Guide to the Claudius Osborne Johnson Papers 1901-1978
Cage 214

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Creator
Johnson, Claudius Osborne Papers
Title
Claudius Osborne Johnson Papers
ID
Cage 214
Date [inclusive]
1901-1978
Extent
10 containers., 9.5 linear feet of shelf space., 11,200 items.
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
Correspondence with William E. Borah, Irvin E. Rockwell, Thomas Stanford and others re: Senator Borah and Rockwell's book manuscript; notes, drafts, correspondence and other papers re: Johnson's Borah of Idaho (1936); also personal and professional correspondence, notes, clippings, and other papers and printed materials. Included are records of Johnson's proposed debate with Will Rogers and his service on the Washington State Department of Social Security Board of Sponsors.

Preferred Citation

[Item Description]. Cage 214, Claudius Osborne Johnson Papers . Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Biography/History

Claudius Osborne Johnson was born in Greenville, Virginia, January 6, l894. He attended the University of Richmond from 1913 to 1917, receiving an A.B. in 1917. His education was interrupted by service overseas with the United States Army in World War I, where he attained the rank of first sergeant of infantry. Upon his return he took his masters degree from the University of Chicago, 1920-1921, and received his doctorate from that institution in l927. Johnson taught at the University of North Dakota from 1921 through 1926 and at the University of Chattanooga from 1926 through 1928. He came to WSU in 1928 as the first full-time political science professor and chairman of the newly formed Department of History and Political Science. At WSU he met Mary Wilson Maxwell, whom he married in 1929. He served as chair of the department until 1951 and retired from the faculty in 1960. He had been described as "one of the most stimulating people who ever entered a classroom at WSU." (Obituary, Idahonian, February 28, 1976.)

In addition to his teaching career at WSU, Johnson was professionally active in several capacities. Governor Clarence D. Martin appointed him to the state Constitutional Revision Committee, 1935-1936. He received a governor's certificate for contributions to the cultural life of the State of Washington in 1967. Johnson served as the Vice-President of the American Political Science Association in 1958. He was honored by his faculty colleagues in being asked to deliver one of the first Invited Addresses at WSU. He traveled widely and was a Fulbright lecturer at the universities of Sydney and Melbourne in Australia in 1953-1954 as well as visiting professor at the universities of Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado and California at Berkeley. He was a Fulbright visiting professor at the University of Athens in 1961-1962.

Johnson authored many books and scholarly articles. His textbooks have been used nationwide. Government in the United States, American National Government, and American State and Local Government all have appeared in several editions. He wrote several monographs, Carter Henry Harrison I: Political Leader (published by the University of Chicago Press, 1928) and  Borah of Idaho (published by Longmans, Green & Co., 1936, and reissued by the University of Washington Press, 1967) and scores of articles for scholarly publications.

Dr. Johnson was a frequent speaker on political and international themes and was a delegate to the peace conference at Geneva, Switzerland, in 1926 as a guest of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a number of other professional and honorary groups. He received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Richmond in 1961. He belonged to Lambda Chi Alpha social fraternity.

Although he retired in 1960, Johnson remained active. He continued to teach on visiting professor appointments and to publish. In 1967, WSU's eight-story Claudius O. Johnson Tower, where the political science department is now located, was dedicated in his honor. Dr. Johnson died in February, 1976.

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Arrangement

The Claudius O. Johnson papers are arranged in three series. The first series is Borah of Idaho, 1908-1940. This series consists of material related to Johnson's book,  Borah of Idaho, and includes correspondence and other information gathered for the book, drafts of the book, and correspondence about the book. The first subseries, Research and Chapter Notes, illustrates the various stages in the creation of the book. It includes research notes, clippings, newspaper articles, speeches, and manuscript notes on file cards. The subseries is arranged by chapter, although the chapter numbering and titles are different from the final book. The second subseries, Subject File, is arranged alphabetically and contains mainly newspaper clippings and correspondence about Borah and the publication of the book. Included are notes about Borah's life that Johnson felt were inappropriate to include in the book. The third subseries, Borah Files, is arranged alphabetically and consists mainly of copies of correspondence by Borah to Irving E. Rockwell, C. O. Johnson, and Thomas C. Stanford and copies of speeches made by Borah.

