Morris tribune., 1911-09-08
PREPARING FOR
COMING OF TAFT
Republican Organization Arrang-
ing Big Demonstration.
ENTHUSIASM LESS MARKED
Announcement of Presidential Visit
Creates No Great Stir in Po-
IiticaI Circles.

st. Paul, Sept 5.-President Taft is
to visit Minnesota this fall and there
is joy unconfned in the Republican
organization camp because of the fact
Washington dispatches brought the
glad tidings several days ago, but
nothing has appeared in the press re-
garding much correspondence which
has passed between the president and
his advisers and the Republican
leaders in Minnesota regarding his
Northwest itinerary and the plea to
make it as extensive as possible
Come to Minnesota and come quick,
ly," has been the burden of the letters
sent from here. National Committee
man Frank B. Kellogg even made it
the basis of flying trip to the ma
tional capital. October has been the
month selected by the president for
his visit, with day each given to ST.
Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth, and
brief stops at Mankato, the governor
home, and other population centers
The orders are to burn red fire all
along the route and to overlook moth.
ing in making the presidents visit a
notable one as far as demonstration
is concerned. And in order that there
may be no fall down" in the matter
of the program $4,000, it is reported
has been assigned to Minnesota. This
amount is to be augmented locally, OF
course.
!. i. /.
My, what furore information like
the above would have caused a decade
ago. Just prod your memories, you
gray heads, and think. Marching
clubs, parades, torchlight professions
at night and gathering of the faith
full in such numbers as to strike dis
may in the hearts of the Democratic
hosts. All the state machine had tc
do was to send out the word and moth
ing would be lacking in enthusiasm
All this does not seem hardly peril
nent to the presidents announced
coming, but | mention it for the rea
son that the news from Washington
hardly caused a ripple on the politi
cal waters and the state leaders are
even in doubt at this writing as to
how the president will be received
and whether or not it will stay the
tide of unrest now SO evident in the
Great Northwest. There must be en-
thusiasm at any cost, the leaders say
but how to get 1t is the rub. Presi-
dent Taft is not noisemaker,- as his
administration and brief trips over
the country have shown, and there
fore it is up to the state leaders to
furnish it. ,---~',-~ --ss-~ ~~--~""~"'
!. !. +
But, after all, as pointed out by one
state leader who has seen the cam
paign changes which have taken place
In a decade, this threatened absence
of noise and merrymaking in connec-
ton with the presidents contemplated
visit may be the one thing that may
reinstate him in the minds of the
thousands who have seen fit to disa-
gree with some of his policies. This
leader is against any forced demon
stration. Such, he contends, will only
serve to confuse instead of enlighten
and it is the latter that the voters
want. Burning red fire in honor of
royalty, he says, is thing of the past
Let the president meet the people and
let him talk to them unhampered by
selfish state and other official schemes.
is his advice.
+ j. +
Anent the national game and the
plans now being made by the state
Republican organization for the re-
ception to President Taft, yours truly
would be derelict In his duty if ] did
not mention the progressive gathering
at the st, Paul hotel last week in
which Clifford Pinchot, the great con-
servationist, was the center of attrac-
tion. The crowd was not a large one,
nor, in the language of the reviewer,
was it an enthusiastic one. BY this !
do not mean that it was lacking in
harmony as far as the views of it's
honored guest was concerned. 1t was
a gathering of thinkers and everyone
listened attentively. At the close Mr..
Pinchot was roundly applauded and
his views fully endorsed. 1t was
gathering throughout and
the sentiments expressed by the
speaker were progressive.
+ + +
Looking over the Pinchot assem-
blage the seasoned campaigner would
have remarked with disgust. Not a
leader in the bunch. Lucky if they
are able to deliver their own VOTE"