The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-12-15
M'KINLEY'S TRIP.
Can Chief Magistrate Leave the
Boundaries Of His Own COuntryS
This, However, Would Not Hold Good II
This Case Inasmuch ~ Cuba and
Porto r co Are, or Soon viii
he. Under Our Flag.

WASHINGTON, Dec. IA report that
the president intends to visit Cuba and
Porto Rico at the first favorable OPP
portunity has become known in the
state, war and navy departments, and
was quickly made the subject OF seri-
Gus speculation among various ofli-
cials on account of the exceedingly i'm
teresting questions it raised. Among
other things there was spon-
taneous revival of the fiction that
the chief executive could not pass
the boundaries of the United States
without forfeiting his office, 1t
is peculiar how persistent is
the notion even among higher officials
that some constitutional or statutory
restriction confines the executive to
American soil, when, as matter of
fact, although none of President Nc
Kinley's predecessors have ever left
the country during their terms of. Of
by considerations of propriety or prece-
dent which 40 one could hold to apply
in the present instance.
1t was generally recognized that the
president might naturally wish to
make personal tour of inspection in
those islands as soon as he could spare
time from pressing public business in
Washington, and that no valid objec-
tod could stand against such tour as
he was understood to contemplate. It
is pointed out, however, that it would
be practically impossible for him to
spare the time requisite for such an
extended voyage as that to Porto
Rico before congress adjourns on
March 4, which is, fortunately,
about the best time of the year to make
short stay in the tropics. During tho
first six weeks of the new year, in adj
dition to the continuous executive rou-
tine business, the social obligations in
volved in the programmes of public
receptions and state dinners would re-
strict the president closely to Wash
ington, and after next weeks southern
tour he will hardly find it possible to
leave. the white house for more than
two days at time before the beginning
of lent, in the middle of February. For
the ensuing two weeks, with the rush
of legislation which marks the closing
days of q short session Of congress,
there will be no leisure for the execu-
tive and therefore his pennant could
hardly fly in the harbor of Porto Rico
before the middle of March.
With Havana only a single nights
run for the dispatch boat Dolphin from
Tampa, there might be chance for
the president to spend two whole days
there in weeks absence from Wash.
ington, and remain always in close
communication with the executive de-
partments so that if q critical emer-
gency occurred he could be in rail-
way train speeding toward the capital
within u hours. No thought is enter
tained, however, of a presidential trip
to Havana before the Spanish flag ID
hauled down on January l.
Practical unanimity of opinion pre-
walls among officials that the contem-
plated visit Of the president to Havana
has a full warrant as his trip to Porto
Rico so long as the American flag flies
over Cuba, although few quibblera
may hold that Porto Rico itself
Is not actually a part of the
United States territory until con-
gress has made q declaration to that
effect, either in 90 many words or by
ratifying the peace treaty of Paris.
This fine point il not seriously raised
except to show that Porto Rico and
Cuba must be considered identical in
view Of the fact that they are gov
erned precisely alike-by military OFF,
GERS under the immediate direction Of
the president as commander-in-chief,
The belief is expressed that the presi'
dent would not care to set foot in
Cuba II it were held to be foreign ter
; ritory, much as he might wish to see
the country, for that might be per
ilous precedent to establish, but
no one appears to controvert the right
as well as the advisability of an exc
cutive visit to the new American pos
sessions, provided it does not involve
too long an enforced absence from
Washington.