The second series is Professional and Personal Papers, 1917-1978. Some of the items in this series belonged to his wife, Mary Maxwell Johnson. The first subseries, General, is arranged alphabetically. It consists mainly of correspondence but contains a variety of items, including photographs, sketches, Christmas cards, manuscripts and newpaper clippings. Included are records of Johnson's proposed debate with Will Rogers and his service on the Washington State Department of Social Security Board of Sponsors. The second subseries, Financial Records, is arranged alphabetically and consists mainly of income tax and real estate records. The third subseries, Scrapbook, Awards, and Certificates, contains a scrapbook with material relating to Borah of Idaho, mainly clippings of reviews. The folder of awards and certificates, consisting mainly of diplomas, is arranged by recipient. They are placed together because they are oversized.

The third series, Publications, 1928-1972, consists of Dr. Johnson's file of his books and articles. The series is arranged alphabetically and contains several editions of most of his books. Many items, especially the books, are annotated.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries: Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC) © 1984

http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open for research use.

Acquisition Information

The papers of Claudius Osborne Johnson were donated to the Washington State University Libraries by Claudius O. and Mary Johnson in several installments; the most recent being in February, 1980 (MS 80-6). A few C.O. Johnson letters received from the Pi Sigma Alpha honorary through Amy Mazur, Claudius O. and Mary W. Johnson Distinguished Professor in Political Science at Washington State University, were added in September of 2019 as folder 89.5.

Processing Information

The processing of the various accessions into one collection was begun by Steve Balzarini in 1981 and completed by Ann Klavano in 1984.

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Names and Subjects

Corporate Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • Washington (State). Dept. of Social Security. Board of Sponsors

Personal Name(s)

Creator(s) :
  • Johnson, Claudius Osborne, 1894- --Archives
Subject(s) :
  • Rogers, Will, 1879-1935
  • Borah, William Edgar, 1865-1940
  • Rockwell, Irvin E. (Irvin Elmer), 1862-1952
  • Stanford, Thomas C.

Subject(s)

  • Political science--Study and teaching (Higher)--Washington (State)
  • Government and Politics
  • Washington (State)

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Bibliography

An unpublished biography of Johnson, Claudius O. Johnson: Author, Biographer, was prepared for History 513 by James L. Ratcliff in 1970. Will Rogers' newspaper debate with Johnson is described in Stephen E. Balzarini's  The 50th Anniversary of the Time That Will Rogers Didn't Come to the Palouse. (Bunchgrass Historian, 11:2 (Summer 1983) 3-13).

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Detailed Description of Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series 1: Borah Of Idaho 1908-1940 

Research and Chapter Notes 
box-folder

Manuscript Notes (on cards) undated  4300 items.

 1 / 1

Chapter Notes 
box-folder

I: Illinois (1924-1934) 1935  20 items.

 2 / 1

III: Idaho (1909-1934) 1935  20 items.

 2 / 2

IV: W.E.B. Attorney at Law, (1910-1929) 1935  10 items.

 2 / 3

VII: The Election of a Senator - Old Style, (1902-1908) 1935  18 items.

 2 / 4

VIII: The Voice of the People (1918-1934) 1935  18 items.

 2 / 5

IX: Dynamite and Politics (1930-1934) 1935  14 items.

 2 / 6

X: Idaho's Dividends (1908-1934) 1935  44 items.

 2 / 7

XI: The National Statesman Emerges (1909-1911) 1935  7 items.

 2 / 8

XI: New Horizons (1940-1936) 1935  7 items.

