The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-11-04
BIG JOHNSON MEETING
Over 600 FxCursiOnistS Swell the Over
flowing Audiences

house was packed to the door and
a large numbers of people were
unable to gain admission. To those
who had never heard the Governor
it was a disappointment. as at the
overflow meeting at the opera house
he only spoke few moments and
his voice was SO nearly gone that but
a very faint conception of his real
power as a public speaker could be
had. Redwood Falls needs public
hall large enough to hold three or
four times as many people as the
court house can accommodate.
The writer had never heard the
Governor speak before and went to
the meeting to get an idea of the
ability of the man to gain and hold
the high reputation he has as plat
form orator. His expectations were
very high and the Governor sur
passed them. He ranks with the
few speakers of the first class. Sur
passed by Bryan, Dolliver and Bev-
eridge and equalled by Towne, Craw-
ford of South Dakota and several
other public speakers, Gov. johnson
is an excellent public speaker, prob
ably stronger on some lecture than
on political topics. but good at that
branch of public speaking.
Owing to the crowded condition
of a room naturally hard to speak
in, and made doubly so by the rath-
err noisy crowds which were throng-
ing the stairway in the vain attempt
to get within hearing distance, the
attempt to speak so that the audi
ence could hear him was a great
strain on his voice already wearied
by an arduous campaign. AS al
ready suggested, the governor has
played nearly a lone hand. For a
candidate who has been forced to
run by an insistent party there has
been a singular lack of support by
his party in this campaign. The
democratic party of the state is not
weak in oratory. Any party that
has the mass of the Irish of the
state can provide first class speak
ers, and there are many other Dem
ocrats of good ability. but they have
not done much for Governor John
son and he has seemed almost de-
serted. Evidently if he was run.
ming to save his party the party was
very Indifferent to its salvation
Outside the malodorous Day and 9
few others the democracy of the
state has been mute in oral demon
stration of loyalty.
Probably no other speaker in the
northwest is as adroit in lodging al
dangerous points as is our Governor
| And we know of no other man who
can so deity weave the things h
is entitled to claim credit for will
| those he had but little to do with il
such a manner as to make a plaus
Iible showing of credit for the whole
as he is able to do. Of all the thing
he claimed as his achievements, tn
insurance department is the onl.
one where facts bear him out. Tha
j department has been admirabl,
handled by his administration. AM
yet he left the majority Of the crow
firmly believing that he did as nue.
to collect from the timber trespes
sars as he did to put our insuranc
matters into good shape. And h
, had no more to with it than an
merchant or farmer of Redwoo
, county. as it was all done by Ed
!, Young and his department. But ur
i less one knew the facts he woul
, [leave the meeting fully convince
: that Governor johnson did it all i
/ both cases. So with the increas
/ Of taxation on iron ore and the low
! 1ering of passenger rates. That wa
! legislative entirely, and the govern
: or had about as much active part j
lit as the supervisor of New Avor
/ and yet many a voter left the NEE
j ing convinced that he had been rio
/ ing at two cents a mile during til
Hast summer by grace of what Go,
-fernor johnson had done.
5 AS the campaign is over this is NJ
e intended as further politics for th
result will haye been. accomplishe
u and q governor elected before th