The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-27

John A. Johnson, late Governor of Min
 nesota, in the Youths Champion.
 N the country the editor lives near to
 natures heart" He is part and par 4 eel of the community life. Every body knows him. When he chronicles the arrival of the bouncing boy" or when he extends condolences to "the be- reaved family" those interested feel the gentle touch of friendly hand. He records triumphs and successes in the spirit of participation; his chronicle of vicissitudes and struggles and sorrows has the element of personal sympathy.
 Although the average editor is prone to regard himself in the light of "a mute. inglorious Milton." he profession has con- tributed very largely to public life.
 It has often been said that Minnesota Is governed by the country editor. This may not be strictly true, but certainly the fourth estate" is more numerously rep resented there in public place than in any other commonwealth.
 The governor, his private secretary and executive clerk are country newspaper men; so are the labor commissioner, the executive agent of the game and fish com mission, the state oil inspector, the state librarian, the secretary and assistant sec retary of state, the assistant labor com missioner, the state fire warden, the as- sistant fire marshal, the deputy public ex- aminer. the secretary of the dairy and food commission, the assistant clerk Of the supreme court, the secretary of the board of control.
 Both political parties have recognizes the capability of the country editor for official position from the earliest history of the state, and he has always been an active force in legislative councils and in the minor places under the national and state government.
 Then, too, there Is glory enough in just being an editor. What young journalist has not held up to his flushed and eager eyes the editorial page of his first issue and gazed proudly upon the name next preceding the words, "edtor and pro- prietor?''
 When the years roll by, and the strug- gles of diversity are not always sweet ened by the plums of fame and fortune. he may lose the elasticity of youthful pride and vainglory, but through the shadows there beams still the same belief in the loftiness of his profession.
 The country printing office is prolific of ludicrous situations, and many a laugh has been provoked at the expense of the editor or reporter uncertain of his facts. Some fifteen years ago a new conner from Iowa started democratic paper in a little town in southern Min nesota. A campaign was in progress, and a one-legged man, habitually attired in a blue suit. was the candidate for register of deeds. It was easy to think of him as a veteran of the civil war. and the local paper of which I speak pulp lshed vigorous eulogy of the old soldier, urging the election of "the deserving vet eran who left limb on southern battle field"
 agined when his republican contemporary came out the next week with the informa- ton that the candidate had never been a soldier. and that his leg was taken of by & cider press in Pennsylvania 10 years after the war had closed.
 The story Is told that soon after Chief Justice Chase assumed the gubernatorial chair in Ohio he issued his proclamation appointing a Thanksgiving Day. To make sure of being orthodox, the governor com posed his proclamation almost entirely oi passages from the Bible. which he did