The Daily Missoulian., 1909-10-10
John Albert johnson
tBy curtis l.. Mosher.)

commands st. Paul from its remark
able vantage point. John Albert John
son. plain American, summed up his
measure of life in words which it will
be impossible To ever forget. .....
1T is my conclusion" he said, that
the bitterness of poverty. the, terrible
drudgery those who rise from the bot
tom must experience. the bitter long
ings and the heartaches for the things
we want-want with heart and soul.
and always find just beyond us-com-
prise the test of fire to which n far
seeing Providence subjects those who
arc destined to succeed. And whether
real success is possible without this
suffering. | doubt. When people call
ne governor, and show me respect, il
p1eases ne, but my mind inevitably re-
rerts To the time when no one digni-
fled me, and | wonder why and what
these things mean. So much in life
we none of MS understand. But there's
a purpose. and those of us who have
the desire to accomplish a work in the
world can only remember that there
is no honor not founded on worth.
and no respect not founded on accom-
plishment. And, above all. to help
others to life. To hope, to see the great
ness of tine future and to strive for
share in the accomplishment of some
thing which is new and needed in this
world, or which is worthy because il
contributes TO a broader understanding
of life and its problems.
Fought Poverty.
''fo have fought poverty is a mag
nilceat heritage. / do not envy the
rich. Their affiuence has cut them
off from the greatest thing in the
wSrld-ta.know how the average, COM
monplace. unsuught and unhonored
man lives. what he feels, what he
thinks. There is but one end of life
which is worth. aud that is To conquer
to conquer adversely pain, envy, re-
grets. ambitions and the obstacles
which are put in our path to develop
our fortitude. our courage and our
hrains.''
We paced along the street. John AL
bert Johnson. with his peculiar. swing
ing stride. Finally he turned to me
with one of his rare. quizZical. delight
full smiles which so frequently illumi!
mated his rather sad and serious fea-
lures. and said:
Come on; l want to buy a cigar-a
darn good one. It's one of the pleas
aatest things | do, because | never put
my money on the counter and get one
Of those full. rich. delicious Havanas
without remembering the times when
l would have been glad to smoke a
fine perfecto and give one to friend
but had only Il nickle or dime to
bless myself with"
This was the character of John AL
bert johnson. | do not think il is
necessary To say more. The worth of
. the man. his struggles and successes.
his attitude toward his fellow men.
and the attitude of his fellows toward
him. are sufficiently expressed in these
quiet remarks after the brunt of the
days labor was over.
Sole Support.
He was the son of washerwoman--
woman whom he delighted to honor.
To whom he was not only the sole ray
of hope and solaea. but the sole sup
port. She died three years ago, but not
untll the WasnSrWofisan son WIS tHt
first citizen of one of the greatest COM
monwealths of the nation. She was
brave and determined. and fought a
good fight against the early pangs Of
hunger. adyersity and sodden pain. He
had little education. and that he gained
through the most unremittins toll. 1t
came through cumbersome channels
masses of disjointed. unweildly knowl-
edge in the abstract. but powerful
and yirile mind correlated the facts,
assorted and classified the Information
and stored it against the day of his
success He became drug clerk.
gained there the greatest triumph of
his life. and that was not when he Was
sworn as governor of Minnesota. but
when he carried home To worn. tired