New Ulm review., 1909-09-22
MlNNEsOT 4 Flv0RITE SON
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mlnnES0T 1 S lvORIT { Son
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strikes such human interest color.
The story of John johnson Of st. Peter,
as published in the st. Paul paper,
quickly went the rounds Of the Mime
sofa press; also it went the rounds Of
the corner groceries and the drug stores
and the country hotel Offices. where
governors are made and presidents are
prepared from the raw material.
The st. Paul reporter discovered that
Gustaf Johnson. blacksmith. had en-
igrated from Sweden about fifty years
ago. settling in st. Peter. He had
been a heavy drinker in his native
land and came to America in the hope
that he might reform. He did reform
for few years. He married Caroline
Haden, a Swedish girl, also an immi-
grant. She was utterly alone in Amer
lea. The blacksmith installed her in
two room house near st. Peter. For
few years the brawny arms of Gustaf
Johnson earned living for the wife
and the little ones who came, John be-
ing the first baby, born in 1861. Then
| recurred an attack of the old malady,
the old disease, which in the system
of the village blacksmith demanded
alcohol. The blacksmith became a
drunkard. Like many others Of his
unfortunate class, he went "from bad
to worse" Finally the local authori-
ties placed him in the poorhouse, where
after some years he died.
Mrs. Johnson was left with six chill
dren to support. John was only twelve
years old, but he arose to the occa-
sion. He insisted upon quitting school
| so that he might help. He got job
in grocery store. A grocer's boy has
no snap as job, but some Of them
have snap as individuals. John John
son-they probably called him Johnny
then-got $40 a month, which he turn
ed over to his mother He found time
| to deliver laundry washed and ironed
by his mother. his splendid, heroic
! mother and also to deliver papers on
| the carriers route-the town paper.
After two years of this grocer's boy
| life he got a job in the drug store at a
slightly higher rate Of pay. From this
time on his mother quit taking in
washing. John supported the family
In the years following three of the
little sisters died, and John Johnson
was in debt to the undertaken. The
boy studied hard while working in the
OF ho
was in the same block. He read many
books from the library, being chiefly
interested in history. Meanwhile he
studied pharmacy, too, and eventually
he became registered pharmacist
Real Journalist With Real Job.
After nine years in the drug store
John Johnson became a journalist. In
the cities journalist is sometimes de-
scribed as newspaper man out of
job. In st. Peter John Johnson was
a real Journalist with real job, pay
ing for half interest in the Herald,
for which friends who believed in him
had put up the money. Johnson had
paid off the undertaken. He had bought
In the two room family homestead,
which was about to be sold for taxes,
and he had added other rooms and
improvements.
So this was the story discovered by
the st. Paul reporter. 1t was so mag
| nificently true that American Mime
sofa arose gloriously to the occasion.
President Roosevelt carried the always
Republican state of Minnesota by a
majority of 61,4G2-a hundred thou
sand above the normal majority. But,
hold! John A1oert Johnson, Democrat,
was elected governor by majority of
$500. Not a very large majority that,
and yet he turned "a, 400 votes to get it.
The country editor closed down his
desk at st. Peter, probably saying to
Henry Essler: ''I'll be back in two
years. Try to keep the subscribers in
line, and don't let the ads. get away
from you. Keep the jobwork going.'
Then he went to work at his new
job in St. Paul, his Office being in Min
nesota's fine new state capitol build
ing. Did Johnson as governor Of a
great state pose as a sickly sentimen-
tai friend Of "the common peepul?"
Not bit of it-not he johnson made
no pretense Of being ultra democratic.
He wore good clothes. the prevailing
style, and cut just as dignifed figure
at gubernatorial reception as he had
cut in the editorial sanctum at st. Pc
ter. He had sense enough to adapt
himself to his environment.
He Made Good.
Johnson also had the moral and men
| tai backbone to make him Johnny-on-
| the-spot With his new job. He had
had no experience as an editor when he
/ took hold Of the st. Peter Herald. But
he made good He made good also
as governor of Minnesota. Do you
want proof? Then read the election
returns of 1906. Normally the Repub-
lican candidate should have won by
! about 10000 majority. AS a matter