The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-05-18

IA1O u5H al LHe departments or g.
system then about to start on great
development with the introduction
of cable power and later of electric
ity He not only kept abreast of the
newest ideas, but went ahead of
them. He adopted, improved and in
dependently invented.
From Louisville he went to In
dianapolis, Indiana. There he bought
moribund suburban road with a
little cash, some notes and a mort
gage. The cash came from the sale
of one Of his inventions. His father
and brothers were with him in this
transaction. When, few years
later, this road was sold, Tom OBJ
tanned by far the largest share Of
the selling price, which was said to
have been million dollars. Thence
the Johnsons went to Cleveland.
Ohio, and subsequently, to Brooklyn,
New York; Detroit, Michigan; and
other places.
Tom Johnson had in the course Of
things invented a girder rail to take
the place of the strip of steel rail
fastened to wooden girder, which
quickly rotted. His invention made
rail and girder one solid steel piece
These rails came into general use
f1ve-sixths of the street rails used
at one period in this country were
his. Contracts for the manufacture
OF these rails were made with var
1ous companies, until company
named after Johnson was established
at Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The
president of the Johnson company
was Mr.. Arthur Moxham, g. brilliant
~ able and versatile Englishman.
The johnson company late estab-
l1shed larger works on Lake Erie at
Lorraine. Ohio. subsequently both
plants were merged in the United
States Steel Corporat1on-the Steel
Trust. But Tom johnson had with
drawn when that occurred.
In these various ways Tom John
son was marching on to fortune.
Everything he touched seemed to
turn to gold. At one time it was
believed he was worth 100000
Before him lay opportunities that
would, had he availed himself of
them, within few years have made
him a mufti-millionaire.
But he had conceived great
change Of heart. Reading the book,
Social Problems" and later the
book. Progress and Poverty" had
opened his eyes to the whole ques-
ton Of the production and distribu-
ton Of wealth. He saw that some
part Of his riches ives coming from
production. But he saw just as
clearly that the greater part of them
was proceeding from the powers of
monopoly which he street
railroad monopoly, tariff monopoly,
and land monopoly. He saw that
these monopoues controlled the
bounties Of nature or otherwise en-
abled their possessors to rob the
masses of men of a large part of
the produce of their labor He re-
solved to stop making money in this
way. He resolved to turn his mind
and soul against this order of things;
to espouse, instead, the philosophy
and help spread the ideas of the man
whose books had opened to him u
new and higher plane of life.
While he brooded over this change
he was in the midst of the develop
ment of a street railroad system in
the city Of Brooklyn. Henry George
was at that time living there, and
Just then getting out a third book
"Protection or Free Trader" John
son called upon Henry George. His
own account of that meeting was
simple and direct. He said:
II had looked forward with more
intense interest to the meeting than
was aware of, for when I tried to
speak In a manly way Of what was
in my heart, I was conscious Of much
emotion. I said that should rather
have it to say to my children that ]
had met Henry George and had en-
tertained him under my own roof as
my guest than be able to transmit
to them any worldly blessing.
II did not want to talk about my
| SELL went to talk to Mr.. George
about his cause; I wanted in some
way to call it my cause, too. But he
stretched out on lounge and I sat
IN chair. and I found myself telling
him the story of my life.
1AeIl Sdlu. MT. George, your
book on the tariff question will soon
be out. I want to help to do good
| with it. I want 200 copies to send
to lawyers and clergymen in Cleve-
| land I also said to him: I cannot
write and I cannot speak. The least
| can do is to make money with
which to push our cause
MIR. George answered: You dc
not know whether or not you can
write; you have not tried. You do
| not know whether or not you can
speak; you have not tried. Take an
interest in political Questions 1t is
we'll enough to make money, but the
abilities that can make money can
do other things, too.'''
If Tom L. johnson did. not know
himself then, he subsequently came
to that knowledge. His life was too
| active until toward it's close to lend
| itself to writing; but an autob,-
ography which he dictated in the in.
tervals most free from physical pain
In the course of the year before his
death, show directness and -brevity
OF statement, q clearness and exact.
ness of thought, that indicated high