davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20
CITY LIFE A DELUSsGN.
Old lnhabitant Thinks Country Towing
Offer More Happiness.

Offer More Happiness.
up at the depot just now" said one
of the old inhabitants. II saw several
of the boys get off the train to spend
the holidays at home. They've come
back to the old town from the city,
and III bet my bull pup against their
turkey dinner with the home folks
that most Of ZEN would remain right
here in town if they were not asham-
ed to say that city life is not up to
their expectations. And between you
and me and the barn door l am
strongly inclined to think that nine
out of ten of the boys who 60 from
any country town to a big city would
make a better winning in the race of
life if they would stay at home and
grow up with their own community.
II vent to the city when l was "a
cub and stayed several years. But I
was homesick all the time. The young
fellow in q great city holding a job
and working so many hours a day for
somebody else is not by any means in
such an enviable position as some of
the people still in the country towns
are inclined to think.
81 recall that when / was living lis
the city many years ago. working on o
salary for n famous establishment, the
local paper here once printed a notice.
about me that made me laugh out OF
n side of my mouth while / cried out
of the other. According to the home.
paper, | was ON the highroad to for
tune in the city 1 was holding Il
highly responsible post with a great
concern and making good, and all that
sort of thing. The facts as to my re-
sponsible position We're all right, but
1t cost me two or three times as much
to live there rs it did back home, and
at the end of the year / usually found
my bank account no bigger than it
would have been had / remained at
home and kept on working in Browns
| general store.
FINALLY l resolved to face the mu-
sic n come back home. The word
home means something in a small
town too. AS you know, I have a pref
ty good home, and l own it. no mort
cages, and when the flowers bloom
in the front yard every spring l com
pare my house and lot with the rented
cell used to occupy in the city great
ly to the advantage of the house and
lot. I'm not rich, but I'm comforta-
BILE. If / had stayed in the city, per
haps by now l might have had a
large bank account-and perhaps not.
But n thing is sure as shooting-I
would not have had so many good
friends nor half so high a standing liz
the city as | have here at home.
My advice to the boys" concluded
the old inhabitant, 'is to think two OF
three times before they leap into g
great city. In most cases they become
mere cogs in a huge commercial wheel,
the motive power being operated by
somebody else. ! may be old fash
Toned, boys. but I am firm in the con-
viction that it is better to be an entire
minnow in Il small but clean and
peaceful pond than to be the tail of a
large fish in Il stormy ocean. One way
to build yourself up is to help build up
your w town by believing it is the
best town on earth for yourself and
staying in it."
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20
John johnson of Minnesota
One of the Common People. ForcefuI In Character, Who Looms
Up In the Presidential Limeight-How He "Made
Good Despite the Adverse Circumstances
of His Early Life.
of His Early Life.
Observation-Disclosures

A FTER all. the American people de-
n spise snobbery. There Is but a
N very small class among us that
apes aristocracy and puts
cestry upon a pedestal to kiss the dirt
at it's feet. For proof of this we have
only to look to Minnesota. wherein
dwells a man who in these antecam-
paign days is being exploited for a
presidential nomination by thousands
Of men who never saw him and eve
heard of him until three years ago.
Why this mans presidential boom?
Just because he has made good" de-
spite the fact that his father died in
the poorhouse and his mother took in
washing. Nobody disputes the popu-
lar assumption that Governor John
A. johnson is an able man and Of pres
idential dimensions. But, for all that,
he never would have been mentioned
for the presidency save for this poor
house and washerwoman story. Upon
this foundation we base the proof that
America, heart, head and hand, is still
essentially antisnob.
In 100 The Democrats of Minnesota
nominated for governor a country edi-
tor, the st. Peter Herald man. John
johnson was a pretty good country ed
itor. too, but there were some 700 9TH
ers in Minnesota. st. Peter is a
small town. and the Herald is a small
paper. But it is not necessarily true
that a small paper in a small town has
a small mar at the head of 1t. Plenty
of instances to the contrary might be
cited, but Johnson's is enough. For
fifteen years Editor Johnson had run
the editorial end of the Herald, while
his partner, Henry Essler, had run
the mechanical end. Both took a hand
at the business end. Johnson became
secretary and then president of the
state editorial association. So the other
editors knew him. and they liked him.
johnson had served one term as a
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20
COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT.
The Element of Permanently Is an
Important One.

