Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-29

to remark that whatever he laid his
hands to succeeded. The small paper
in the little city had hardly ever been
more than a partial success, and often
an absolute failure, and so johnson
was finally called in to take charge,
with the result that the property was
soon financially upon it's feet; but,
more than that it was taking its place
as one of the stronger Of the small pa
pers Of the state.
Little by little Johnson became
known. Step by step he advanced.
First his work was remarked by other
newspaper men and they elected him
the president of the State Editorial as
sociation. In'1898 he was elected state
senator, and again in 1900. In l904 ne
led his party to success as governor.
ITO be the peoples hired man.
That was Governor Johnson's s ambition,
and so well did he achieve 1t that mad
he lived he would in 1912 have been the
nominee of his party for the presl-
dency, a safe, sane and honest man,
who would have had a better chance OF
election than any candidate in dozen
years. All his time was given up TO
his work save that devoted to an oc-
casional lecture, for Governor Johnson
was never a rich man, and he felt that
with passing years he should do what
he could to accumulate something Tor
his family. He had long suffered from
digestive trouble and had several times
been operated on prior to the last des-
perate operation, which proved fatal'
Honored by His Enemies
"It would have been easy for him to
have added dishonesty to his worldly
possessions but such a thought never
entered his head, and during his ad-
ministration many reform movements
which have politically placed Minne-
sofa in the forefront of states were
originated by him and put through. He
never had a Democratic legislature to
aid him, but the men in the legislature
honored the chief executive, and there
never was hostility such as would nan
dicap Johnsons efforts for the advance
ment of the interests of the state. This
condition came about through the TACT
that every one knew that Governor
Johnson was an honest man and all
knew that the people would stand back
of him.
"When John A. Johnson was men
toned as a possible nominee Tor tne
presidency in 1908 on the Democratic
ticket though he was ambitious, did he
neglect his duty to work for himseltE
He kept steadily along about his busl-
ness and let his friends speak for MN,
for he was the peoples hired man,
and as such boundel to work for the
people on the peoples time, and not for
himself.
"And then came that grim time
when. with his faithful wife and low
ing companion by his side, he went
down into the valley, to him the val
lev of death. His trip from st. Paul
TO Rochester, where, at st. Mary's nos
pital, he was to be operated upon was
made in a common chair car and ne
paid his railway fare just the same as
any one ,else, one of the first governors
of the state not to travel upon a pass.
He was in great pain and yet the prl-
vate car which would gladly have been
donated to him by the corporation was
not used, because he was the people
hired man and could not be beholden
to a corporation which might ask Ia
yors of him as governor.
Courteous on Bed of Pain
"While at Rochester upon what
nroved to be his deathbed President
Taft, a man opposed to Governor john
son politically, paid an official visit TO
the state. Few men suffering as GOV
ernor Johnson was would have thought
of hospitality at such time, put not
so Johnson. Few who read it Will Tor
get the simple telegram, penned on a
he'd of pain by MinnesOta's governor,
addressed to President Taft welcoming
him to Minnesota, a telegram which
caused a tear to fall from the eye OF
the tender-hearted ruler of the nation.
It was in keeping with the man John-
son a man who all his life had thouSht
6rst of others and second of SELF