Representative Martin Nelson Johnson View All Years

Senator Jewell from a Special Committee submitted the following report and moved its adopton:

Whereas, Since the last session of the General Assembly, Martin N. Johnson, formerly a member of this body, has departed this life, now be it

Resolved, That therefore this tribute be offered to his memory:

Martin Nelson Johnson was born in Racine county, Wis., March 3, 1850; he died at Fargo, N. D., October 21, 1909. When yet in his infancy, he was taken by his father to the family’s new home in Winneshiek county, Iowa. In due time young Johnson entered the State University, graduating in 1873. He was for a short time after his graduation instructor in the California Military Academy at Oakland. Returning to Iowa he was admitted to the bar in 1876. He had just been chosen a member of the House of Representatives from his home county. In that body he was made chairman of the Committee on the State Library. In 1877 he was elected a member of the State Senate, being in that body when the prohibitory amendment to the Constitution was adopted for submission to the next General Assembly, and supported that measure. In 1880 he was chairman in the same committee in the Senate. While a Senator he secured the adoption of statutory provision under which persons applying for opportunity to teach special subjects are allowed to take examination for such specialty without being required to take a general examination. In 1876 Mr. Johnson was an elector for President and Vice President, casting his vote for Hayes and Wheeler. In 1884 he removed to the territory of Dakota, and there entered the land which was his home to the last. He was prosecuting attorney for a couple of years, and was president of the body that drafted the Constitution of the State of North Dakota. In this convention he resolutely contended against a bicarmeral legislature, making a strong fight for a legislature with only one house, citing as precedent many other states and countries, including that of his ancestors, Norway. The convention, however, adopted the plan of a legislature with two bodies. When the first legislature met Mr. Johnson was nominated by the Republican caucus for United States Senator, but a combination of disaffected Republicans with the minority party defeated him in the Joint Convention of the General Assembly. He was chairman of the first Republican convention of the state. In 1890 he was elected to Congress, representing the entire state. He was re-elected four times, serving as a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, and as such participating in framing the tariff law of 1897. He voluntarily retired from Congress in 1889 to become a candidate for United States Senator. Defeated in his candidacy he returned to farming and grain dealing. In 1908 he was again a candidate for United States Senator, and in 1909 was elected by the legislature as a member of that body, taking his seat March 4, 1909.

P. M. JEWELL,

AUG. A. BALLUFF,

JAS. A. SMITH,

Committee.

The resolutions were adopted unanimously by a rising vote.