Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1909-12-10
HUGHES TRIBUTE TO JOHNSON.

Hartford Times: Gov. Hughes of
New York SAID many fine and eloquent
things about the late Gov. johnson of
Minnesota in the address which he
gave at the memorial meeting in the
Broadway tabernacle in New York
city on Sunday evening. The ex-
traordinary rise of the Minnesota man
from the humble and even abject
surroundings of his early hoyhood
afforded his New York euloglst an
occasion to speak of the grand
opportunities which this country
affords to worthy, capable, aspiring
youth. He said:
THE revelation of his progress from
lowilness and obscurity to place of
high public distinction is benedic-
ton to the entire country. One more
we realize that our resources of
strength and of greatness, are not to
be sought for in mine or field, but
reside IN man. When we take account
OF these resources we find once more
impressing upon US that we are not to
look exclusively to the favored home
of exceptional opportunity: to
sheltered childhood, to youth blessed
with extraordinary advantages; to
and who are led along the paths of
life, with constant counsel and ready
inspiration. But we must take all
America within our view-the homes
of the poor, the unfortunate, those
who seem thrust aside from the fair
avenue of opportunity, those upon
whom it would seem q blight had
rested at the very beginning of their
career.
Probably today in some lowly
home, where there is the hardest work
to achieve even a decent support,
where some little lad is looking out on
life apparently without chance, is
the future leader of the great people of
this nation. And because we
recognize this is a land of opportunity,
and rejoice that once more there has
been furnished such a splendid ex-
ample of American opportunity, we
find Impressed upon US with special
force the lesson of Gov. Johnson's
life.
Gov. Hughes dwelt on the depress-
ing and discourglng circumstances of
Johnson's childhood. He suffered more
than the mere lack of opportunity at
the start and his deprivatious were
greater than those of poverty. There
was in his life everything to make
him feel that be had no chance.
Addressing himself especially to the
Scandinavlans in his audience, the
governor said:
LET all know that lesson and life is
given better meaning, and every
man can let his hand go out In
genuine sympathy to his human
brother. and to every boy and girl in
every home. because with them, as
well as with the favored ones, lies the
future of our free land. But it is not
simply that we admire his career. We
think today Of the inspiration that it
gives. Livery poor mother today isl
helped, as she seeks to care for her
boy, in the thought of what Gov
Johnson did. Every young man who
thinks that the odds are somewhat
against him is encouraged when he
thinks of what Gov. johnson became
Gov. johnson was "a great public
man. You, belonging to. this race
pride yourselves upon the
OF one of your number.
ana 1 rejoice with the speaker VINO
preceded me that we have in the !
career of Gov. johnson another revela-
tion of our Indebtedness in this !
country to those hardy sons who have
come to us from other lands. I rejoice
that we should have our attention
directed to the fact tnat. as you can
not look to the homes of the favored
few for our resources in human
character or as defining American |
opportunity, SO, on the other hand, /
you cannot look to any one race or !,
stock to determine our resources or /
The contributions that will be made
to our future development.
We are all one in this country.
The true American is the man who
talks of his ancestry only that he
may feel greater obligation, and who
comes here glad that in this fabric
hero are many threads, and that here