The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-10

known in the state, war and navy de-
partYnents. and was quickly made the
subject of serious speculation among
various officials on account of the eX-
ceedingly interesting questions it
raised. Among other things, there was
z. spontaneous revival of the fiction that
the chief executive could not pass the
boundaries of the United States with
out forfeiting his office. 1t is peculiar
how persistent is the notion even
among higher officials that some con-
stitutional or statutory restriction con-
fines the executive to American SOL,
when, as a matter of fact, although
none of President McKinley's predeces-
sors have ever left the country during
their terms Of office their actions were
alone effected by consideration Of pro
priety or Erecedent which no one could
hold to apply in the present instance
1t was generally recognized the pres
ident might naturally wish to make
personal tour of. inspection in those
islands as soon as he could spare time
from pressing public business in Wash
ington, and that no valid objection
could stand against such a tour as he
was understood to contemplate. 1t IS
pointed out however that it would be
practically impossible for him to spare
the time requisite for such an extend
ed voyage as that to Puerto Rico be-
fore congress adjourns on March T.
which is. fortunately, about the best
time of the year to make a short stay
in the tropics During the first six
weeks of the new year, in addition to
the continuous executive routine bust
ness, the social obligations involved in
the programme of public receptions and
state dinners would restrict the Dresi-
dent closely to Washington, and after
next weeks southern tour, he will
hardly find it possible to leave the
White House for more than two days
at a 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 a short session of congress,
there will be no leisure for the eXecu-
tive, and. therefore, his pennant could
hardly fly in the harbors of Puerto
Rico before the middle of March.
With Havana only a single nights
run for the dispatch boat Dolphin from
Tampa, there might be a chance for
the president to spend two whole days
there in q weeks absence from Wash
ington, and remain always in close tel
egraphic communication with the exec
utive departments, so that if a critical
emergency occurred, he could be in
railway train speeding toward the
thought is entertained, however, of a
presidential trip to Havana before the
Spanish flag is hauled down on Jan. l.
Practical unanimity of opinion pre-
walls among officials that the contem-
plated visit of the president to Havana
has as full warrant as his trip to
Peurto Rico, so long as the American
flag flies over Cuba, although a few
quibblers may hold that Puerto Rico
itself is not actually a part of United
States territory until congress has
made declaration to that effect, either
in so many words, or by ratifying the
peace treaty of Paris. This fine point
/ is not seriously raised, except to show
that Puerto Rico and Cuba must be
considered identical in view of the fact
that they are governed precisely alike
by military officers under the immedi-
ate direction of the president as com
mander-in-c chief The belief is ex-
pressed that the president would not
care to set foot in Cuba if it were. held
| to be foreign territory, much as he
might wish to see the country, for that
might be a perilous precedent to estab-
lish. But no one appears to contro-
vert the right as well as the advisable
| ity, of an executive visit to the new
American possessions, provided il does
not involve too long an enforced abb
sence from Washington
J Before the outbreak of the war with