The herald., 1898-12-11

A PRESIDENTIAL VISIT
Is TO BE PAID TO CUBA AND
PORTO RICO
The Exact Date Will Not Be Set Till
the Stars and Stripes Are Flying
Over Havana
NEW YORK, Dec. l0.-A special to the
Tribune FROM, WASHINGTON savs.

NEW YORK, Dec. 10.-A special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
A report that the President intends to
visit Cuba and Porto Rico at the first favor
able opportunity has become known in the
State, War and Navy Departments and was
quickly made the subject of serious specula-
ton among various officials on account OF
the exceedingly interesting questions 1t
raised. Among other things, there was a
spontaneous revival of the fiction that the
Chief Executive could not pass the boundar-
les of the United States without forfeting
his office. 1t is peculiar how persistent is
the notion even among higher officials that
some constitutional or statutory confined
the executive to Amercal soil when, as a
matter of fact, although none of President
Mckineys predecessors have ever left this
country during their terms of office, their
actions were alone affected by considerations
of propriety or precedent, which no one
could hold to apply in the present instance.
1t was generally recognized that the Presi-
dent might naturally wish to'make per
sonal tour of inspection IN those islands as
soon as he could spare time from pressing
public business in Washington, and that no
valid objection could stand against such
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 extended voy-
age as that to Porto Rico before Congress
adjourns on March 4th, which is, fortunately,
about the best time of the year to make
short stay in the tropics. During the first
six weeks of the new year, in addition to the
continuous executive routine business, the
social obligations involved in the program
of public receptions and state dinners would
restrict the President closely to Washing
ton, and after next week S Southern tour, he
will hardly find it possible to leave the White
House for more than two days at time be-
fore the beginning of Lent, in the middle of
February. For the ensuing two weeks, with
the rush of legislation which marks the clos
ing days of short session of Congress, there
will be no leisure for the Executive, and
therefore his pennant could hardly fly in the
harbors of Porto Rico before the middle OF
March.
With Havana only 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 alb
sence from Washington and remain always
in close telegraphic communication with the
Executive Departments so that if critical
emergency occurred he could be in railway
twelve hours. No thought is entertained,
however, of Presidential trip to Havana,
before the Spanish flag is hauled down on
January lst.
Practical unanimity of opinion prevails
among officials that the contemplated visit
of the President to Havana has as full war
rant as his trip to Porto Rico so long as the
American flag flies over Cuba, although a
| few quibblers may hold that Porto Rico
| itself is not actually part of United States
territory until Congress has made declara-
tion 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 Porto Rico and Cuba must be
considered identical in view of the fact that
they are governed precisely alike by military
officers under the immediate direc. ion of the
President as Commander in Chief