The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-19
TAFT AND JOHNSON EXCHANGE MESSAGES
Governor Johnson Is Sick Almost Unto Death But He Sends Courteous Message to Taft, Who
 Replies FeeIingIy.
BY WILLIAM ROSTER.

n1lnucdpOllS, O6pleHlDcf 1o.-NoDttldl.J- An open split in the republican party and a bitter fight for control at the congress sonal elections next November between the progressives and the old-line members of the party is the outcome predicted as result of President Tafts tariff speech at Winona last night.
 This is the view taken by the republican press of Minneapolis and St. Paul and politicians generally agree with it.
 It is a curious fact that no one seems particularly surprised over the Presi- dents ut -nces, and it is equally cu- rious that there is little bitterness dis. played toward him. His reception in the Twin Cities today was by no means en- thusiastic, but that is attributed more to the fact that Governor Johnson lies at the point of death than that the President has accepted a stand on the tariff ques- ton that is opposed to the views of the majority of the people. Wherever the President went today there were crowds, but his welcome was limited to hand clapping and the waving of handkerchiefs and flags with spasmodic cheers. Practi- cally the only demonstration accorded him was III tilS AuultOliuiai III toe- 4 eNeA' '---o 5000 persons cheered him for several min utes, but then the President delivered an eloquent tribute to the stricken governor. The general opinion with regard to the Winona speech is that MT. Taft went too far .zIt was expected that he would rally to the assistance of his friend Tawney, who is hard beset by his enemies along the low tariff representations
 Taft's Radical Act.
 That was expected of a stalwart manly friend, and it was also expected that the President, having signed the Payne bill, would not stultify himself by attempting to crawl out of the position in which he had placed himself by his own act. But when by inferersce, and broadly at that, the President in his remarks about party solidarity read out of the party all the republicans who opposed the bill, the sim ple truth is that he excommunicated majority of the republicans of the middle west
 They are good republicans out here, but the majority of them can't and won't fol- low the President when he says that party solidarity should be put above the rates in any schedule of the tariff bill. They can't and won't agree that the Payne bill is the best tariff bill ever passed. They refused to accept the Presidents state rnent that the tariff question is settled, even for the time being. They have no fight against him as President or as man. Senator Clapp, one of the most per- sistent and determined of the progressives, presided at the meeting this afternoon at the St. Paul Auditorium, and the rela- tions between him and the President were apparently as cordial as ever.
 Against Progressives.
 But inasmuch as the President has lined up with the old line republicans against the progressives the latter. believing that In the long run the life of the republican party rests with their cause, are determined to accept his challenge and the republican voters of the state will be asked at the next primaries to decide The opening gun in the fight was practically fired by the President himself last night, for as Representative Tawney was the only member of the Minnesota delegation in either branch of Congress to vote for the Payne-Aldrich bill. the fight will neces- sarily wage around him.
 Tawney has tremendous personal popu- iarity and with the President behind him will be hard man to beat, but in the crowd that filed out of the Winona opera house last night after the President had concluded his address, there were open
 
 able to carry his own precinct in the fight for renominaton
 The President was never more serious in his life. He prepared his address com pletely and read 1t diliberately amid prac- tical silence. Most of his audience had already read his tribute to Senator Ald- rich which was contained in the Boston speech, so that no doubt was possible as to just where the President stood.
 
 Mir. Tawney was in St. Paul today all smiles. He declares that the opposition to him amounts to nothing and that he will have no trouble in securing renom- ination.
 The understanding is that the President will repeat certain portions of the Winona speech as he moves westward But there are more set speeches in his port folio and perhaps further sensations for the country before he returns to Wash ington.
 Governor Johnson's desperate condition undoubtedly cast tinge of gloom over the Presidents reception today. At one time his death was momentarily ex- pected and the reception committee was prepared, at the Presidents request to abandon the public part of the pro- rramme. It was decided to continue with the programme until the governors death actually occurred.
 Communication with the bedside of the governor was constantly kept open
 Along toward evening news was re- cefved that the governor was holding his own and as the information spread over the city the festival spirit became more pronounced. The affection in which Gov ernor Johnson Is held here among all classes is a remarkable tribute to the man and hopeful commentary on the times. They say that the people in this section of the country are inpertuable and un- demonstrative. But surely their manifes- tations of affection for their governor are unmistabably sincere.
 The dramatic incident of the Presidents