Thomas Herman Johnson
Encyclopedia
Thomas Herman Johnson was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1907 to 1922, and was a prominent cabinet minister in the government of Tobias C. Norris. Johnson was a member of the Liberal Party
.
Johnson was born in Iceland
, and moved to Manitoba with his family in 1878. He was educated in Winnipeg public schools, and received a Bachelor of Arts
degree from Gustavus Adolphus College
. After worked as a teacher, he entered the law office of Richards & Bradshaw in 1895 and was admitted to the Bar of the Province in 1900. He subsequently worked as a barrister-at-law, and was also appointed census commissioner for Manitoba in 1901. Johnson served on the Winnipeg School Board from 1904 to 1907. In religion, he was a Lutheran.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1907 provincial election
, defeating candidates from the Conservative
and Labour
parties in Winnipeg West
. He was re-elected over Conservative A.J. Andrews by 240 votes in the 1910 election
. Following redistribution for the 1914 election
, he defeated Andrews again by 1,050 votes in Winnipeg Centre "A". Manitoba was governed by Rodmond P. Roblin's Conservatives during this period, and Johnson served as a member of the opposition. Known as a reformer, he was popular with Winnipeg's working-class community and won the support of many progressive electors.
In 1915, the Roblin government was forced to resign from office following a corruption scandal involving the tendering of contracts for new legislative buildings. Although they did not hold a majority of seats in the legislature, the Liberals under Tobias C. Norris were called upon to form a new administration. Norris became premier
on May 15, 1915, and chose Johnson as his Minister of Public Works. A new election
was held, which the Liberals won in a landslide majority. Johnson was not opposed by Labour, and received more than three times of the votes of his Conservative opponent.
After a cabinet shuffle on November 10, 1917, Johnson was named Attorney General and Minister of Telephones and Telegraphs. He was not involved in the trials that resulted from the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919. Many members of Norris's government favoured a negotiated settlement with the strikers, and the subsequent legal charges against the strike leaders were launched as a private prosecution by the Citizens' Committee of one Thousand, funded by the federal Department of Justice, and allowed to proceed by Johnson as Attorney General. Later, Johnson defended the prosecutions in the spring of 1921 when Fred Dixon brought a motion to the floor of the Manitoba legislature seeking the release of the imprisoned strike leaders.
Prior to the 1920 provincial election
, the province's electoral laws were changed such that the city of Winnipeg became a single constituency, electing ten members by a single transferable ballot. Johnson led the Liberal ticket in the city, and was declared elected with a second-place finish on the first count. Across, the province, however, the Liberals were reduced to a minority government
following the rise of Farmer and Labour parliamentary groups.
Johnson resigned from cabinet on June 6, 1922, and did not run in the 1922 provincial election
.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
from 1907 to 1922, and was a prominent cabinet minister in the government of Tobias C. Norris. Johnson was a member of the Liberal Party
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
.
Johnson was born in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, and moved to Manitoba with his family in 1878. He was educated in Winnipeg public schools, and received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States. A coeducational, four-year, residential institution, it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans. To this day the school is firmly...
. After worked as a teacher, he entered the law office of Richards & Bradshaw in 1895 and was admitted to the Bar of the Province in 1900. He subsequently worked as a barrister-at-law, and was also appointed census commissioner for Manitoba in 1901. Johnson served on the Winnipeg School Board from 1904 to 1907. In religion, he was a Lutheran.
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1907 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1907
Manitoba's general election of March 7, 1907 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a third consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin...
, defeating candidates from the Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
and Labour
Independent Labour Party (in Manitoba) (I)
Before World War I, there were at least two organizations in Winnipeg calling themselves the Independent Labour Party. The first of these was set up by British trade unionists in 1895, and collapsed soon thereafter....
parties in Winnipeg West
Winnipeg West
Winnipeg West is an historical provincial electoral division in Manitoba, Canada. It was created for the 1907 provincial election, and eliminated with the 1914 provincial election....
. He was re-elected over Conservative A.J. Andrews by 240 votes in the 1910 election
Manitoba general election, 1910
Manitoba's general election of July 11, 1910 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fourth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin. Roblin's electoral machine won...
. Following redistribution for the 1914 election
Manitoba general election, 1914
Manitoba's general election of July 10, 1914 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fifth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party, led by premier Rodmond P. Roblin...
, he defeated Andrews again by 1,050 votes in Winnipeg Centre "A". Manitoba was governed by Rodmond P. Roblin's Conservatives during this period, and Johnson served as a member of the opposition. Known as a reformer, he was popular with Winnipeg's working-class community and won the support of many progressive electors.
In 1915, the Roblin government was forced to resign from office following a corruption scandal involving the tendering of contracts for new legislative buildings. Although they did not hold a majority of seats in the legislature, the Liberals under Tobias C. Norris were called upon to form a new administration. Norris became premier
Premier of Manitoba
The Premier of Manitoba is the first minister for the Canadian province of Manitoba. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. Until the early 1970s, the title "Prime Minister of Manitoba" was used frequently. Afterwards, the word Premier, derived from the French...
on May 15, 1915, and chose Johnson as his Minister of Public Works. A new election
Manitoba general election, 1915
Manitoba's general election of August 6, 1915 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was held only one year after the previous general election of 1914. In that election, the governing Conservatives of premier Rodmond P. Roblin were...
was held, which the Liberals won in a landslide majority. Johnson was not opposed by Labour, and received more than three times of the votes of his Conservative opponent.
After a cabinet shuffle on November 10, 1917, Johnson was named Attorney General and Minister of Telephones and Telegraphs. He was not involved in the trials that resulted from the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919. Many members of Norris's government favoured a negotiated settlement with the strikers, and the subsequent legal charges against the strike leaders were launched as a private prosecution by the Citizens' Committee of one Thousand, funded by the federal Department of Justice, and allowed to proceed by Johnson as Attorney General. Later, Johnson defended the prosecutions in the spring of 1921 when Fred Dixon brought a motion to the floor of the Manitoba legislature seeking the release of the imprisoned strike leaders.
Prior to the 1920 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1920
Manitoba's general election of 29 June 1920 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.-Background:...
, the province's electoral laws were changed such that the city of Winnipeg became a single constituency, electing ten members by a single transferable ballot. Johnson led the Liberal ticket in the city, and was declared elected with a second-place finish on the first count. Across, the province, however, the Liberals were reduced to a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
following the rise of Farmer and Labour parliamentary groups.
Johnson resigned from cabinet on June 6, 1922, and did not run in the 1922 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1922
Manitoba's general election of July 18, 1922 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.As in the previous election of 1920, the city of Winnipeg elected ten members by the single transferable ballot...
.