The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-20
W|NONA SPEECH
 ALL A MISTAKE. Taft Has Said Too Much to Suit His Western Hearers MUCH ADVICE IS SENT
Many Letters Are Written to Taft Telling Him What to Talk About While He Is Touring Through
 the West.
BY ALFRED HENRY LEWIS.

Minneapolis, September 19.-(Special. .)- This has ceased to be a picnic and be- come propaganda. In Milwaukee MT. Taft declared for postal savings banks. In Winona he went overheard with a mighty splash for the Payne-Aldrich tariff revision upward and "Barley-Jim" Taw- their angry teeth. The other has ar rayed against MT. Taft the bulk of local popular sentiment.
 In the words of David Crockett, it Is to be feared that MT Taft has dug up more snakes than he can kill.' Politically, according to the common voice, his Wi mona speech was a mistake. There Is lit- tie snobbery in politics when all is said and less in the west than anywhere else. Folks resent White House advice in lecting their representatives.
 I've talked with Minnesota people. The burden of feeling is that MT. Taft would have done as well had he kept his oar speaking politically--out of the state fam fly affairs.
 "Mr. Taft said these gentlemen, was elected not to act as the guardian, but as the President of the people,
 More Harm Than Good.
 In the instance of MT. Tawney, threat ened with defeat, the Taftian rescue ex- petition is supposed to have done more harm than good To exert force is to invoke force in opposition. This is by a law of nature. Were it otherwise the universal boat would upset all of us and be spilled into hungry, churning space
 When MT. Taft said the other night that he came to protect MT. Tawney from his own constituents and stand by a man who stood by me- the effect of that misguided proclamation was to focus upon MT. Tawney that opposition which before had been somewhat scattered. MT. Tawney was safe of his reelection until MT. Taft reached Winona. Now if he sneaks through it will be by the paint on his blanks.
 It is the belief, too, among local poli- ticians, that MT. Taft has weakened the party. What was only crack has by this wedge of his tariff utterances been widened to the proportions of most eli- gible split.
 Also that postal savings banks oration
  one way just as the Winona tariff in dorsement has set the farmers to pulling the other.
 Revenge For Injury.
 Folks will work harder to revenge an injury than repay favor, go further to hurt a foe than help friend. Thus. the farmer, forgetful of postal savings banks, l.; oF fCi the banker careless of the tariff, but against postal savings, and both set pull ing in opposite directions by MT. Taft, are likely before all Is over to tear the party in twain.
 They say the wires are kept hot by warning messages to MT. Taft They are coming in from party leaders in the east. These gentlemen think MT. Taft has put his foot in it.
 Likewise, it is today's prophecy that be- fore he is out of Iowa and into Nebraska and the Dakotas MT. Taft will be found explaining if not flying from his Winona position.
 For several days MT. Taft has been walking among the presidential booms- the LaFoltette boom, the Governor John son boom. While his agility is like unto the agility of bale of hay, he has thus far been so fortunate as not to bark his political shins. He has gone round or stepped over in each happy instance, and thereby gained credit for acumen.
 Among the Rooms.
 Monday MT Taft will be still going to and fro among the booms. Senator Cum mins and Senator Deliver are both hun gry to be President. That conflict of interest It Is thought, however. that MT Taft will come through his Iowa day without treading on Cummins thistle or piercing himself with any Deliver thorn. In Iowa they are against the Payne Aldrich tariff MT. Taft would do well in Des Moines not to revert to his Wino- na speech. The people would welcome him; but they would not agree with him and after he had left they would talk him over to his disadvantage.
 MT. Taft ought to realize the sentiment of the people he is among. These folks are for an income tax and for beating down tariff and thereby protection-to the flat level of free trade. They are for postal savings banks and parcels posts
 They take their politics seriously, too. Minnesota Iowa, Nebraska. the Dakotas, one and all are as Massachusetts was a century ago. The New England of to- day is here. Likewise there Is gravity to western politics. It is something to he earnestly executed. Men are not in the party simply to avoid fine in the police court or get ticket to an out ing
 Once you cross the Mississippi folks feel their politics and never let chance go by of pushing their principles.