The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-02

washington. Oct 2.--The late John
A. Johnson OF Minnesota, says The
Washington Post made q speech in
Washington two years ago which was
never reported and which is declared
made the Minnesotan a real presidential
possibility.
Continuing The Post says, but his
Minnesota boomers committed the mis-
take OF trying to suppress the COVER
nor's human characteristics and make
tin god OF him. Their procedure was
based on the theory that the opposition
candidate should be one who would
make a complete contrast to the char
acter OF Mr.. Roosevelt. In all the
press matter they sent out they toned
down the real Johnson and tried to
create a sort of George Washington,
severe, unsmiling, austere and majes-
tic The very photographs they cir
cuiated were those OF a wooden faced
man. and everybody VINO saw the SOM
Der face with it's prominent jaw and
unsmiling eye. said: We'll, what
ever else he is, he's Scandinavian.
sure
1t was all one to the eastern boomers.
They were not In hopes OF getting a
Lincoln or q Roosevelt out of the west.
They were Just grasping frantically at
. name, any kind OF a name, and all
they hoped was that by hook or by
crook they could land some figurehead
La the White House and keep Bryan
put.
The Gridirnn Dinnea
At this time, while there was lack
Rdaisical, apathetic, nstless movement
for Gray or Johnson, or Harmon or
anybody, the Gridiron club Of Wash
lngton, invited Governor johnson,
Judge Gray and many other national
leaders to attend one of it's dinners.
The governor and the judge were
among those who accepted. There
was only a languid interest in the gov-
ernor when he took his place, not ait
the head Of the table, but ait one of the
side table and attacked the Gridiron
viands.
There were $50 guests present, the
president of the United States at their
head, supreme court, senate, house. the
money kings OF the country, generals,
hdmirals, authors, scientists, governors,
judges ~annong those present" In
the course OF the evening rather far
down the evening-the governor was
introduced.
The Gridiron always introduces its
speakers, not with a speech, but with q
song. usually addressed to the pros
peetive speaker, and gently derisive of
him. In this case they sang a song en-
titled Poor John, the burden Of which
was that poor John''--tnat is, Johnson
wanted the nomination, but couldn'tl
have 1t, because Bryan wouldn't let
him.
The governor arose, and the frgc
glimpse OF him In the great dining
hall Of IT, willard somehow dissi-
pated every nenaciously held idea, of
the stoiid Scandinavian. the new
Alton B. Parker. Before he had said
word. his merry, twinaSling eyes and
the genial, friendly face had beIied
every photograph ever sent out about
him, and the deep. warm voice that
rang out In his first sentence with |
strange and happy injections that
made everybody warm to him made |
over, John A. Johnson made him over
completely in a second OF time, 30
those VINO thought they knew what
he was,
Poor John7- ne said. 'T appreciate
the honor; but don't you think, when /
you look back at 1898. at 1900, and at |
1904, you ought to say poor BilI?'"
Set the Crowd Wild.
The unexpecte1ness of it. the addi- |
tional element OF uneNpectedness that /
was attached to It's coming from 'the /
stolid Swede, set the crowd wild. The
president, the speaker OF the house,
the Justices OF the supreme court, ali /
united In one mighty shout that lasted /
a minute. Johnson looked out over 4
the shouting crowd with eyes that
danced
He was so utterly different from
what his ill-advised press agents had
represented him. Tall, straight, with
q sensitive, mobile face that changed i
In expression every second, his was as A
and striking appearance
as ever was seen In a dining hall, de-
spite the lfhelous photographs OF his
press agent His mellow voice. fun OF Ii
unexpected deeps and shadows, and |,
always so calculated as 20 bring out Il
to the uttermost every meaning that
lay behind one OF his sentences. may
not have been the voice Of an orator.
but no orator could have made such
an impression on that crowd
And. remember, it was not the orai-
nary mass meeting audience. 1t was
made UP, that crowd OF ESQ, OF men to
whom oratory was their daily bread.