Important One.
In IL community where all or near
~ all are house owners civic improve
mem is never a very serious prob
lem. but in every center of popula-
ton. no matter of what size. there are
more or less of renters, and these have
a deterrent effect upon progress in ALI
Its phases, says the Los Angeles
Times. Permanently of residence is the.
only solid rock upon Which desirable
public improvements may be built.
and Il group of freehold cottagers wila
do more good work toward civic up
building than a like number of wealthy
tenants. Those who have no fixed
abiding place add little to community
life or wealth.
Next to permanency of abode comes
the standard of citizenship. and the
two are so interviewer that it is often
difficult to determine which is the
more important factor, for each is de-
pendent on the other. Another insepa-
rable and necessary partnership is
found in high intelligence and lofty
ideals as the standard Of citizenship.
1t is necessary to cur Jealous CO.
operation of all if the highest and best
is to be attained. Efficient. honest cit
liens. free from partisan leanings and
knowing neither religious nor racial diff
%ferences. are the broad minded type
that must be chosen for public work if
we are to he safeguarded against mis-
management and partially.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

Ten days before election some boom
erang thrower in Minnesota printed
and distributed a circular setting
forth that Candidate Johnson's father
had been a drunkard and had died in
the poorhouse and that his mother
had taken in washing. You cannot
find in Minnesota today the thrower
OF this political boomerang. Most like
ly he is and was then an inmate of the
asylum for the insane.
Some supporters of Johnson, too
much excited to know a golden oppor-
tunity when they met it face to face.
were perturbed by this circular and
urged the candidate to make q strong
denial of the statements.
II can't" was Johnson's quiet reply.
Story Went the Rounds.
The reason he couldn't was that
what the circular said about his par
ents was true. A st. Paul newspaper
which supported him sent a staff cor
respondent posthaste to the little town
Of st. Peter. The staff man Investigate
ed the immediate antecedents of John
Johnson. The reportorial assignment
would have delighted any good news
paper man 1t is not often that a re-
porter strikes such human interest
color. The story of John Johnson of
st. Peter, as published in the st. Paul
paper, quickly went the rounds of the
Minnesota press; also it went the
rounds of the corner groceries and the
drug stores and the country hotel Of
fees, where governors are made and
presidents are prepared from the raw
material.
The st. Paul reporter discovered that
Gustaf Johnson. a blacksmith, had
emigrated from Sweden about fifty
years ago, settling in st. Peter. He
had been a heavy drinker in his native
land and came to America in the hope
that he might reform. He did reform
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20
Beauty School Grounds.

Just at present is a good time for
all interested to look over the local
schoolyard and consider If it meets
their ideas regarding beauty. shade.
protection, educational value, etc. If
it does not, the time is ripe to get
busy with others whose interest is
equal to yours and try to ameliorate
present conditions so that this piece Of
public property will no longer be a
reproach to those in control.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20
Work For Live Improvement Society

Work For Live Improvement Society.
In small centers of population where
non but the most general laws gov
ern it is necessary to form an i'm
provement society to look after the
health and well being Of the people as
a whole, says. the Los Angeles Times.
The laws of hygiene must be observed.
Both sewers and surface drainage
should be provided by the people as a
whole, and where no city government
exists this is a splendid work for a
live society for civic betterment.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20
Champion Political Joke.

Nluu6SOld . uOELudl hcpuUllCdu ud
jority is between 10000 and 10000.
The Democrats had little or no expec-
tation of electing Johnson. One reason
they picked him for the candidacy al
that he was q Swede and would get
the Scandinavian vote. which in Min
nesota is a considerable factor. They
hoped he. at any rate. would make a
decent showing. and most of them
would have been satisfied with that.
But Johnson. having accepted the
nomination. made q systematic cam
paign. His opponent. State Auditor
Dunn, was not altogether popular in
his own party. Dunn's unpopularity
helped Johnson, against whose record
nobody had anything to say. John
sons popularity increased as Dunn's
decreased. Something had to be done
for Dunn. Then somebody, done it,
The manner of doing 1t. the madness
Of its method. must stand forever as
the champion political joke Of the
ages. Did you v e see a boomerang?
A boomerang is Il curved club. When
thrown by one who knows how. 1t
makes a turn around in the air and
comes back to the thrower. If the
thrower doesn't look out. the boomer
ang wifi smash his face.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20
Strike Settled Without Riots.

