The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1909-09-25

of politics while he was governor and
that he expected Northrup to remain
as its president indefinitely.
By virtue of his office the governor
is member of number of the state
boards, but Mr.. Johnson's conduct
as such has set new precedent in
such affairs. He has not been merely
a tigurehead in their meetings, but has
taken a very active part, not as a
governor or an overload, but as a
member on equal footing with his as
sociates.
During the three terms as governor
he has maintained the most cordial re-
lations with the legislatures, although
they have been about three -fourths re-
publican. His first message outlined
as his conception Of the vital needs
of the state at the time. four year
term for governor with a one term
limit; reduced freight rates; abolition
of railway passes; an employers liza
bility law; a liberal forestry policy and
non-partisan judiciary.
The Insurance Investigation.
Early in his first term when the
wave Of insurance Investigation was
sweeping over the country, a Mime
apolis company became involved and
Governor Johnson Immediately took a
hand and forced the resignation Of its
officers, placed the company in the
hands of committee of business men
and pursued the matter until he land
ed one of the guilty officials in state S
prison. From this he became a leader
in the movement for uniform state
laws on life insurance and upon his
suggestion to President Roosevelt the
insurance commissioner Of the Dis
trict of Columbia called a meeting of
governors and insurance commission
ers and drafted model law which has
been adopted by a number of states
The Campaign of 1906.
The campaign of 1906 opened with
the republicans having some difficulty
in selecting a candidate for governor
and finally nominating Cole who was
| believed to have the support of the
! corporations althO such was not the
case. Mr.. Johnson made another rap
id-hre campaign making 119 speeches
| in seven weeks in rs counties of the
| state paying his fare hims for every
mile travelled. The result was not in
doubt from the start but this plurality
was a surprise as he polled lG8,i8O to
96,162 for Cole while all other repub-
! lican candidates were elected by a
| plurality as high as $4,000 on attorney
| general. This time with the legisla-
ture again strongly against him polit-
| ically Governor Johnson received more
| consideration for his ideas and among
his recommendation which were
adopted were:
A maximum schedule of freight
rates
A two cent passenger fare law.
Abolition of railway passes and
! franks.
Reciprocal tonnage law
Increased taxation for sleeping car
companies.
Permanent tax commission with
/ wide powers.
Registry tax oa real estate mort.
/ cages.
Uniform life insurance laws.
Abolition of private banks
A "Muellar law
To facilitate municipal ownership.
Increase state drainage operations.
! Better salaries fOs the STATE Iniyers-
fly faculty.
! This made a good grlst for s.ngle
session. The permanent tax commits
sion was a vastly more important in
stitutlon. Johnson named on this
4 commission one republican, one dem
ocrat and one university professor
\ all men Of ability and spe al fitness.
The announcement Of heir names had
the spontaneous approval Of both
houses and In less than year they
justified his selection by adding SIP
i 100000 10 the assessed valuation Of
iron properties Governor Johnson at.
I titudc toward tha ron inter IS was not
one Of Antagonist but one Of fairness
as was shown iu the 1909 session -
the legislature 10 which he vetoed the
proposed Tonnage tax law which he
believed to be eEaorbitant unfair and
unconstitutional after Il lad passed
both houses by a trorg vote II both
parties
The Governor had some other sag.
gestlons In his 1907 message that are
Of value . showing h persona! plat