The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-10-08
TRIBUTE TO THE
LATE GOVERl NOR

- AAS S4sS~ AsevS~ eeS A'esOsss -
tinued to Occupy Indefinitely
the Same Position
The grief Of the people Of Min
nesota for John Albert Johnson,
their governor, dying at the early
age of 49,, has nothing in common
with the superficial and perfunc-
tory mourning which convention
demands should be shown for
those who die while occlpylng
high Office. It is profound, heart
felt and sincere; springing 5pm
the spontaneous affection which
he inspired and the firm i nst
which he merited.
These people, who both knew
him best and loved him best,
mourn as for one of their own ia
mily, suddenly departed from thSm.
They think less Of the values of
such a character to the natiou3 ind
the possibilities of future renotn,
now ended by death, than of The
grievous loss to themselves and
their own state, for they resli1ed
his worth while he lived, hopofed
him to the utmost of their power,
before the rest of the world Iecog-
nized him, and we're ready tooher
him to their country, if he was fe-
quired, for still greater and high
er service.
The people of Minnesota locked
upon Governor johnson sStheir
own product and were not ashsm-
ed to let him stand forth a. t1e
chosen representative Of their
state. In Minnesota he was bofn,
therein he had lived; they had
watched him in the making; !; wore
familiar with his early hardshRs
and struggles, his patient end IT,
ance Of wholesome, youthful p6v-
erty, his industry, his devotion to
duty, his gradual development,
his manly, simple assumption Of
responsibilities as they came to
him, and they were looking fondly
upon him as one destined for an
even more illustrious future, when
Death ruthlessly plucked this very
flower of their flock.
The relations. between this rare
leader and his people we're not
sach as commonly exist between
the politician and the voter, or
even between the statesman and
his devoted adherents; they were
peculiarly tender and beautiful
and most exceptional rejecting
honor, alike upon the man and the
mass from which he had emerged.
Affection was the strongest ele-
ment in them, but confidence had
its proper part, also respect, and
an unfaltering belief that, whats
ever might befall him, however
high and far fate might carry him..
he would never be untrue to him
self or unworthy of his state.
By the chastity of his character
the integrity of his soul and the
simple and natural refinement Of
his nature, rather than BY any ex-.
traordinary power Of intellect, he
had achieved his most enviable pp-i
sition in the hearts of the people,!
overcoming and oblitering practic-
ally ell political lines and distinc-
tions Of class or caste. A Demo-
orat, he held the support Of Re-
publicans; the son Of q poor
blacksmith himself first q drug
clerk and then a country editor,
born and reared in grinding pow
erty that might we'll have left in
eradicable marks to show in his
maturity, no scion Of long and
distinguished lineage, nurtured in
wealth amid refining surroundings
and blessed with the education and
training Of the most renowned ofI
colleges could have failed 70 recog-
Inize in him : true gentleman, il.
every sense that the word cans pos
Isibly imply ~ NJ!
ne. - cv.n.ns,. = lok<.sl k..x ~ sxxl.~