Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1909-08-14
JOHNSON'S SPEECH.
Regarded as the Opening of
Presidential Race.

| IOr Gno W0SG TO GQrOW OH the snack
les of the east, and declare it's politi
cal independence, to demand the rep
resentation in congress which its peo-
pie, it's wealth, and its importance en-
| titles it, was the keynote of Gov.
Johnson's address this afternoon at
the Minnesota day at the exposition.
Minnesota celebrated her day at the
Alaska Yukon Pacific exposition by
unveiling bronze bust of her most
distinguished citizen, James J. Hill,
the railroad builder.
John A. johnson, governor of Min
nesota, came to Seattle to deliver the
principal address and loose the cord
that bound about the monument the
flags of Japan, Great Britain and the
United States.
Gov. johnson gave comprehensive
figures to show the development of
the northwest along all lines, and it's
vast wealth and resources.
What would the statesmen of 1903
who opposed the Louisiana purchase
for paltry s15,oOo,ooO, he declared,
or those or 1910, who considered the
Oregon country of no value, or those
of 1867, who doubted the wisdom of
acquiring Alaska, what repeat
would they think were they confront
ed in their graves by the recording
angel with a financial statement of
the wealth of the west for 1902 What
would they think of the proposition
that, scarcely a century after Jeffer-
sons purchase, the wealth of the
western half of the United States
equal two thirds that of France or of
Germany, nearly the total wealth of
Russia, and approximately that of
Italy and Austro- Hungary combined?
"The call of the west is for devel-
opment. 1t is the call of the race to
the vanguard of progress. The west
knows no rest, no stopping place.
"The call of the west is for liberty,
equality, manhood, fair play-for
those ina''enable rights which ever
have been the inseparable conditions
of it's progress and victories. The
frontier has ever fought for the fun
damentals of pure democracy. Jeffer-
son, author of the great Decla ration,
born of the frontier, enunciated its
gospel. Jackson, the rugged fighter
of the Tennessee wilds, and Lincoln,
the Illinois rail splitter and emanci-
pater typified the native convictions
of the western soul in which mans
independence, freedom, and equality
before the law are as the very breath
of life.
ssThe call of the west is the call of
patriotism and progress, for emanei-
patton from every form of old-world
and new world caste and privilege,
from the tyranny of wealth and birth,
and alike from the dominion of the
trust and political machine; and the
call of the west, if 1 read Alright the
spirit of our land, is today, as in the
days of jefferson, Jackson and Lincoln
the call of the American people.
"The call of the west is the call for
brave men who shall know no Sec
tional and no political lines. We as
an integral part of the American peo
pie should cast our influence and our
votes not only to advance the ma
terial interests of our own particular
section, but we should be broad
enough and big enough to labor for the
common good of our common coun-
try.
"We have in the states west of the
Mississippi the undoubted balance of |
power, no matter under what name |
the national administration at Wash |
ington exists. In the years that have |
passed our population and our ma
terial wealth have not enjoyed that |
representation to which they are en-
titled, and, furthermore, our leaders
have been content to follow in no !
small measure the leadership of men
who represent relatively smaller con-
slitutencies and smaller common
wealths.
'sIt is time that the west threw off |
the shackles of the east.
81 would preach no sectional divis |
ion and no sectional strifes, but Min |
nesota and Washington and the states |
between, with those to the south of us |
should raise in their might and claim |
for themselves that fair share of in |
fiuence in the halls of congress and in |
the administration of national affairs |
to which they are entitled by every |
law of commerce, as well as of politi-
cal economy.
s.The call of the west is the call of /
the future. The years that are open
sv,nr oil