The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-07-09
NEED OF COUNTRY
TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRATIC PRIN.
CtPLEs Is IMPERATIVE.
THE NAN AND THE HOUR.
With the Nomination of John A. John,
son, Progressive Democrat Of In
tesrity. Ability and Achieve
ment, Success ls Assured.

nnent, Success ls Assured.
Wearied Of IL years OF overwhelm.
ing defeat in national elections. dur,
ing which time the party has lost IA
tional political control of every north
ern state and has Witnessed devastat.
ing threads even on the southern
states, hundreds Of thousands of Dem
ocratic voters have In the last few
months asked: Who is the man who
can lead the party to victory?"
The best of armies, military or pO.
liucal, require some measure Of sue
cess to maintain their spirit and OF
ficiency. Continuous and overwhelm-
Ing defeat, even in the worthiest OF
causes, disheartens the strongest mon.
Conditions are such iH this year
1908, that united Democracy, sup
porting a strong presidential nominee,
can via the presidential Office and
open the way for a return Of the Demo
cratic party to power. Not only do
the best interests of the Democratic
party call for victory this year, but
so also do the best interests of the ma.
ton. Twelve years of almost unOp.
posed government Of the republic by
one party, and for eight OF those years
practically by one man, have brought
about conditions that are repugnant
to the efficient and satisfactory ad.
ministration of government sup
posedly of the people.
Principle With Victory.
Victory can be achieved this year,
without sacrificing one iota of the
stand for principle'that has been made
with so much sacrifice by the Demo
cratic party of the United States for
the last dozen years. 1t is merely q
question OF changing leadership. Three
times In succession our party has gone
to defeat, because its leadership has
not been able to inspire confidence In
the masses Of the voters, patriotic,
progressive and sincere as that leader.
ship has unquestionably been. The
party Is greater than Its individual
and greater than its lead.
ers. The time has come when 1t
should name Its leader in a presiden-
tial campaign and no longer permit IT,
self to be defeated by q sentimental,
though heroic, devotion to a great
name that has dominated Il for q
dozen years.
Md NE IaRks 9tsshe party there Is
a man wRsse principles, Whose party
fealty, whose success In political bat
ties, whose actual achievements In
legislation and statesmanship-and q
man holding a commanding political
situation-are such that Victory under
his leadership is indicated, is it not
the duty of reasonable, thoughtful, de-
voted Democrats, desiring the success
OF their party, to turn to him?
Johnson the Man.
The friends Of Gov. John A. Johnson
OF Minnesota. who have watched his
remarkable career In recent years, as
well as impartial observers and jour.
nalists throughout the country, believe
that he is the man of the hour, the
man in every way equipped to make a
successful campaign, and afterward
to be chief executive of the highest
order, Let US briefly review his career.
JOAN A. Johnson was born In st.
Peter, Nicollet county, Minnesota,
July %, 1851. Of Swedish parents. His
childhood and youth were passed in
great poverty. At rs years of age, he
was compelled to leave the public
schools of his native city, In order to
support himself and the parental fam.
Ily. Though his formal education was
thus early cut short, his self-education
never stopped. A student at all times,
wide reader and a thoughtful one.
Mr.. Johnson, after some years OF OBJ,
scure toll as o drug and grocery clerk
and railway time-keeper, became at
the age OF "a editor Of the St. Peter
Herald. He soon became known as
one of the ablest of Minnesota Jour.
1alists and was recognized as one of
he leaders of Journalism in a state re-
for the number, vigor and In.
1uence OF ITS periodical press. As a
country editor, he was gradually drawn
INTO politics and in 1898 was elected
member of the senate OF the Mime
sota Legislature, and bis first public DO.
itical work was as member OF that
body. From the first, he was identi,
led with various reform measures.
which have since become law in Min.
lesota.
Wherever Gov. Johnson has gone
10 has impressed men as being u man
n the Lincoln type. He has the fac
llty of making many friends and few
,nemies,
Gov. Johnson's Legislative Results.
The governor recommended a per.
nanent tax commission. The legis.
allure gave 1t to him and the ink was
hardly dry on the document before he
appointed a commission SO strong In
is personnel that the Republican sen.
Ite resolved by rising vote to con.
irm the appointments without delay.
While the equally Republican house.
hough without the power of confirma.
ion, expressed by q rising vote its ap-
'reciatiOn OF the excellence OF the gov.
'rnor's appointments.
In Acrthsrs minnesota are the great.
'st ircs' ore fields In the world. The
tate OF Assenes owns EXTENSIVE
.feas. q. these lands; j ~ leases tbsy
ersslSrsaGsin the hands Of the Unit.
d sssAss Steel Desperation and the
tate. ~Ss receiving emily an Insignia
ant inccase from Its royalties. The
Governor dsed the withdrawal OF
II such lands from mineral leases and
hn IoutS