Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-05-02

MT. Tolan has summed up briefly
 one side of the great governor of Min
 nesota. He is most loyable man-a
 man who makes friends of all whom
 he meets In this respect, as in some
 others, he has been compared to the
 great Lincoln.
 Gov. Johnson is man Of the people.
 Not even Lincoln came up from great
 er obscurity and greater poverty than
 the virile governor of Minnesota He
 understands the people as perhaps no
 man in American public life since Lin
 coin has understood them-and the
 people understand him.
 As a Democrat, Gov Johnson ap peals to the thoughtful members of his party, because he is preeminently qualified to unite and blend it's discord- . ant elements into competent, enthu sastic, wellorganized militant political < force.
 Co.,. Johnson appeals to the people regardless of party, because he has a record of achievement behind him 5 that guarantees that if he is chosen to the great office of president lie would fill it in manner wholly satis- \ factory to vast majority of the plain 4 people of America
 s Poor Swedish Immigrants. Gov Johnsons mother and father & were poor immigrants from Sweden A the former arriving in St. Peter, Minn., A in 1852, and the father year later. A They were married in 1858. The father s was a blacksmith in Sweden, and took x up his trade in his new home, conduct
 Sing at first a small blacksmith shop .4in the country near St. Peter. Later
 Ahe family moved into the village, and a@it was here, July 21, 1861. that the son .9John was born. The father was cursed with the drink habit and, in conse-
 quence. after a few years of prosperi- S@ty, the family was reduced to desper- sa ate straits. So dire was their poverty sNthat the mother had to take in wash Ming for a living, and the son, John,
 sacted as her delivery boy. When in 5tshis twelfth year, the destitution of the I$little family. consisting of the mother SMand father and three children, had Areached such 8 point that John begged sShis mother for permission to quit aNBchool in order to help her She re- ssiuctantly consented, fearing that her SSSson would never be able to return to lSschool This fear was fully justified, SSfor after that time the future governor 4 of Minnesota knew the four walls of s the schoolroom no more.
 The boy went to work in general \ store in the village at $10 month, and every cent of this generous salary was turned into the family treasury. His spare moments from the store were still devoted to delivering laun- dry for his mother and the earnings of mother and son were sufficient to keep the little establishment going. As g tune went on their condition improved q with Johns increasing salary. Two years after going to work he was re- ceiving SIP a month; soon he was get \ ting more. From this time on the mother was not compelled to work for the family maintenance. The son q provided the entire income, and the mother returned to her proper work or housekeeping and caring for the
 family. From the general store, John went into drug store, where he stayed for about twelve years and be- \ came a licensed pharmacist Later he was employed by railway contractor Tn Minnesota and Iowa, and at that E ume, Tn his early 20's, his income av- S eraged about $75 month. All this tlme' whether at home or away, he re- sarded himself as the head and main stay or the family. and provided funds # Tn addition for educating the brother
 and sister who survived early child. hood.
 Not Emhittered by Poverty. Although John had thus to leave @ sehool so early in life, he did not cease to educate himself. He became a great student and soon read every E DOCK in the village library It is note. worthy that the first three books he q read after leaving school were Pres f cotts two histories of the conquest of Peru and Mexico and Scotts Ivan \ noe. While thus extending his knowl- cage and intellectual horizon he at all tlmes grew in the other fields of life Hard as his struggle had been, he did not become embittered by it. but took as large part as possible in the will lage social life. He seldom missed a
 dance. He attended church and be- ionged to the choir He joined the various fraternal lodges, after the X naDlt of men in small villages. Hs was known to everybody in the village,
 ana everybody was his friend. He WaS interested in life. not only his own