The way Governor johnson settled
a strike last summer shows his power
as a conservative official. The miners
in the Mesaba range went out, and
there was imminent peril of violence.
Instead Of sending his state militia to
the scene Governor Johnson himself
went, alone. He talked with the strike
leaders and with the employers. He
visited the strikers and heard their
grievances. He gave them good adj
vice. If they remained orderly. he
said, no troops would be sent. but if
they became violent he would be
forced to quell their violence with SOL
diers. The strike was settled without
riots.
Some persons take pleasure in COM
pairing John johnson with Abraham
Lincoln. This is due to the fact that
both men had immediate ancestors of
the kind that. as a rule. do not pro-
duce society swells. johnson seems
to have much OF the homely honesty
Of Lincoln and more dignity than
Honest Abe" Whatever he may turn
out to be in the future, we must go
back to the original thesis and assert
that If johnson had been a candidate
for head sheik Of Fifth avenues Four
Hundred or for chief chimpanzee of
the Newport set that lunatic's circular
would have defeated him. But he was
aiming merely for the governorship
OF the plain. common, sensible, intelli-
gent people OF nm American common
wealth.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

DEGREE OF HONOR.-Meets in the Work
man hall on the first and third Friday of each
month.
MRS. JAS. LoYNEs, C. II.
MES. BELLE BIRMINGHAM, Recorder.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

A. o. o. W.-Langdon Lodge meets in the
Workman hall the first and third Mondays of
each month.
J.J. SoUcH, M. w.
THos. SHEEHAN, Recorder.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

G. o. q. No. sOs-st. Alphonsus Court, meets
o ! the first and third Wednesdays of each
month in their hail over the Mooney State
Bank. JOHN SHEEHAN, q. r..
JOS q. SoH1LL, Sec'y.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

LADY C. o. Est. Mary's Court, meets at
the Forester hall on the second and fourth
Tuesdays of each month.
MRS. VIM. F~LUMERFELT, C.. r.
MRS. A. I. KoEHMsTEDT, Rec. Sec'y.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

LADY Observation-Disclosures Hive of the
Lady Maccabees meet in the K. of P. hall
the first and third Monday of Teach month.
MRS. BELLE BIRMINGHAM, Commander.
MRS. j. C. McCoMBE Record Keeper.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

K. O.. T. M.-Langdon Tent of Maccabees
meet in the Forester hall the first and third
Thursdays of each month.
R. B. FALcoNER, Commander.
M. MORRISON R. X.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

YEOMEN.-Meet in the K. of P. hall, on the
hrst and third Thursdays of each month.
THOs.S %HEEHAN, Yeoman.
G.. C. CRAWFORD, sec'y.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

M. v. A.-Langdon Camp, No. 1880 meets in
the Woodman hall the second and fourth
Mondays of each month.
A. o. VOID, Clerk,
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

". o. W.-Excelsior Lodge No. 81, meets on
the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month
In the Woodman Hall.
A.. E. LrNDsTRoM, Clerk.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

boy studied hard while working in the
drug store. The little public library
was. in the same block. He read many
books from the library. being chiefly
interested in history. Meanwhile he
studied pharmacy, too, and eventually
he became a registered pharmacist.
Real Journalist With a Real Job.
After nine years in the drug store
John johnson became Q journalist. In
the cities a journalist is sometimes de-
scribed as u newspaper man out of a
job. In st. Peter John johnson was a
real journalist with Il real job. pay
ing for a half interest in the Herald,
for which friends who believed in
him had put up the money. johnson
had paid off the undertaken. He had
bought in the two family home
stead, which was about to be sold for
taxes, and he had added other rooms
and improvements.
So this was the story discovered by
the st. Paul reporter. 1t "a so mag
nticently true that American Mime
sofa arose g%loriously to the occasion.
President Roosevelt carried the al
ways Republican state of Minnesota
by a majority of 161 ,462-a hun
dred thousand above the normal ma
jority. But, hold! John Albert John
son, Democrat. was elected governor
by a majority of 1900. Not a very
large majority that, and yet he turned
84,40O votes to get it.
The country editor closed down his
desk at st. Peter, probably saying to
Henry Essler: "IIl be back in two
years. Try to keep the subscribers in
line, and don't let the ads. get away
from you. Keep the jobwork going"
Then he went to work at his new
job in st. Paul, his office being in Min
nesota's fine new state capitol build
ing. Did johnson as governor Of a
great state pose as a sickly sentimen-
tai friend of 1.-The common peepul"
Not a bit of it-not he. johnson made
no pretense of being ultra democratic.
He wore good clothes, the prevailing
style. and cut just as digniied a figure
at a gubernatorial reception as he had
cut in the editorial sanctum at st. Pc
ter. He had sense enough to adapt
himself to his environment.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

