The Virginia enterprise., 1909-09-24
IN MEMORY OF 4 N0BtE MAN.
Virginia Does Honor to Memory Of
Governor Johnson ia Appropriate
Exercises at Auditorium.

Exercises at Auditorium.
In common with all cities of the
state Virginia paid due tribute to
the memory of our late departed
governor, John A. Johnson, by a
general cessation of business and
in appropriate exercises at the
Roosevelt Auditorium yesterday
afternoon, the spacious hall being
we'll filled with pupils and sorrow
ing citizens.
The exercises were under the aus
pices of the schools, of which Gov
ernor Johnson had shown himself
80 consistent friend, prayer being
offered by Rev. Neff and comment
orative addresses being given by
Superintendent Lafayette Bliss and
Rev. Neff, the exercises being inter-
spersed with vocal solos by Miss
MargareqShuttleworth. of the High
School faculty.
The address by Mr.. Bliss is repro
duced for Enterprise readers, being
deemed we'll worthy of preserva
tion as portrayal ot the honor and
esteem of Vir"inians for our de-
parted executive:
JOHN \. JOHNSON.
John \. Johnson was born at ST..
Peter, Minnesota, July %, 1861. Both
his parents were natives of Sweden.
He was educated in the public
schools of st. Peter, but at the age
of thirteen he left school and went
to work to help support the family.
He served as delivery boy and clerk
IN general store at $3.50 per week,
and later as druggists clerk in
his native town. For a time he act
ed as foreman on some railroad
work. Later he became a printer
and about 1889 part owner of the ST.
Peter Herald, of which he became
editor. He served seven years in
the Minnesota National Guard, ris
ing to the rank of captain.
While still a young man he took
an active interest in politics, and af.
ter two unsuccessful trials he was
elected state senator from Nicolle,
county. In 1904 he made his frs,
run for the position of governor
and was elected on the Democratic
ticket, although the state returned
large majority for the Republican
candidate for president.
Two years later he was reelected
and in 1908 he was returned to the
governorship for the third success
i've term, carrying the state by 28,
OOO, in the face of sweeping Re
publican victory in the state for the
national ticket. In both of the las,
two elections Governor Johnson
was the only Democrat elected to a
state office.
John A. Johnson married Miss
klinare Preston, at St. Peter. in 1894
He tnadelhis residence in St. Pete,
until this last summer. when he
purchased home in st. Paul.
Governor Johnson was widely
known on the lecture platform, anc
in 1908 was one of the three mer
most prominently mentioned fol
the Democratic candidacy for the
presidency of the United States. He
was given the degree of Doctor ot
Laws by the University of Pennsyl
vania in 1907.
Governor Johnson enjoyed the
distinction of being the first Mime
sotan to be chosen governor of the
state, and of that distinction re was
prouder than of any other feature
OF his career. He felt more pride
in that than he did in the fact tha,
he educated and prepared himself
for that career while helping to sup
port widowed mother. He was
born in a humble shack not far
from St. Peter, of wretchedly poor
parents. His father was a common
drunkard and died in the county
poor house; his mother took in
washing to support six little help.
less children. Yet from these un.
toward surroundings John A. John
son rose up masnificently. He edu.
Gated himself. he helped support
that widowed mother, he helped tc
rear those younger children, and
later, when the people needed him
they called HIM to be the first gov.
ernor to occupy the beautiful mar.
bic state house in St. Paul. The
tact thst he rose from the lowly
hovel of his birth to be the most
popular and best beloved governor
of our state, gives us all cause &c
strengthen our belief in republican
institutions, and to love the land
where such career is made posi-
BILE. Money is not all there is to life
in this country yet.
Governor Johnson's political sue
cess has been attributed to his
agreeable personality, but with all
his charm of manners he could not
have satisfied the public with his
official performances to the degree
that he did, if he had not possessed
also the capacity for affairs and the
force of character which we have
come to know and admire. The ad'
mirable administrative ability OF
the man was we'll illustrated in his