The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-09-23
Nominated For Governor.

EpariuG to undergo the operation which
Eresul'ed in his death.
Nominated For Governor.
In 1904 the Democrats of Minnesota
nominated for governor a country edi-
$tor, the st. Peter Herald man. John
Johnson vas pretty good country ed.
Bitor. too. but there were some 700 9TH
Ser5 In Minnesota. st. Peter Is a small
Flown, aud the Herald is small paper.
But it is not necessarily true that a
small paper In small town had a
small man at the head of it. Plenty
Eof instances to the contrary might be
fcited, but Johnson's is enough. For
fifteen years Editor johnson had run
the editorial end of the Herald. while
| his partner, Henry Essler. had run the
mechanical end. Both took hand att
the business end. johnson became Sec
retary and then president of the state
editorial association. So the other edi-
tors knew him. and they liked him.
johnson had served one term as al
state senator, and some of the politi-
clans knew him and liked him too. But
he was defeated for reelection. being
a Democrat in Republican district.
and when his party placed him at the
head of the state ticket he was plain
John Johnson, country editor.
Minnesota's normal Republican ma
jority is between $4,000 and 70,OOO|
The Democrats had little or no eXpec-
lation of electing Johnson. One reason
they picked him for the candidacy was
that he was Swede and would get
the Scandinavian vote. which in Min
nesota is considerable factor. They
hoped he, at any rate. would make a.
decent showing. and most Of them
would have been satisfied with that.
But Johnson. having accepted the nom-
ination, made ii systematic campaign.
His, opponent. State Auditor Dunn,
was not altogether popular in his own,
party. Dunn's unpopularity helped
Johnson, against whose record nobody
had anything to say. Johnson's popu-
larity increased as Dunn's decreased. :.
1 Something had TO be done for Dunn.
Ten days before election some boom
erang thrower in Minnesota printed
and distributed q circular setting forth,
that Candidate JohnSon's father had,
been drunkard and had died in the
poorhouse and that his mother had
taken in washing. You cannot find in
Minnesota today the thrower of this
political boomerang. Most likely he Isl
/ and was then an inmate OF the asylum
for the insane.
Some supporters OF johnson. too
much excited to know q golden oppor-
tunity when they met 1t face to face.
were perturbed by this circular and
urged the candidate to MAKE strong,
denial of the statements.
Il can't" was Johnson's quiet reply.
Story Quickly Went the Rounds.
The reason be couldn't was that what
the circular said about his parents was|
true. A st. Paul newspaper which
supported him sent staff correspond
ent posthaste to the little town Of st.
Peter. The staff man investigated theI
immediate antecedents Of John John
son. The repertorial assignment would
have delighted any good newspaper
man. 1t is not often that reporterI
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 oil
the corner groceries and the drug stores|
and the country hotel Offices. whers|
governors are made and presidents are|
prepared from the raw material.
The st. Paul reporter discovered that
Gustaf johnson. a blacksmith. had en-
igrated from Sweden about fifty years.
ago. settling In st. Peter. he had|