 2 / 9

XIII: Who Is a Republican (1912-1933) 1935  30 items.

 2 / 10

XIV: New Freedom Politics (1913-1916) 1935  95 items.

 2 / 11

XV: The Apostle of Free Speech (1918-1925) 1935  75 items.

 2 / 12

XVI: A Conception of States' Rights (1914-1926) 1935  20 items.

 2 / 13

XVII: The Mirabeau of the Battalion of Death (1919 -1934) 1935  115

 2 / 14

XVIII: Swords and Ploughshares (1919-1935) 1935  140

 2 / 15

XIX: Cleaning the Augean Stables (1921-1928) 1935  50 items.

 2 / 16

XX: The Idaho Stalemate (1917-1924) 1935  90 items.

 2 / 17

XXI: Borah-Russian Relations (1922-1932) 1935  70 items.

 2 / 18

XXII: We Have Scotched the Snake (1923-1929) 1935  35 items.

 2 / 19

XXIII: Anti-Imperialism (1909-1928) 1935  50 items.

 2 / 20

XXIV: The Outlawry of War (1922-1929) 1935  85 items.

 2 / 21

XXV: The Hammer of Thor (1926-1929) 1935  135

 2 / 22

XXVI: Borah and Hoover (1929-1932) 1935  150

 2 / 23

XXVII: Achilles in His Tent (1932) 1935  35 items.

 2 / 24

XXVIII: The New Deal (1932-1935) 1935  150

 2 / 25

XXIX: Characteristics (1909-1934) 1935  40 items.

 2 / 26

XXX: Newspapers, Technique & Correspondence With Other Statesmen (1923-1926) 1935  15 items.

 2 / 27
box-folder

Manuscript of Borah of Idaho 1936  1 item.

 2 / 28

Subject File 
box-folder

Bibliography and Outline undated  35 items.

 3 / 29

Correspondence 
box-folder

Borah in Kansas 1934-1935  20 items.

 3 / 30

General 

 box-folder
3 / 30
box-folder

 1929-1936  123

 3 / 31

 1934-1940  161

 3 / 32-33

 1940-1949  150

 3 / 34

Reprint of Borah Cartoons 1935-1936  35 items.

 3 / 35

Reprint of Borah Material 1935-1936  27 items.

 3 / 36

Revisions 1934-1940  20 items.

 3 / 37
box-folder

Election Returns, Idaho 1890-1922  25 items.

 3 / 38

Interview, Johnson and Borah 1935  4 items.

 3 / 39

Memorial Service for Borah 1940  12 items.

 3 / 40

Newspaper Article on Borah 1942  1 item.

 3 / 41

Newspaper Clippings 1907-1940  35 items.

 3 / 42

Notes on Borah 1939  27 items.

 3 / 43

Photographs and Drawings of Borah 1932-1936  8 items.

 3 / 44

Political Cartoons undated  8 items.

 3 / 45

Reviews of Borah of Idaho 1936-1943  49 items.

 3 / 46

The Roosevelt Club Debate 1927  1 item.

 3 / 47

Speeches About Borah 1935-1942  3 items.

 3 / 48

Borah Files 

Correspondence 
box-folder

General (carbon and transcribed copies, and originals) 1901-1934  133

 3 / 49

C. O. Johnson (transcribed copies) 1934-1936  31 items.

 3 / 50

Irvin E. Rockwell (transcribed copies) 1911-1940  155

 3 / 51

Rockwell, Stanford, and Johnson (carbon and transcribed copies, and originals) 1934-1943  175

 3 / 52

Thomas C. Stanford (transcribed copies) 1901-1939  115

 3 / 53
box-folder

Correspondence, Speeches, and Newspaper Articles (transcribed copies) 1914-1930  75 items.

 3 / 54

Foreign Relations Committee, Letters and Newspaper Articles (transcribed copies) 1922-1929  50 items.

