The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1909-09-29

Ulll was U0dSSu ILL CIlC OCAdCC Ny VAAV
vote, Johnson was consistently for 1t,
and in 1901 was largely responsible
for it's passage. In the democratic
state convention of 1900, Senator
Johnson was chosen to place the name
of Governor Lind in nomination for
second term. His speech at this
convention and his legislative record
brought the democratic leaders to a
realization that a new Moses had
sprung up in their midst.
Added to these things, the fact Of
his Swedish parentage, valuable po-
litical asset in Minnesota caused some
talk in 1902 of nominating johnson
for governor. Governor Van SAINT
was running for reelection on his
record against the railway merger, an
idea Of great popularity with the peo-
pie, and johnson was wise enough to
refuse to allow his name to be con-
sidered and to thus escape getting the
little end of a vote that gave $4,000
plurality for republican candidate,
which was at that time the largest
ever given a candidate for governor.
Governor Johnson instead tried for
reelection to the senate, but another
Johnson was put up by the republi-
cans and beat him. This defeat was
the greatest luck Johnson ever had,
for it left him eligible for the guber-
Material nomination in 1904.
Campaign Of 1904.
Out of the campaign of 1904 ]. S.
Johnson had his real political birth.
Both political parties in +, Minnesota
were absolutely demoralized. The
democracy was in chaos, while the
republican party was split in twain by
a bitter pre-convention fight. The
railway interests pushed forward R.
c. Dunn, the ex-state auditor who had
openly defended the Northern Pacific
and Great Northern merger. With
plenty Of financial resources back of
him, he wrested the control of the
convention from the Van SAINT organi
cation. Mr.. Dunn's methods shocked
even the republicans and large num-
Der of the anti-Dunn men bolted. This
made party wound which one or two
hopeful democrats believed would not
heal and they began to look for a
strong man to head the ticket.
The Johnson boom for Governor be-
gan on July 4th, 1904, in a conversation
at st. Paul between himself and sew
eral republican colleagues of the senate
who urged him to run as an independ-
ent candidate. These men were H.
]. Miller of Luverne, r. e. Thompson
of Preston and A. o. Everhart of Man.
kato who succeeds Governor Johnson
as governor. After caucus of dem
ocratic leaders was held at the state
capitol in which the situation was care
fully canvassed, it was decided to go
into the campaign for fight and the
meeting ended in endorsing John A.
johnson for Governor. The proposition
took like wild fire and in a short time
hundreds of letters came to Mr.. John.
son from men of both parties urging
him to make the race but he told his
friends that he could not accept as he
did not feel able financially to 60 into
it right. 1t became apparent, how.
ever, that the convention would nom.
mate him whether or no.
The Message That Never Was Sent
johnson realizing this, prepared a
telegram to the st. Paul Globe which
would have made his nomination i'm
possible and then informed Frank A.
Day, another editor of Fairmont and
the leader of the Johnson boom, that
he had written it. Day wired him tc
hold the message until he reached st
Peter and after an all night talk, the
telegram was not sent and johnson
accepted the unanimous nomination
Johnson set a new mark in state cam
paigning. In forty-two days he made
counties of the "a in the state, Jump
ing from meeting to meeting three
times day as fast as special train:
could carry him. Mr.. Johnson hat
only recently recovered from hi!
third operation for appendicitis bu
the cheering of the crowds sustained
his spirit even while he suffered bod
lily. johnson did not attack Dunn. al
the insurgent republicans were doinl
that, and devoted himself to getting
acquainted with the people with tn
result that it is stated of him that h
made vote wherever he could reacl
a voters ear.
A Campaign Without Party Issues.
There were no strong party issue
that year, as the platforms were es
sentially the same and the conduct o
the state government had always beel
so clean that there were no gray
abuses to stir the blood Of good Gil
; izenship. Practically the entire stat
was involved in the anti-railway az
itation. and the trespass of the lumbe
interests on the timber land but thes
matters were not fractional as bot
platforms agreed upon them. For thi
reason, Johnson made his campaig
with Johnson and not party, as hi
issue. He simply promised to be ho1
est and sincere if they should give hi1
7 the election and gained reputatio
; among the republican leaders of bein
t absolutely square and q man VIII