O.E S.-Langdon Temple holds regular COM
munications on the first and third Tuesdays of
each month at the Masonic hall.
MRS. MCGRUER, MRS. R. WORK, w. NJ.
Sec'y. Sc. KERR, ". P.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

M. B. A.-Modern Brotherhood Of America
meets in the Workman Hall on the first and
third Wednesday. of each month.
IDA B. AYoTTE, President.
GEO. E. DUNN1aAN, Secretary.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

A. F.& A. M.-Lebanon Lodge holds regular
communications at the Masonic Temple on the
second and fourth Fridays of each month.
H. MCDONALD, w. M.
ROBERT WORK, Secretary.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.-Meet on Wednes.
day evening Of each week atthe K. of P. hall.
e. d. GORDON, &C.
F. W. BLEAKLEY, Recorder.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

l.. {. F.-Langdon Court, Independent Order
of Foresters, meet in the Workmen hall. the
arst and third Tuesd avs, of each month.
w. A. FERGUSON. G.. r.
III. BA1N, Rec. sec'y.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

L. o. O. F.-Meets every Tuesday night in
hall over Ferguson Restaurant.
JAS. HAMILTON. N. g.
G. E. MAHoN, sec'y.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

SOCIETY DIRECTORY.
LODGEOF PERFECTION.-Langdon No.
holds regular communications on the first and
third Thursdays' of each month at the Masonic
compile.
ROBERT Work, Sec'y.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

state senator. and some of the politi-
clans knew him and liked him too. But
he was defeated for reelection, being
a Democrat in a Republican district,
and when his party placed him at the
head of the state ticket he was plain
John Johnson. country editor.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20
He Made Good.

Johnson also had the moral and men
tai backbone to make him Johnny-on-
the-spot with his new job. He had
had no experience as an editor when
he took hold Of the st. Peter Herald.
But he made good. He made good
also as governor of Minnesota. Do
you want proof? Then read the cleo
ton returns of 1906. Normally the
Republican candidate should have won
by about 10000 majority. AS a mat
ter of fact, Johnson won by $4,000 ma
jority. Somebody asked him how he
did it.
81 only tried to make good" replied
Johnson.
No boomerang was thrown in the
second campaign. If Johnson had not
made good in his two years term as
governor he would have been sem
back to the st. Peter Herald office.
AS it is, he now stands in the glare of
the presidential. limelight. The wash
erwoman circular promulgated by the
unidentified asylum inmate made him
governor, but as governor he made
good himself. Those years of struggle,
of self effacement. of mother love and
brotherly devotion in st. Peter gave
him the stamina to make good. When
some one asked him what he consid-
cred the most important result of his
administration as governor he replied:
Law enforcement. We have brought
about conditions by which the state
officers obey the law themselves and
enforce it,"
But Governor johnson did not stop
at enforcement of the laws ON the
statute books. BY his influence he
brought about the enactment of new
laws t O meet conditions. One thing he
did was to have the legislature give
him a board of tax equaliZers. John
son appointed three of the best men
in the state. Under the law this board
had only advisory powers The gov
ernor used his discretion. The steel
trust has immense mines in northern
Minnesota. These mines were taxed
on a valuation of $3S,O00.00O when
Johnson took office. Now they are tax
ed on a valuation of $194.O 900, 900. and
the poor taxpayer feels better. The
electric railways uniting st. Paul and
Minneapolis are paying twice as much
taxes as they paid before the advent
of Johnson. Tax dodgers have been
wincing since johnson became gov.
ernor.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

