The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-19
CITES
 RECEIvE TAFT President Praises Gov. Johnson. ILLNESS MARS OCCASION From Sick Bed Executive Sends
 Message. ainaeapeiis and st. Paul Vie witA E.cA other Entertaining the
 Presiaent--Busy Dsy |. the Two Giles. st

Minneapolis, Minn., Sept. fs.--Presi- dent Taft came to the Twin Cities of Minnesota today and, with the shadow of death hanging over the Governor of the State, received cordial but not demonstrative welcome.
 The critical illness of Governor John
 son. probably the most popular Execu- tive Minnesota has ever known. enter ed deeply into the spirit of the day and dreaded eventualities threatened for a time during the morning to cur tail the program of entertainment, both here and in St. Paul.
 The President fulfilled the program outlined for his reception. but at every
 pause in the rushing from place to place, he made anxious inquiries as to the latest word from the bedside of the Governor. whose life hung in the balance at St. Mary's Hospital in the little city of Rochester.
 President Taft was deeply affected after his arrival to receive message Of personal greeting from Governor
 Johnson. The compliment was so un- expected under the circumstances, and
 coming by dictation from the lips of a
 man who was reported at the time as having had but the fraiiest chance for life, it called out an immediate re- sponss from MT. Taft filled with ex-
 pressions of sympathetic concern and fervent hope for speedy recovery.
 The President. many times during
 the day. in making little speeches here and there. in Minneapolis and St. Paul. referred to the Governors Illness, and expressed anew his distress to have been met this morning with the de-
 spairing news from the patients bed side, s;
 People Need Johnson.
 At his auditorium speech in St. Paul. the President called out prolonged
 cheering when ne spoke of Governor Johnson:' to God that he may he spared to you and to the country. With his ability, his courage. his great common sense. he cannot be np8red. He IS too val tsuable, not alon8 to the pNnpfe of thia State, but to the people of the nation, who doubtless wiil insist in time that he shall serve them"
 President Teft also arcHssa spthnsi- n wlth hls s1zilx hxppy s4fstcnces to the civio virtues of the neishboftng cities. declaring them 10 be So much alike that they, should combine as one city. with borough of Minneapolis and a borough of st Paul.
 The President, arriving in Minneapo- His shortly before 8 A. m. began his day with breakfast at the Minneapo- lis Club. whore he is quartered during his stay here until tomorrow night as the 9uest of . reception 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-uniform- ed veterans, and then proceeded to Fort Smelling. where there was . re- view of the regular troops stationed there, and 6 reception at the officers
 club.
 As the Presidents party entered the
 military reservation, the Chief Execu-
 tive was met by troop of cavalry and a salute of twenty-one guns was fired.
 Leaving Fort Smelling. the party
 crossed the river in the outsktrts or st. Paul, motored direct into the city.
 where the President was entertained at a luncheon served on the vast stage of the St. Paul auditorium. When the luncheon had been concluded. the tenn norary partitions separating the stage from the main body of the auditorium
 were lifted, and the President faced an audience which hlled floors and
 galleries to their utmost capacity.
  the luncheon, each person had been
 presented with a small American flag.
 and when the President turned rom his seat at the guests table. he looked
 into a fiuttering sea of waving colors.
 After a breef speech. the President was driven to the State Capitol, where if had been intended that a public re- csntion should be held. This feature was called off on account of Governor Johnson's illness. and the President apueared for only few minutes on the South balcony to express his grat- itude to a great crowd gathered on the terraced lawn for It's cordial greet ing. president was driven back to Minns- apoiig and retired to his rooms at the club for a three hours rest before artinR for the banquet rendered him tonirht at the Minneapolis auditort- um by the people of this city. During the day the President made no reference to the tarin. Amonk those who heard him, politicians and business men alike. the speech of last night. in which the President made | clear his position in reference to the Payne bill, those members of the Re publican Party who voted for ana against that measure. was the chief l topic of discussion.
 l ~ | impression in this section, and repre- sentatives of the insurgents" and
 stand batter" element in this center | of Insurgency" were taken somewhat aback by the thoroughness of the Presidents statement. The fact that Mir. Taft waited until he got into "in- surEent" territory before saying what he had to say of the Senators and Representatives who abandoned their | party in the tariff fight, shared large iy in the impression of earnestness left by the speech.
 Representative James A. Tawney, of
 Minnesota, whose course in voting for the tariff bill was upheld by the Presi- dent. participated in the twin cities l entertainment today.
 Tn his address at the St. Paul Au- ditorium the President said: "I cannot begin my remarks to you until have expressed how touched I am by the message of welcome from your stricken Governor. That he from a bed of pain should remember
 to give welcome to me. carries me
 back to the many times 1t has been
 my good fortune to meet him--eever-
 al times on the soil of Minnesota, and