The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-09-24
GOV. JOHNSON
PAYS LAST DEBT
Death Claims Popular Man
Of People in MINI.
Men Of All Parties In Grief Over
Sad Occurrence Flags
at Half Mast.

Wnen the death spectre STOOD yes
terday by the bedside of John A.
Johnson, its hooded shadow stretched
hour was felt by near a hundred mil
lion people. Minnesota lost a Chief
Executive; the country lost an Ex
ample: the world a Man. As Blaine
said of Garfield so may we repeat of
Johnson: with unfaltering front he
faced death; with unfailing tender
ness he took leave of life; with simple
resignation he bowed to the divine
decree" And in passing he left
along the shadowy way the light of
ennobled life light that fades not,
nor will grow dim.
When a conquerer goes down un-
der the Last Assault he surrenders
only that which he held in trust-his
life; he is not compromised And
above all things John Johnson was a
conqueror. No man suffers defeat in
death if he has made the world bet
ter by his living; he but relinquishes
his lease by the terms of contract
he did not make or sign, but must
abide by.-well indeed for him, and
better for his fellow men, II he work
ed his privilege honestly. Johnson
did. He was simple; he was pure of
thought and purpose; he was true to
scheme and execution; he was kind
and broad and humane; he understood
humanity, he held a high standard
without fcar-and with kindness; he
had learned the limiaticrs of his
follows and yet kept his fine faith
in men; the frailties of the few did
not turn him against the many; he
saw face to face, yet kept his firm
perspective. A few will mourn him,
the Republic will miss him.
Born of lowly parents, reared
through early youth amid poverty,
subjected in his childhood to the daily
lessons of a fathers unworthiness and
a mothers slavery; learning in in
fancy tie bitterness Of life when he
should have been surrounded with The
sweet atmosphere of parental unity
and homely peace, there entered into
his young soul the iron of experience,
and he fused it into the steel of pur-
pose. The schooling he obtained was
knowledge fitted him for the con-
fidence and admiration of people.
At tender age he became the sup
port of his fathers family; the hard
ships Of grocer's clerk, of druggist S
helper, OF railroad timekeeper-and in
all that time he never possessed an
overcoat to shield him against the
cold of Northern winters-were step
ping stones 10 him instead of mill
stones. He became editor of his town
newspaper. helped into responsibility
over financial barricades by the ac-
clamation Of his townsfolk. In five
years he wrote his name Secretary
of the State Press Association, of Min
nesota," he was elected and served as
Representativ through two sessions
of the Legislature, became Democratic
leader In a Republican Commonwealth
and was thrice elected its Governor.
He made the steel trust pay taxes
on $3.50. 900 900 instead of $320OO,O 900
Of property In Minnesota; he forced
through the two-cent fare law; he
caused sleeping car companies 10 be
taxed; brought into existence a mod
ern mortgage tax, compelled recipro-
cal demurrage laws. formed free
State employment bureau, abolished
railroad passes, inaugurated domestic
insurance reforms, and led in the
fight for national insurance correc-
ton. He stood for the people. He
could be counted on without disap-
pointment to champion any cause
that was fair, whether 1t involved the
rich or the poor. He knew no favo-
rites; he had no personal revenges to
wreak at the expense of the public.
A lifelong Democrat he stood by hi
party and stood for society; a poll
tician, he was clean; and in him were
combined favorably the elements that
make statesman and carve name.
No finer recognition of his uncommon
worth could have come than from
the lips Of William II. Taft. the great
Republican President, when a few
days ago he declared with pre-
science that only death could refute,