The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-02-02
MIR. johnson their support, and many
OF those who had formerly supported
him now opposed him.

or the subsequent contest on that
subject, both local and national, moth
ing need be said Representative
johnson was firm in his convictions
that moral question was presented,
and that accounted in a large meas
ure for his position in support of the
so-called gold standard"
He served eight years in the lower
house Of representatives. During
that time he seldom, If ever, had the
active support Of one element of his
party. That element was constantly
seeking an available candidate with
whom to defeat him for nomination
was present few days prior to his
nomination for congress, when the
nomination was rendered, so far as it
could be. to another person, who de-
cl1ned It,. He was re-nominated and
elected, but in 1893 he declined a re-
nomination. to become a candidate
for the senate.
1t has always been maintained. by
his supporters that he received ma
jority of the votes in a Republican
caucus Of this body. for nomination
of a candidate for United States SEN
ator, and that by the adjournment of
the caucus pending the announce
ment of the vote, he was defeated Of
the nomination and election. Be this
as 1t may, he could not have received
the nomination had the caucus not
adjourned, even though a majority of
the members had voted for him. On the
discovery of the fact that he had a
majority of ore or two. enough men,
bers who were supporting him in bad
faith would have changed their votes
and thus have accomplished his de-
feat. For this reason l have never
felt that he was in fact. although in
appearance, defrauded Of the nomina-
tion by the adjournment of the eau
Gus pending the announcement of the
vote, contrary to we'll known rules Of
parliamentary procedure.
While q member of the house of
representatives he was placed upon
the ways and means" committee by
Speaker Reed, and he served on that
committee during the hearings which
resulted in the enactment Of the cele-
brated Dingley tariff law, and in this
position he doubtless rendered his
most efficient and valuable service to
the people, Of course, granting al
ways, that the principle invoked in
that law was relatively right
Trying Conditions.
While serving on the ways and
means committee, in supporting the
administration in its efforts to carry
out the party pledges by enacting the
new tariff law, Mr.. Johnson was met
by conditions which would have
shaken the party fealty, or at least
the loyalty to the administration, Of
a man less firm in his convictions. BY
the usage Of the administration Of
which he was part, member of
congress was entitled to name off,
cials of certain classes, in his. juris-
dtction.. The administration was
pledged to certain policies, and the
enactment of certain laws, and on a
survey. Of the field it was found that
q few more votes in one branch Of
the legislative department we're nec-
essary to save the party from defeat.
The president found it necessary, in
his efforts to prevent the reputation
OF the party platforms and pledges,
to secure the needed votes, and Mr..
johnson was one of those who suffer-
ed by reason Of the exigencies Of the
occasion. A narrower minded man,
one less loyal to party, and one pos
sessed Of limited patriotism wonld
have withdrawn his support from the
administration; but Mr.. johnson rose
to the occasion. and in no case was
his loyalty to the administration di-
minished.
In 1908 he again became candi-
date for the United States senate,
when he received a majority over his
opponent, both for nomination and
election for the term commencing
March 4. 1909. In the session which
followed 1t again became his duty to
participate in the enactment Of law
providing protective tariff.
Last Services.
The disappointment occasioned by
political defeat is often almost over
whelming. but have no doubt that
the most disappointing of the politic-
al experiences of the late Senator
johnson occurred in 1908, when many
Of those with whom he had labored
in politics for twenty years, whose
principles he had advocated, whose
policies he had supported, and whose
enemies he had opposed, and who by
every rule Of the game of politics
owed him their allegiance deserted
him. He found himself in a measure
aloof from those he had supposed to
be his friends. Those to whom he
desired to be obligated for his cleo
tion denied him their support. and
thus placed him under obligations to
others for his place in the senate: he
was then criticised because he failed
to ignore the obligations that rested
upon him politically in the way of
patronage.