Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1909-09-23

rup to his office and told him plainly
that the university would be kept out
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. Johnsons conduct
as such has set a new precedent in
SUCH affairs. He has not been merely
figurehead in their meetings, but has
taken 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
ne 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, q four year
term for governor with one term
limit; reduced freight rates; abolition
OF railway passes; an employers liza.
bility law; liberal forestry policy and
a non-partisan judiciary.
The Insurance investigation.
Early in his first term when the
wave OF insurance investigation was
sweeping over the country, 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 states
prison. From this he became 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 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-fire campaign making 119 speeches
In seven weeks In IS counties of the
state paying his fare himself for every
mile travelled. The result was not in
doubt from the start but this plurality
was surprise as he polled 16S,4S0 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-
lcally Governor Johnson received more
consideration for his ideas and among
his recommendations which were
adopted were:
A maximum schedule of freight
~ates.
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 on 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 for the state snivers.
lty faculty.
This made q good grist for 4 single
session. The permanent tax commits.
sion was vastly more important in
stitution. Johnson named on this
commission one republican, one dem
ocrat and one university professor.
all men Of ability and special fitness.
The announcement Of their names had
the spontaneous approval or both
houses and In less than i year they
justified his selection by adding s112.-
100000 to the assessed valuation Of
iron properties. Governor Johnson's at
titude toward the iron Interests was not
one OF antagonism but one. Of fairness
as was shown in the 1908 session Of
the Legislature in which he vetoed the
proposed tonnage tax law which he
believed to be exhorbitant, unfair and
unconstitutional. aftes II had passed
both houses BY q strong vote Of both
parties.
The Governor had soma ether sug-