The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-10-01
guished. carried him safely to
place among the, seats Of the nigh

SAeSAsSSss O>Se 3
place among the seats Of the nigh
ty. John johnson got an idea Of
the sanctity of labor by helping
his mother at the washtub when
he was less than ten years of age;
his ambition to relieve that moth
ers from the drudgery Of toll brot
him his first employment in a
store when he was eleven. He
told me a few years ago, With tears
in his eyes, Of the first money he
earned and took home, assuring
his mother that the day of the
washtub was very nearly past. The
men who knew of the facts of his
early life myself among them
went with. something very like
rage into telling the true story of
the washerwoman mother and the
drunken father, when political
stupidity led the men-or some Is
them who had charge of the first
campaign against John A. john
son into the production of an
anonymous circular containing an
affidavit to the effect that John
sons father had died in the poor
house. The reaction made him
governor and opened the way to
that splendid career which was
honorably and enthusiastically fol-
lowed to the end.
At the time John johnson was
sought ont as a candidate by the
democratic leaders in 1904 it would
be hard to find a more unlikely
man to win. r, T. O'Connor, Of
st. Paul, a sagacious and success
full political manager, believed in
johnson, 80 did some of the other
leaders, but it was something of a
torlorn hope and johnson was at
once ditident as to his right to the
nomination and his capacity to
make the running. He said, and
two years before he had fatty de-
olined 70 have anything to do with
the democratic nomination. Means
were found and pretty slender
means they were and the ambi-
ton was not lacking when he got
started. And he startled himself
and the opposition at once by the
knowledge he displayed Of public
affairs; by the FIRE and force Of his
eloquence and by the capacity he
displayed in getting to the hearts
ofsthe people with whom he came
in contact. There was a split in
the republican party, some fool
manager exploited the johnson
family roor.back; johnson himself
became intensely popular and the
result was that lie carried the state
by four or five thousand while
Theodore Roosevelt, carried it. by
15S, 600.
He was as gentle, fearless, un-
assuming and sincere after five
years in the limelight as he was
when he was clerk in a drug store
at st. Peter by the way he edu-
Gated himself while studying
pharmacy. He had the same
whimsical way Of saying things at
the height # his career as he had
when he was time keeper and the
most popular man on the grade
when he was railroading. He went
into debt to get hold Of news
paper when he quit the road build
ing and settled down at St. Peter
and he might have gone through
to the end as country editor Of
mediocre ability If circumstances
had not called into play the pos.
sitilities in statesmanship which
made him three times governor Of
Minnesota; the ayowed candidate
Of q great following: for the presi-
dency and q publioist Of such q
high order Of merit that the Uni
versity Of Pennsyl ylyania made him
e doctor Of laws this boy who
carried home the clothes his moth;
ed had washed and who was nm
ashamed Of his humble begin
nings.
"Who will succeed him in
Minnesota politicsY He will have