Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-09-25

ative of a great and wealthy DIS
riot and | in the humble capacity
If newspaper reporter. | hearu
me of his first and most brilliant
platform addresses in his first cam
Iaign for the governOrshir and sat
utterly astounded at the ready flow
of wit. satire. sarcasm. logic ana
lear. pointed argument. Whence
lad this sudden gift of tongue come? !
did not know, only that it was new
But later, when | knew more of John
Albert johnson it was apparent that
his magnificent gifts were not the
overnight reward of benignant
fairy, but the full fruition of many
an hour in many year gone by.
when by the dim light of Il smoky
lamp. he was eagerly absorbing
Charles Dickens. Shakespeare and his
Bible.
And now as | write, comes through
the window the mournful. the some
times terrible strains of Chopin s
March Dunebre. as the cOrtege is
winding slowly down from that white
marble pile 10 the funeral train.
From the tower of the city hall, from
every church spire in the city for 'an
hour the somber booming of tolling
bells had been dimminG into the con-
seriousness of thousands that the
splendid figure of yesterday, keen
alive, virile, and crowned with the
confidence and hopes of millions of
his fellows, is no longer with us.
Yesterday 5000 people passed his
simple casket and never in the west
was there such evident grief. such
wringing of heart-StringS, such
widespread pain. Today as the
stately procession moves its painful
way, 100000 people are standing in
the bright and cheerful sunlight
striving to keep back the yelling
tears. mute. uncovered, bowed with
grief. There was never anything like
this in Minnesota. The loss of our
people is sudden, complete and ir
reparable.
He is gone from us, but that which
lives means better citizenship to the
state of which he was the first native
born governor and the favorite son.
His deeds are many and honorable
and will be recorded in their proper
place. In due time Il figure OF bronze
Will adOrn splendid niche in the
statehouse where he was the chief
executive of a state of empire-like
wealth. dimensions and resources. He
was 4 commanding figure and has
LETT his impress, but the greatest
achievements of John Albert John
son, plain American. are not written
on the heavy parchments that lie in
the vaults of the secretary OF state.
but upon the hearts of 1000. 600 of
his fellows in Minnesota, who loved
him much and hoped much for him
And what greater achievement is pos
Sible for any man. He has fulfilled
his own ambition. He has added tC|
the sum of human knowledge of life
He has achieved something in the
laEOrS of life. He has done a work
which no man did before him in the
state which was his sphere of activ-
ity.
But | like best to think of other
things. He has come not within Sight
of the castle of his dreams. but he
was thankful for life. for the olden
memories. he was gentle. His riches
were of the spirit and in the love of
every man who knew him.
And so today goes to his resting
place the remains OF one who has
done these things in Minnesota in IS
brief years. His life was laid dow
while he was still in the service OF
mis- state, and the life he led is the
priceless legacy to a people VINO knew
him well. hOnored him much. expect.
ed much ana were not disappointed.