The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-04-14
TOM |. JOHNSON
DIED MONDAY
Noted Politician Succumbs In
Prime Of His Lille
-. ..s.. . s.A
WAS MAYOR OF CLEVELAND
For Years He Fought for Three Cent
Street Car Fare and His Many Re
forms Won for Him the Title Of
mayor Of the Best Governed City
in the United States"

Cleveland, o., April 1S.--Tom. l..
johnson, twice congressman from
the 2lst Ohio district. four times
mayor Of Cleveland, champion of the
three-cent railway fare. and promi-
nent advocate of the single tax
theories of the tie Henry George,
died in his apartments in White Hall
East 707th street at S.45 Monday
night, after a long illness. Death
was caused by cirrhosis of the liver.
He was 81 years old.
Tom L. johnson. who had been in
i'll health since he retired as mayor.
of Cleveland on January l, 1910.
will probably be known in all future
American municipal history as the
mayor OF the best goyerorned city
in the United States" and as the
father of the three-cent street rail-
way fare in America. He was born
In Blue Springs. KY, July IS 1854.
His father, General William John
son. q famous Kentucky legislator.
lost his fortune in the civil war and
at Is. young johnson was thrown
on his own resources. He promptly
secured a job as horse car driver
on the streets OF Louisville, and be-
gan learning the business in which
he late made fame and fortune.
johnson served later as chief Of po-
lice OF Louisville, but soon became
interested financially in the street
car system OF Indianapolis, Cleye-
land, Detroit and Brooklyn. Patents
on various street car appliances help
ed him along financially and made
him an authority on street railway
matters. He was practically at the
height of a most successful career
as a street railway magnate. when
in Isss he retired from business to
carry out cherished ideas OF social
reforms, among which was that OF
becoming the father OF three-cent
street railway fare in America. This
idea had been impaired TO him by
Henry George. whose influence over
Johnson's entire life dated from the
time when on a railway train John
son bought copy of Georges $50
cial problems Later the two be-
came fast friends and worked to-
gether at carrying out Of various re-
forms.
On Georges advice Johnson enter
ed politics. running first for con-
gress. but being defeated in his first
race when be campaigned on the free
trade issue Latershe was elected
serving TO terms from 1890 tc
1894. here one OF hts most note
worthy achievements was the russ
BY which be forced the printing Of
the entire text OF Henry Georges
Protection Or Free Trade" into the
Congressional Record and It's free
distribution 10 the entire country.
johnson was defeated in the re
publican landslide Of 1894, but II
1901 WAS elected mayor Of Cleveland
and beysn his real life's work o.
establishing the three-cent street cal
fare. For years he kept up the fghl
and as > result Cleveland today still
has q three-cent street car fare al
though not under exactly the con
dltions he had hoped for. Hi
various terms as mayor we're markes
By a continual fight against speeia
PRIVILEGE with the result that b,
quickly won the title Of mayor o
the best governed city in the Unites
States IN 1903 he ran for COVER
nor and vas defeated but wal
promptly reelected mayor again II
1905. meeting FINAL defeat In 1910.
Although be had been IN pool
health for sometime. be had hopes
70 the last 70 reeaperste sufficiently
q enter again the next mayoralti
campaign. During the last few
months Of hls life, most of his tim,
as employed ii erliIng bis auto
biography
johnson seas married In early lifl
u Margaret ]. johnson. daughter 3
the Confederate Colonel Robeg
johnson II Louisville Mrs. John
s0n and tao children. Mrs. Bessi
johnson Marisni and Loftin Edward
Johnson, survive him.