The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-10-30
Singing Opened the Program.


The program was opened by a mixed
octette singing a national song, during
which the audience arose. The Lyric
club was requested to repeat one of its
songs, which started out: 'Why have
we met here tonight? To sing song
of Johnson" This evidently pleased
the governor, to Judge from his smile
and the way he stroked his face
The st. Peter girls in the gallery made
feeble attempt to start a little more
enthusiasm, but met with fiat failure,
and some ungallant Kisses were heard
The girls tried to say 'He's all right
Who's all right? Johnson" but the
yell died to whisper.
Senator Works presided, and intro
[duced the speaker as 'the present gov
ernor. the next governor, and future
president" This took well, but as
the applause died down, feminine
voice in the gallery was heard to
shout: ''Hurrah for Taft"
He Was Thankful.
Governor Johnson said that he had
addressed 325 political meetings in the
last three years, but he doubted
whether any had exceeded this one. He
was proud to practically close his
campaign in Mankato, and said: 81
owe you my everlasting gratitude for
this splendid demonstration" He then
launched into political, and took up a
couple of national issues, the tariff
and the government guaranty of bank
deposits He said that he was not
going to say much about the national
leader of the democratic party, as 1t
was not necessary to say much. Re-
CARELESS of the quetion as to the
wisdom of his leadership, his integrity
and honesty had never been questioned
and he stood for what he believed.
Governor Johnson then took up
state issues and launched into a
TRADE against Jacobson, after admit
ting that as a representative in the
legislature from Lac qui Parle county
he had given the state very good SER
vice. He said that since then Jake"
had changed his spots. and it had been
charged that che had crooked the
hinges of his knee that political thrift
might follow fawning." He paid a
good deal of attention to the dinner
partv at Duluth which he> has been
nleased to call "a Belchazzar's feast.
He told what laws had been passed
under his administration, and claimed
the credit for the good that the re-
publican legislature did. He did lot
of explaining where the increased ex'
nenses of the state go to, and made a
labored defense of some of his acts.
Referring to the work of the state
hoard of equalization, Governor john
son paid Hon. E. I. Champlin OF TINS
c;tv a handsome compliment, saying
that the people were under such obli-
cations to him that they would never
be able to repay him.
Governor johnson said that his own
election could not retard the state
but that he would smile the same,
whether he won or lost.
II had been intended that County
Attorney Kane of st. Paul should
sneak next. but he did not come, SO
the meeting broke up when Governor
johnson concluded,
While the opera house meeting was
in progress, another audience that
crowded Williams hall was listening
to Senator Works, Attorney Hoidale
of Minneapolis and T. D. OBrlen OF
ST Paul. Governor Johnson addressed
this meeting briefly, as soon as he got
away from the opera house. The Min
nesota Lake band furnished music