The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-10-17
Duluth Citizens by the Thousands
Turn Out to Hear the States
Chief Executive. '~1
GREATEST DEMONSTRATION
DULUTH EVER WITNESSED
Thousands Were Unable to Gain
Admission to Armory and Sec
ond Meeting was Held.

Governor John A. Johnson can we'll
feel proud of the reception accorded
him on Wednesday evening by the
citizens Of Duluth.
After swinging around the iron
ranges from one triumphant meeting
to another, the Johnson special rolled
into Duluth at 7 o'clock Wednesday
evening, and the governor and his
party awoke to the fact that Duluth
was practically en- fete to receive them.
A beautiful warm evening helped to
bring out the crowd. Superior street
looked as it does on circus day. The
governor found he had some friends on
the ranges-a few thousand-but the
city Of Duluth turned out to hear kim
His more tinid supporters had been
hoping he would have a good meet
ing" Before the governor had
reached his hotel they were wishing
they had about ten ar1nories rolled into
one, in which to hold the meeting.
TorchIieht Procession.
An oldtime torchlight procession es-
corted the governor from the depot to
and a fife and drum corps, and all the
Democratic clubs in the city in line
with torches and banners It brought
back old times to Duluthians, only
the enthusiasm and the crowds were,
if anything, greater than anything Du-
luthtans remembered.
A black mob of people, an excited,
struggling, but on the whole good
natured mob filled Second avenue east
from Second alley to Superior street
last night, surged against the doors
of the Armory and literally fought to
gain access to the meeting.
The Attendance.
Inside the hall, the spectators were
so closely packed that they could
scarcely move a muscle. Boys chung
to the rafters, and even the space
under the speakers platform was oc-
cupied. 1t is impossible to estimate
the number who heard the governor.
1t was not question of the seating
capacity of the building. That fur
nishes no standard from which to make
an estimate. 1t was a question of how
many persons could squeeze their way
in to the hall. Inside there were GER
tainly 5000 people, probably 1000. Out
side there may have been 5000 more
and this does not begin to represent
the number who were turned away
from the meeting. The crowds going
to the meeting were met by a. stream
of people leaving it. mo seats" was
the warning spread, and hundreds,
probably thousands Of people who
started for the Armory turned back
before they got within sight Of It.
A Secons' Meeting.
One meeting was not enough. So in
sistent was the crowd that it was soon
seen that a second meeting would be
necessary. The police fought back the
mob from the doors Of the building,
which they threatened to tear down.
We'll have an overflow meeting" !"
shouted w. E. McEwen, Andrew Nell
son, and others of the county COM
mittee. Mr.. McEwen had been locked
outside of the building along with
many other prominent Democrats, who
had been promised platform seats
The crowd, although excited, was good
natured enough, and listened patiently
to several speakers until the regular
meeting was over. No sooner was the
again by a second crowd, but little
smaller, and certainly not less en-
thusiastic than the first.
1t is impossible to estimate how
many people heard the governor.
Those who heard him were but a
small part Of those who were anxious
to hear him, and tried to do so. There
was a constant stream of people to
and from the Armory last evening.
Hundreds and even thousands Of peo-
pie went to the building, saw the i'm
mense crowd and turned back.
The governor was tired when he
struck Duluth-with the WEAKNESS that
only a hard campaign can bring. He
had made twelve speeches in two days
varying in length from half an hour to
two hours, and in addition to this had
met and shaken hands with hundreds
OF voters, having a pleasant word for
each. He was mentally and physically
weary, but when he saw the throng of
enthusiastic citizens awaiting his ar
rival here, he frightened up, and his
WEAKNESS was forgotten. 1t was like a
tonic, and he was in fine form at the
Armory. His speech was along the
same line as those delivered on the
ranges, but the rough places had been
smoothed out His phrasing was bet
ter, and he delivered it with more
vigor. than even the Hibbing speech.
A Complete Answer.
And the speech! 1t left the govern
or's opponents without a leg to stand
upon. 1t was a complete answer, de-
livered straight from the shoulder in
language that no one could misunder-
stand, to every trumped up charge
charge against him. During his range
trip the governor was plainly priqmine
himself for the Duluth speech, and he
delivered the goods.
Several prominent Democrats occu-
pied the platform with Governor John
son. Among them were Andrew Mel