 3 / 55

Oratory, Newspaper Articles (transcribed copies) 1924-1929  14 items.

 3 / 56

Personal Relationships in Senate, Letters (transcribed copies) 1927-1934  17 items.

 3 / 58

Speeches and Articles (carbon and transcribed copies) 1908-1934  50 items.

 3 / 58

Speeches and Articles Since 1920 (transcribed copies and originals) 1922-1935  100 items.

 3 / 59

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Series 2: Professional and Personal Papers 

General 

American Political Science Association Annual Meeting: 
box-folder

Atlanta, Georgia 1935  25 items.

 4 / 60

Political Parties Session 1941-1942  150

 4 / 61
box-folder

Army Insignia 1918  2 items.

 4 / 62

Blanket Primary Notes 1932-1938  50 items.

 4 / 63

Christmas Cards (photographs) 1960 1966 1970 1971  9 items.

 4 / 64

Correspondence: 
box-folder

Condolences and Memorials 1976-1977  70 items.

 4 / 65

T.Y. Crowell, and Harper and Row 1958-1978  15 items.

 4 / 66

Former Colleagues 1943-1970  24 items.

 4 / 67

Former Students 1942-1970  350

 4 / 68-69

General 1938-1960  140

 4 / 70

Paulino Maximo Sebastian 1941-1945  13 items.

 4 / 71
box-folder

County Government Conference 1936  92 items.

 4 / 72

Distinguished Virginians' Homecoming 1957  10 items.

 4 / 73

Documents 1926 1948 1949  3 items.

 4 / 74

Family and Other Intimates (correspondence and clippings) 1972-1978  25 items.

 4 / 75

The Girl Graduate Book 1917  1 item.

 4 / 76

Johnson Tower (congratulations and correspondence) 1964-1967  75 items.

 4 / 77

Letters to Johnson Upon His Retirement 1960  1 item.

 4 / 78

Manuscripts: 
box-folder

From Dawn to Sunup undated  441

 4 / 79-81

From Dawn to Sunup 1966  194

 4 / 82

George Douglas Minnick undated  18 items.

 4 / 83

Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother undated  54 items.

 4 / 84
box-folder

Memorial Service 1976  14 items.

 5 / 85

Newspaper Clippings: 
box-folder

General 1928-1960  83 items.

 5 / 86

Obituaries and Tributes 1976  18 items.

 5 / 87
box-folder

Odd and Rare Material 1922-1960  65 items.

 5 / 88

Photographs 1904-1969  86 items.

 5 / 89

Pi Sigma Alpha 1939-1951  6 items.

 5 / 89.5

Professional Recognition I 1935-1970  120 items.

 5 / 90

Professional Recognition II 1942-1971  180 items.

 5 / 91

Resume 1972  4 items.

 5 / 92

Rogers-Johnson Debate 
box-folder

General 1933 1964  81 items.

 5 / 93

Newspapers 1933  7 items.

 5 / 94
box-folder

Sketches of Johnson 1930 1961  2 items.

 5 / 95

Speeches and Addresses (including notes and correspondence) 1952-1965  250 items.

 5 / 96

Student Manual to Accompany Textbooks 1958  1 item.

 5 / 97

Third Invited Address Announcement 1958  1 item.

 5 / 98

Transcripts, College and University 1920 1927  3 items.

 5 / 99

Turner, George 
box-folder

Correspondence Regarding Turner 1940-1944  264

 5 / 100

Manuscript undated  207

 5 / 101

Papers 1925-1931  24 items.

 5 / 102
box-folder

U'Ren, William S. 1941 1964  5 items.

 5 / 103

Various Writings undated  76 items.

 5 / 104

Washington State Department of Social Security Board of Sponsors 1937  150 items.

 6 / 105

Whiskers 1935-1938  7 items.

 6 / 106

Writing Possibilities 1955 1959  7 items.

