improved
with Johns increasing salary. Two
years after going to work he was re-
ceiving $12 a month; soon he was get
ting more. From this time on the
mother was not compelled to work for
the family maintenance. The son
provided the entire income, and the
mother returned to her proper work
Of housekeeping and caring for the
family. From the general store, John
went into drug store, where he
stayed for about twelve years and be-
came a licensed pharmacist. Later he
was employed by railway contractor
in Minnesota and Iowa, and at that
time. in his early 20's, his income av-
eraged about SIS month. All this
time. whether at home or away, he re-
garded himself as the head and main
stay Of the family, and provided funds
In addition for educating the brother
and sister who survived early child.
hood.
Not Emblttered by Poverty.
Although John had thus to leave
school SO early in life, he did not cease
to educate himself. He became a
great student and soon read every
book in the village library. 1t is note
worthy that the first three books he
read after leaving school were Pres
colts two histories OF the conquest Of
Peru and Mexico and SCOTS Ivan
hoe. While thus extending his knowl-
edge and intellectual horizon, he at all
times grew In the other fields of life.
Hard as his struggle had been, he did
not become embittered by it, but took
as large part as possible in the vii
lage social life. He seldom missed a
dance. He attended church and be- |
longed to the choir. He joined the
various fraternal lodges, after the
habit of men in small villages. He
was known to everybody in the village,
and everybody was his friend He
was interested In life. not only his own