First Ward. ..... Morris Orion. Jas. Brosnahan
Second Ward.......M N. Morrison, A. +. Gardner
Third Ward ........ Chas. Haugh, Jno. Crawford
SCHOOL BOARD.
Members of Board of Education-H. D.
ALERT, Chas. Hunter, Jno. McGauvran, E. j.
Fox, j. j. Mahoney.
Treasurer. Mllno'
Clerk E. Truax.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-02-20

E.. Stafne, Simon Westby, j. W.. Foley, secy.
DISTRICT COURT.
Judge Seventh District. .......W. j. Kneeshaw
Court Stenographer. Walter NJ. Prince
LEGISLATIVE.
STATE SENATORS.
Eighteenth District. ...........H Henry Mclean.
Fortieth District Chas. w. Plain.
EsENTATIv
Eighteenth District-Joseph Crawford and
Usher L. Burdick
Fortieth District-James MCDOWELL and
Robert Grifoth.
Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-02-20
TAEcaolcE.

3 M -. Er,...,fAo,,t ~ tha United
ne e 49,. ...,,,5 :, .,e,,o,.
$3.50 = - p-sy ,,' -. ~, Z .vT.,,
10y Ala .s - 49,. y. 800. !.
Suost 'Vp . -. $3.50, :,
ny nOiN' - -. ~. 49, 49,. a.,
D2ty a" 49, - 49, - a. y.
tAsss nnisn' 70 ss'peVr :. - go, -
puuucAh NOhFOnSou AVA ASe'ST
Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-02-20
REVISING IT HIOHER.

The Republican plan for . tariff
commission IL not receiving enthu-
siastic commentator from those who
really desire tssiR reform. and even
the standpatteFs light shy OF II until
after election But perhaps It IL
only put forward to fool the people
again into the belief that the Repub-
iicans viii revise the taIi&. which
they never intend to do! except 20 re-
wise Il higher. They are already talk
ingo Of . maximum and minimum tariff,
which probably means that the present
high rates are TO be the minimum,
Ind the maximum rates win DO from
90 10 so par cent higher. That would
be refosmin6 ths'taffR according to
Tthe .rFineiple Of protection" and
would help the trusts 70 tide over
Republican hard times. II IL evil
dent that Republican tariff revision
promises are made 70 b broken. and
that these VINO desire taFiR reform
must ally themselves with the Demo
cratic phrty. for only ., Democratic
Congress win enact real tariR revision,
and only . Democratic President win
sign such bin.
Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-02-20
1REpvsLIcArs DlylpIsO,

The outlook SesmS quite tatr Tor
the long-sxpectsd split in tho Rspublt-
can party. This thing has been Inn
pending ever since President Reese
velt took the helm and began on the
policy Of regeneration and reform
that WSs not at ali 10 the lining OF
many Of the long establiahed leaders
Of the party. Radical ~ some of the
preachlngs oi the Democratic party
seemed in 1885, they were radical
simply because they were honest and
meant what has aimee come to be
known az the square deal" and Il ac-
eepted ~ \ Roosevelt " not . Re
publican principle. President Roose-
welt wanted. more OF the square deal
and more regeneration and honesty.
ana TO set them he had 10 appropriate
doctrines that had been ten tenets
OF the Democratic party. His search
for honesty was rash. and even head.
long, considering the practices and
training OF many Of the leaders he had
10 deal with. and there has arisen \
Dchlarn In the party that promises TO
grow more pFonoaRcod. The split IL
primarily IN Ohio. and the charge has
been mado that the President has
used Federal patronage IN that State
To further the candidacy Of Secretary
TAFT Perhapa he has 10 some 81.
teut. Perhaps be has not done 30 In
nearly such = pronounced fashion -
many o. his Republican enemies and
Republican predecessors, What the
exact facts are 4 h hardly worth
Whtic discussing. The one fact 70
malnlHg h that senator Foraker arose
n the senate and attacked the Preat
dent violently. charging him Wih ius.
proPrr political methoaa Such =
charge was entertaining. coming
from the senler seaAtrF fr0m
Ohm Bat 4 vaa eheeFed. showing the
temPcV % the Senate where PrcFldeal
ROoscvch - CSnccguea. A splll a
ths Presiacn, and The Senate AZ this
hhnSturN meahs ceruinly = hAlSiag
split % The pArty, n h q eAeerlal
thlRg 10 eOotesaplaie tuF tie prpsSat
minority, and there n iittls dgabl n
she nsnCcsasic Earty van gst soesther