Arizona republican., 1909-09-19
TWIN CITIES GREET HIM
President Deeply Affected by a Personal Message From Governor Johnson, Who Is Critically Ill at Rochester, Minn.

Minneapolis, Minn., Sept. 1S.-Pres-
 ident Taft came to the Twin Cities
 today and, with the shadow of death
 hanging over the governor of the
 state. received a cordial but not dem
 onstrative welcome The critical ill.,
 ness of Governor Johnson, probably
 the most popoular executive Minne-
 sota has known, entered deeply into
 the spirit of the day and dreaded
 eventualities threatened for a time
 during the morning to curtail the
 program for his entertainment both
 fulfilled the program outlined for his
 reception, but at every pause in
 rushing from place to place he made
 inquiries as to the latest word from
 the bedside of Governor Johnson
 whose life hung in the balance at
 St. Mary's hospital in the little city deeply affected soon after his arrival
 to receive a message of personal
 greeting from Governor Johnson. The
 governors message was so unexpect-
 ed under the circumstances, and com
 ing by dictation from the lips of an American who was reported at the
 time as having but the frailest chance of life, called out an immedi- ate response from Taft. filled with expressions of sympathetic concern and fervent hope for speedy recovery.
 At his auditorium speech in St Paul the president called out pro- longed applause and cheering when he declared of Governor Johnson: T unite with you in a fervent prayer to God that he may be spared to you and to his country. With his ability, his courage, his great common sense, he can not but be spared. He is too not alone to the people of this state, but to the people of the nation. who doubtless will insist some time that he shall serve them"
 The president also aroused enthu- siastic cheers during the day with his many happy references to the civic virtues of the neighboring cities, de- claring them to be so much alike that they should combine as the one city of Minneapolis and the borough of St. Paul. The president, arriving in Minneapolis shortly before a. m., began his day with breakfast at the club where he is quar- tered during his stay here until to- morrow night as the guest of the re- ception committee of the Twin Cities. Next there was an automobile ride through the business and residence sections of Minneapolis, around the lake shore drives to the soldiers home. where the president reviewed a double line of blue uniformed vetr- ans, and then proceeded to Fort Smelling, where there was a review of troops stationed there and a brief reception at the officers club.
 Representative James A. Tawney of whose course in voting for the tariff bill was upheld by the Pres ident, participated in the Twin Cities today. In his address at St. Paul auditorium the president said: 'I cannot begin my remarks to | you until I cypress how touched I | am by a message of welcome from | your stricken governor. That he, on | a bed of pain. should remember to | give welcome to me carried me back | to the many times it has been my good fortune to meet him, several l times on the soil of Minnesota, and | always to receive from his smiling and | delightful personality a sense of sin cere welcome to a state that loves | him so well.
 When. we entered upon this scene, | and there was nothing before us but | )ld glory, I had borne in upon me | what this greeting means It seems | hat you have seized the opportunity I Df the coming of the titular head of | your country to express to him your welcome, deep feeling, patriotism and | pride in your nation that you have, md are only too glad to manifest it | when opportunity offers. I under stand exactly what is meant and do not misunderstood it.
 'I think whenever I meet children | md they are out with flags to cheer | me that it is a good thing to have I them see me for a moment, because | they always will recOllect seeing the | temporary head of the nation and it | always will arouse in them the | drought, the obligation, to become | patriots and good citizens.
 T take out all personality It is i the office. it is the headship of the | nation. it is the spirit of the nation. |