The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-10-14
Straight Facts for
the Legal Voters
About c. A. Johnson's Personal Char
.acter and His Ability to Hold
the High Office.

Grand Forks Times: To recog-
nize a false and malicious charge
in political campaign is often
the means of dignifying it into
the semtlance Of truth. Yet there
are instances in which it is nec-
essary to deny. lest silence, too.
give the semblance of truth. One
newspaper in the state, which has
boasted that it was bought in other
campaigns, has charged that 9. A.
johnson, the republican candidate
for governor, has not the high mo-
raj character requisite in the man
elevated to the chief magistrate of
the commonwealth. The charge
has been repeated by inuendo by
another paper, which has thus
sought to give semblance OF
truth to given falsehood.
The voters are entitled to some
facts relative to his public service
and his private life in order that
they may Judge for themselves
whether Mr.. johnson is man
whose character would bring re-
proach or honor to the high office
which he seeks. In the repub.
lican rally in this city Wednesday
night some light was thrown on
the subject. j. M. Devine. who
conducted the primary campaign
for Mr.. Buchanan. and who could
not, therefore, be charged with
personal favoritism, but who has
lived in Mr.. Johnson's city for
wears, stated that in all things
which were for the betterment OF
the city of Minot and it's people,
Mr.. johnson was always found on
the side of right. He had served
the city as mayor at time when
it took the highest kind of manly
courage to stand for the right and,
while he did not secure the ideal
city, his work was the foundation
stone of what has since been ac-
complished. He worked for the
commission form Of government
in order to rid the city of the chief
executive, who is now his greatest
maligner. He has served in the
legislature and no intimation has
ever been made that he did not
ably fulfil his duties without the
sacrifice of single virtue. Mr..
Devine stated that his home life
was ideal and that this was one OF
the things for which his neighbors
admire him.
Attorney Fleetham OF this city,
who has been one of the pillars OF
the temperance cause, especially
in the early days, and whose ideals
of an upright, manly character are
such that those who measure up
to them should be sufficient for
the most critical, stated in his
speech at the Wednesday night
rally that Mr.. johnson was all
that he could ask as a clean. moral
and upright man. He is an elder
of the Presbyterian church, and
lives his religion quietly and un-
ostentatiously.
In conversation with the edito'
rial writer of the Times a few
weeks ago, Rev. H. S. Waller, who
for some time was pastor evange-
list for the Grand Forks Presby-
terry, and who is now hlllng the
same position IN the Minot Pres
bytery, stated that he had made
some inquiries among the people
at Minot who would know but who
would not be biased, as to Mr..
Johnson's private character, and
that he was convinced he was a
man above reproach. One man
told Rev. Waller that he had gone
through three campaigns with Mr..
johnson aud had never heard him
utter,a profane or vulgar word and
had never known him to taste in-
toxicating liquors )
Such testimony ought to refute
the .inuendoes, and charges of men