The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-19
"WHy HIS MOTHER
 TOOK IN WASHING Battle Cries of Governor John- sons Enemies Helped Him HIS EARLY SURROUNDINGS Are Said to Have Been Worse Than Abraham LincoIn's-Came Up
 Throueh.very Great
 Poverty.
HIS EARLY SURROUNDINGS

From the Boston Herald.
 dark horse looms up for the presi- dency in the person of John A. Johnson, the governor of Minnesota. Henry Wat terson proposed him as early as last July in the statement: If MT. Bryan would only say to the party that he regards Governor Johnson as the best man for the place, then Governor Johnson will be named"
 Subsequently Judge George Gray of Delaware characterized the Minnesota governor as "a promising leader of the democracy" and in December last Gov ernor Johnson definitely announced his candidacy for the presidency to his friend. Dr. Mayo, the famous surgeon of Rochester, Minn
 Who, then, is John A. Johnson?
 He came of Scandinavian percentage. His father, a strong-handed hard-drink- ing Swedish peasant migrated from the old country to Minnesota in 1853, and married a hired girl named Caroline Carl son Hayden, who was thus destined to become the mother of a governor
 Gustaf took his wife to St. Peter. Minn., built two-room cottage, opened & blacksmith's shop, and for awhile prospered. Then the drinking habit re- vived within him; he had to be declared a pauper, and, 1nallN, ne enueu HIS udS 5 in the county almshouse
 At the age of E, young Johnson, heav- fly handicapped by heredity and sur roundings began, as he afterward called it. frying to make good" After pass ing through the primary and reaching the high school, he determined one day to relieve his mother from the necessity of doing work for hire.
 He got his first job in a general store, ,,,Ir of fhQ in local print shop, and carried mail and newspapers to outlying houses. The lad studied pharmacy, obtained a certificate and registered under the state law.
 Later he was made assistant paymas- ter by firm of railroad contractors. He earned s75 per month and was nabled to lift the mortgage that his father had left over the cottage. An addition to the house was built, and the surviving broth CT and sister were educated.
 Then he was offered a half interest in the St. Peter Herald, along with the ed itorship of that paper Accepting both, he became and remains to this day the democratic editor of country paper in a territory pronouncedly republican. In five years he was secretary of the state press association; three years later he was elected president of that organza- tion.
 John entered politics as candidate for the office of state senator and, though twice defeated, was finally successful.
 s'T'here is nothing.' said Johnson in telling the story, like not knowing when to quit"
 He continued to make good, and the people of Minnesota at last chose him as their governor. sending twice to their handsome marble state house the lad who had begun life in the depressing conditions of drunkard's home.
 That Governor Johnson did not make good" without struggle is shown by the manner in which his candidacy was opposed During his first gubernatorial campaign every quarter of the state of Minnesota blossomed with placards vili- lying his father and mother, and similar transparencies were carried in the pa rades Some of them urged the people to vote against John Az Johnson because His Father Was Drunken Loa1er and His Mother Took in Washing
 MT Johnson's manager began to get frightened Some of his supporters re- quested him to make a strong, sweeping denial.
 'sI cannot" he replied
 The allegations were true, but ne met them with the same spirit and vlgos which had characterized his actions