New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1909-09-22
JOHNSON The Man.
Human Side of Minnesotan Twice
Elected Governor.
HARD WORKER AND sTUDloUs

Instance That Depicted His Great Love
For Reading-Devotee of Baseball.
One of His Witty stories-How He
Settled Strike Without Riots.
~ Much has been written Of the polit-
1cal career of John A. Johnson, gov
ernor of Minnesota, but very little has
been said Of the man himself, little
that is descriptive of his personality,
his earlier career, his traits and habits
in short, nothing that gives con-
crete idea of the man himself
The term "self made man. can be
applied to Governor Johnson in it's en-
tlrety. At the age Of twelve years the
burden of the home devolved upon his
young shoulders, and he even then
demonstrated that he was made Of the
material Of which the heroes of the
United States have been fashioned.
Lincoln in his hardest days never had
to endure more as boy than did the
governor Of Minnesota. The boys life
was filed with the thorns of life, and
&he roses were sadly lacking. His
parents, who short time before his
birth left Sweden and settled at st.
Peter, Mimi, small town in the south
ern part Of the state, were shiftless
and improtident. At the age Of twelve
he was taken out of school and ap-
prenticed to printer. Here love for
learning developed, and he arranged
to attend the country school during
half sessions until he finished. Two
terms at the high school finished his
( education, but for years afterward he
studied until he mastered the speech
OF four languages and became one of
the best read men in the state. =
@ After finishing school he remained
with the country publisher who aided
him in life's battle and learned the
mechanical end Of the newspaper bust
ness. For years his life was weary
struggle. Hard work and domestic
misery were all young Johnson knew
during his boyhood days, but his love
FOR literature opened to him land Of
delight and golden promise
His Love For Reading.
A story is told Of him at St. Peter
which shows his love for reading.
When he was first apprenticed to the
printer he slept in the rear of the
shop. His employer was kind hearted,
but thrift often got the better of him.
so, seeing that his kerosene bill was
fAbout doubled with the advent of
young Johnson, he called the boy to
task and forbade him burning the lamp
at night for reading purposes. John
son solved the problem by buying a
supply Of candles. This went well IN
til one night he went to sleep and left
the candle burning. A small fire was
the result. When the man asked him
the cause Of the fire he confessed the
i entire affair and further added that he
would gladly work and pay for the
damage if he might be permitted to
still burn candles so he might read at
night. This touched the employers
heart, and the boy was provided with
a lamp for his own private use.
AS a boy Governor Johnson was a
Shull scholar and did not love work any
more than any other boy of his age,
but when he came to the age Of reason
and realized that his life would be
what he made it himself he devoted
himself to his task with ardor. While
he made many friends, he made no
enemies
Baseball Enthusiast.
Young Johnson left school to help
his mother. She took in washing and
John delivered the washing. Two
years later he got job as clerk in a
grocery store and then prevailed upon
his mother to quit her job and let him
support the family.
One would think that an early ex-
perience Of this sort would have hard
! sned and soured the boys character.
But there was one fact that saved him
from an excess Of ridicule and perSe-
cution. There wasn't lad of his age
In St. Peter that could beat him play
ing baseball He would come from
his work day after day and make his
brother stand up against the wall in
the back yard while he practiced
straight arm pitching.
Fond Of good, clean, witty stories,
the kind with a laugh in them, Gov
ernor Johnson on one occasion was
asked if he proposed to be a candi-
date for the Democratic presidential
nomination.
All Ready For Strike.
ss1:I can best answer that" he re-
Asponded, "by telling you Of the expe-
rience of a Minnesota farmer. This
man Of the soil took a load of grain to
the city and exchanged it for a few
barrels of rye, the liquid variety. Re-
turning home, he transferred part of
the load, and by the time he arriv-
ed at his place he was feeling very
comfortable. Walking toward his
house, he ran into ratt1esnake coiled
up ready for business. He stuck out
his leg. Strike, goi durn We! he ex-
claimed I'H never be in better shape
e., Y