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Show HOPE FOR POOR BOYS. The story of ihe life of Governor-elect Johnson of Alinnesota, published in the Herald of yesterday, yester-day, should be given to every boy in the land to read, for it. shows that in this country of limitless' opportunity no handicap is too great for ambitious youth to overcome. John A. Johnson's father died a drunakrd's death in an almshouse. His mother J was compelled to take, in washing to support herself her-self and her children. The boy, while but a child, was forced to go to work. At 14 years of age he was contributing largely to the support of his mother and her other chil-i chil-i dren. But he was not too tired when his day's I work was done to study. He was never too tired to read, for this boy had made-up his mind that he ! would not always be a day laborer. Tt was not long bef ore he had educated himself until Ik1 was fitted for a position in a newspaper office. Then he began be-gan to save money and today he has a .daily paper of his own. Johnson was the only Democrat elected to a state office in Minnesota last Tuesday. He was elect cd in spite of, or perhaps because of, the fact that his political opponents used against him his humble origin. The people of Minnesota resented an argument like that. A large percentage of the population was born abroad. Many of the people came here 1o avoid oppression, came because they had been told that in America all men are ecjual before be-fore the law. So they elected Johnson, and they did well, for a man with Johnson's record is sure lo make a tirst-elas governor of their great state. His example should be inspiring and encouraging to every working boy and man in the land. And while we are on the subject we desire to call attention to another Democrat who was elected governor of a strongly Republican state, W. L. Douglas of Massachusetts. Governor-elect Douglas also started in life as a poor boy. While but a child he, too, had to go to work for a living; he, too, had to educate himself by studying in the hours when his working dav was over, lie started in life as a shoepegger. Xow he has built up an industry in which he does hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of business every year; he has won the respect re-spect and esteem of his fellow citizens and he will make a governor of whom Massachusetts will be proud Salt. Lake Herald. |