The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-11-26
HIS FOR.
TUNE GONE !
Mayor Tom Johnson Says His
Money Is Gone in Fight for
the People.

lost everything ana Would De compel
lod to yiye up his beautiful home on
Euelid avenue and move into smaller
and less expensive quarters
The MAYOR also stated that he
Uould give up his automobile and
other luxuries because be could not
longer afford to keep them.
His fortune was wrecked, the
mayor declared, by his devotion to
the affairs of the estate of a dead
brotber. Albert, who was heavily in
terested in traction properties in the
. East. After Albert's death ques-
tion was put up to him whether he
should resign his Office as mayor and
ID take no the management OF Albert'S
estate.
81 decided that l would enter the
6pbt here in this city with certain
ideals before me. l concluded to stay
right here and do what l could to
belp my brothers. children at long
distance. Why should choose the
course | lid? FL tell you. It's not
because | am philanthropist, for l
am not. | acted from purely selfish
motives. | wanted happiness and
nothing else when | closed up my
business affairs and took up civic ac-
tiyity.
"And | have been happy, too.
The past seven years have been the
best Of my life, leaving out OF consid-
Grafton the loss of my brother.
81 am going to be happy yet, too.
We may have to go back TO cottage,
but that's the way we started, and
We can look upon life as joYfully as
we'did 10 the big house on Euclid
avenue.
"They tell me my enemies are be-
ginning TO bring financial trouble up
on me. I've been expecting it,
There's one mistake l have not
made-that of failing to forsee the
"a efforts of those VITO would like to
destroy me if opportunity offered.
"My enemies are capable OF that
One may expect nothing else from
special privileges. However, l real
ize that any other set of men in the
same circumstances would act The
same. Let them do what they may
Let them make any sort OF attach
upon ME they choose with whateve
success, and they will lind me with |
thousand fights left in me.
"I'll never give up. | am we'll ant
strong and confident, and they'll al
ways lind me at the front. II | hat
been a coward if l had run ava
from this tight for the people o
Cleveland, l could nave saved n
fortune and built 1t up. But | ha
chosen my course and did not hay
any mind for altering it.
"The pursuit. OF mere dollars doe
not Interest me. l suppose | coul
81 70 down in Wall street now and max
some money. 1 have bought and sol
vita (. II. Hartman, and suppOs
l could 60 and do it again. But
am not going to do anything Of tf
sort.
Il don't want you to misunde
stand what have been working fl
as mayor. have not been labOrir
With the expectation Of being r
"arded by the gratitude OF I'll
petple. 1t is the pleasure in doiT
Work that l like that has kept me
the tight. l have not made a sing
penny out Of the street railway sin
became mayor. Nobody else b
worked as hard as l, and / have n
ura"n cent Of pay from the NUM-
Ipai Traction company as treasure
uon't propose to ask cent for u
"ofS In helping the receivers.
nave never spent money in pO
ues In no campaign have l ey
palu more than my assessment S6(
% the 5000 salary as mayor. Son
times have not paid that much
cash, when the committee has allo
Gu NE certain amount for the 1
Vi NY tents. We have never been
ueo' at the end Of a campaign t
once.
When l gave up active busin
audl's' | did it because tie reaui
meots of my work did not squi
"iln The principles.
o.. suppose l could have taken u
.'.e o' ease when / retired, had
NHeo' | was welcome at
eus' Fast horses, yachts aud OF
-iu'euents we're open To me.
e' though, happiness lay in anot
4''ectlun. My only recreation
ecu sutomObiling. Id like to k
OF my automobiles. but
afraid can't.
nack In my prosperous day,
save Ihe home on Euclid avenu,
-! vile. 1t is hers yet and she
"u IL still, even If we can't az