 6 / 107

Financial Records 
box-folder

Income Tax (Federal) 1967-1975  172 items.

 6 / 108-115

Real Estate: 
box-folder

Cope House 1953-1962  110

 6 / 116

Correspondence and Legal Documents: 
box-folder

 1933-1953  110

 6 / 117

 1956-1961  11

 6 / 118
box-folder

Stocks 1929 1938  3 items.

 6 / 119

Scrapbook, Awards, and Certificates 
box-folder

Scrapbook 1936  1 item.

 7 / 120

Awards and Certificates: 
box-folder

Claudius O. Johnson - Diplomas, Certificates, Appointment, and Citation 1913-1960  11 items.

 7 / 121

Mary Wilson Maxwell Johnson - Diplomas and Certificate 1917-1923  3 items.

 7 / 121

Helen Balch - Diplomas and Endorsement 1905-1909  3 items.

 7 / 121

Harold Eugene Culver - Diplomas 1906-1923  5 items.

 7 / 121

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Series 3: Publications 1928-1972 
box-folder

The Adoption of the Initiative and Referendum in Washington, reprint from The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 35:4. 291-303. October 1944   1 item.

 8 / 122

American Government National, State, and Local. New York, Crowell. First Printing. Annotated. 1951  1 item.

 8 / 123

American National Government. New York, Crowell. Annotated. 1945  1 item.

 8 / 124

American National Government. New York, Crowell. Fourth Edition, Annotated. 1955  1 item.

 8 / 125

American National Government, Instructors Manual. With David M. Ogden. Jr; H. Paul Castleberry; and Thor Swanson. 1970  1 item.

 8 / 126

American State and Local Government. New York, Crowell. With H. Paul Castleberry; Thor Swanson; Daniel M. Ogden Jr; Fourth Edition. 1965  1 item.

 8 / 127

American State and Local Government. New York, Crowell. With Daniel M. Ogden. Jr; H. Paul Castleberry; Thor Swanson; Fifth Edition. 1972  1 item.

 8 / 128

Autori e Difensori Delle Liberta Civili, reprint from Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Economiche e Commerciali 9:11. 1-15. Annotated. 1962  1 item.

 8 / 129

Borah - His Political Impact, Borah Foundation Lectures. University of Idaho, Moscow, 27-36. 1964  1 item.

 8 / 130

Borah of Idaho. New York, Longmans, Green and Co. Annotated, Copies of Political Cartoons Pasted In. 1936  1 item.

 8 / 131

Borah of Idaho. New York, Longmans, Green and Co. Annotated. 1936  1 item.

 8 / 132

Borah's Bequest to Democracy, Idaho Yesterday. 1:4 Winter, 1957-1958  1 item.

 8 / 133

Carter Henry Harrison I. Political Leader. Chicago, University of Chicago Press 1928.  1 item.

 8 / 134

Civil Liberties: The Citizens Business, reprint from Western Political Quarterly. 3:4. 501-511. Winter, 1950  1 item.

 8 / 135

Did Judah P. Benjamin Plant the 'States' Rights' Interpertation of the British North American Act?, Reprint From The Canadian Bar Review. 454-477. September 1967  1 item.

 8 / 136

George Douglas Minnick. Contributions to the History of the Pacific Northwest. Pullman, The State College of Washington 1939.  1 item.

 8 / 137

George Turner, Attorney-At-Law, Research Studies of the State College of Washington. 11:3. 171-192. September 1943   1 item.

 8 / 138

George Turner. Part I: The Background of a Statesman, Reprint From The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 34:3 (July 1943) 243-269. Bound With:  George Turner. Part II: United States Senator and Counsel and Arbiter for the United States, Reprint from The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 34:4 (October 1943) 367-392.  George Turner of Supreme Court of Washington Territory, Oregon Historical Quarterly. 44:4 (December 1943) 370-385. Annotated.  George Turner, Attorney-At-Law, Research Studies of the State College of Washington, 11:3 (September 1943) 171-192.  George Turner, a Character from Plutarch, Washington Law Review and State Bar Journal. 18:4 (November 1943) 167-181. Continued in next issue. 18-36. Annotated. 1943  1 item.

