The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-03
Washington Post

Gov. John A. Johnson, of Minnesota. who died on Tuesday, had the un- usual experience of being the possessor of presidential boom that was start ed by a speech that was never re- ported.
 The effect of that unreported speech was greater than that of many more pretentious speeches that have been re- ported. It made Johnson the leading figure in the Democratic Party, aside, of course. from Bryan. and led to a train of events that might have brought him to the White House in 1912-had he lived. There Is no pa- raIlel to 1t in political history. the nearest being Abraham Lincoln's unre- ported speech in 1856, which made him immed ediately the central figure of Vest ern Republicanism.
 With all the disadvantages of an un- reported speech there go certain ex- traordinary advantages. One of them Is that as no one can prove or dis prove anything about 1t, the widest eulogy may cross the confinement without criticism, and nothing that is said about it seems incredible. The actual publication of Lincoln's speech in Hay and Nicolay's life of him. generation later. leaves one wonder ing at the effect 1t produced and the legend that grew up about it--for 1t | was uOL OHt VI HIS SISdtSSt hOe a''NN~~ ly as great, for instance. as his mouse divided against itself speech.
 What follows is written by ons who heard the unrepor3d speech of Gov. Johnson.
 When it became evident that only the most strenuous exertions could defeat the nomination of MT. Bryan for a third time, a number of candidates were brought forward. There was no real enthusiasm back of any of them, the antiBryan Democrats were simply casting about for name. They were houndering in every direction, hoping not for an attractive. popular leader. but for somebody. any oody. who could be put forward in such way as to shake the Bryan strength.
 Judge Gray, of Delaware. Judson Harmon, now Governor of Ohio, and other names were proposed and con sidered. after the fashion In whlcn drowning men catch at straws. Among the rest, Gov. Johnson was brought forward for the reason that he had been twice elected Governor of Re- publican State. Nobody knew anything about Johnson: he seemed available as a vote getter, that was all.
 His Minnesota boomers committed the mistake of trying to suppress the Governors human characteristics and make a tin god of him. Their proce- dure was based on the theory that the opposition candidate should be one who would make a complete contrast to the character of MI. Roosevelt. In all the press matter they sent out they toned down the real Johnson, and tried to create sort of George Washing ton, severe, unsmiling, austere, and majestic. The very photographs they circulated were those of wooden faced man. and everybody who saw the somber face with its prominent jaw and unsmiling eye. said: Well. what ever else he Is. he's ScandanaVlan. sure."
 It was all one to the Eastern boom- CTS. They were not in hopes of get ting a Lincoln or a Roosevelt out Of the West. They were just grasping | frantically at a name. any kdnd or name, and all they hoped was that by hook or crook they could land some | hgurehead In the Waite mousse anu | keep Bryan out.
 At this time, while there was lack adaisical, apathetic, listless movement | for Gray or Johnson, or Harmon or anybody, the GrIdiron Club, of Wash | ington, invited Gov. Johnson. Judge | Gray, and many other national leaders | to attend one of its dinners. The Gov ernor and the judge were among those | who accepted. There was only lan- guid interest in the GOV ernor when he his place, not at the head of the table, but at one of the side tables .I..I e.tta> ked the Gridiron viands.
 There were 250 guests present. the | President of the United States at their head, Supreme Court. Senate. House. l the money kings of the country: gener- ! als, admirals, authors, scientists, Gov ernors, Judges "aa4ong those present" " In the course of the evening-rather | far down the evening-the Governor | was introduced.
 The Gridiron always introduces it's | speakers. not with a speech. but with d song, usually addressed to the pros pective speaker, and gently derisive | of him. In this case they sang a song entitled Poor John"-that is. Johnson
 wanted the nomination. but couldn have 1t, because Bryan wouldn't let l him
 The Governor arose. and the first | glimpse of him in the great dining hall of the Willard somehow dissi- pated every tenaciously held Idea of the stold Scandinavian, the new AL ton B. Parker Before he had said a
 word, his merry, twinkllng eyes and the genial. friendly face had belied ev- | cry photograph ever sent out about him and the deep, warm voice that
 rang out in his first sentence with strange and happy infections that made him over completely III secoho
 of time, to those who thought they knew what he was.
 Poor John?" he said. T appreciate
 the honor: but don't you think. when you look back at 1896, at 1900, and al
 1904, you ought to say Poor Bill?'
 The unexpectedness of it, the addi- tional element of unexpectedness that
 was attached to It's coming from "the 1 stolid SWede," set the crowd wild. The
 President, the Speaker of the House
 the Justice of the Suprme Court, all united in one mighty shout that lasted a minute. Johnson looked out over the shouting crowd with eyes that danced
 He was so utterly different from
 what his ill-advised press agents had represented him. Tall, straight, with a sensitive, mobile face that changed In expression every second, his was as fine looking and striking appearance as ever was seen in a dinner hall. de- spite the libelous photographs or his | press agents. His mellow voice. full of unexpected deeps and shallows, and always so calculated as to bring out to the uttermost every meaning thai lay behind one of his sentences, may
 not have been the voice of an orator
 but no orator could have made such an | impression on that crowd.
 And, remember. it was not the ordl- nary mass meeting audience. It was made up. that crowd of 250. of men to whom oratory was their daily bread
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