 8 / 139

George Turner. Part II: United States Senator and Counsel and Arbiter for the United States, Reprint From The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 34:4. 367-392. October 1943   1 item.

 8 / 140

George Turner of Supreme Court Washington Territory Oregon Historical Quarterly. 44:4. 370-385. Annotated. December 1943   1 item.

 8 / 141

Government in the United States. New York, Crowell. Annotated. 1953  1 item.

 9 / 142

Government in the United States. New York, Crowell. Revised Edition, with Supplement. Tenth Printing. Annotated. 1939  1 item.

 9 / 143

Government in the United States. New York, Crowell. Revised Edition, Eleventh Printing. Annotated. 1940  1 item.

 9 / 144

Government in the United States. New York, Crowell. Third Edition. Annotated. Page Missing. 1944  1 item.

 9 / 145

Government in the United States. New York, Crowell. Fourth Edition. Annotated. 1947  1 item.

 9 / 146

Government in the United States. New York, Crowell. Fifth Edition 1951  1 item.

 9 / 147

Government in the United States. New York, Crowell. Sixth Edition. 1956  1 item.

 9 / 148

Identification of the Principal Issues, The Annals. Vol. 283 September, 1952  1 item.

 9 / 149

The Initiative and Referendum in Washington, Proceedings of the Public Affairs Conference. The State College of Washington, Pullman 1949 

 9 / 150

The Kind of Post-War World We Want, Washington Education Journal. 23:1. 6-7. October 1943   1 item.

 10 / 151

Review of The Direct Primary in Idaho by Boyd A. Martin, Pacific Historical Review, 17:1. 95. February, 1948  1 item.

 10 / 152

Review of The Elements of Modern Politics by Francis Graham Wilson, The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 27:4. 401. October 1936  1 item.

 10 / 153

Review of How They Became President: Thirty-Five Ways to the White House by Rexford G. Tugwell, The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 56:4. 184. October 1965   1 item.

 10 / 154

Review of Papers of Edward P. Castigan Relating to the Progressive Movement in Colorado by Colin B. Goodykoontz, The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 33:2. 222-223. April 1942   1 item.

 10 / 155

Review of Pressure Politics in New York: A Study of Group Representation Before the Legislature by Belle Zeller, The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 28:4. 430. April 1937   1 item.

 10 / 156

Review of Sweet of Colorado by Wayne C. Williams, The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 35:1. 80-81. January 1944   1 item.

 10 / 157

State Government (U.S.) reprint from Encyclopedia Britannica. 148-150. 1971   1 item.

 10 / 158

State and Local Government. New York, Vail-Ballou Press 1950.  1 item.

 10 / 159

The Status of Freedom of Expression Under the Smith Act, The Western Political Quarterly. 11:3. 469-480. September 1958   1 item.

 10 / 160

Strain and Restraint: The Impact of Subversive Control on Personal Freedom, Washington State Review. 3:4. 4-11. Summer 1960   1 item.

 10 / 161

The Story of Silver Politics in Idaho, 1892-1902, The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 33:3. 283-296. July 1942   1 item.

 10 / 162

Washington's Blanket Primary Reviewed, The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 48:4. 113-119. October 1957   1 item.

 10 / 163

When William E. Borah was Defeated for the United States Senate, Reprint from The Pacific Historical Review. 12:2. 125-138. June 1943   1 item.

 10 / 164

William E. Borah: The Issue First, The Party Second, Northwest Science. 27:3. 95-106. 1953   1 item.

 10 / 165

William E. Borah: The People's Choice, The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 44:1. 15-22. January 1953   1 item.

 10 / 166

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