Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-06-30
From Washington.
of the Alexandra Gazette j

Washington. ID. o.. June 80.
Secretary of War Taft and the party
that will accompany him on his visit %
the PHILIPPINES will leave here this after
noon at $3.50 O'Clock on their way to
San Francisco, which city they expect
to reach at $3.50 p. IN. on July 4th.
Crossing the Pacific on the steamer
Manchuria the party will stop couple
of DAYS in Hawaii, three days in Japan
aud nearly a month in the PHILIPPINE
islands. Elaborate preparations are
being made at each stopping place for
the entertainment of the visitors, AT
San Francisco there will be excursions,
banquets and receptions. At Honolulu
arrangements have been made for an in
teresting trip about the islands At
Yokohama the official party of the secre-
lafy will be taken in the royal yachts OF
the Mikado to Toxic for three days
visit at the palace. Then going by way
of Kobe and Nagasaki they are expected
to reach Manila August 9th. A week there
filed with entertainments will be fol-
lowed by two weeks trip by steamer
among the islands of the archi
pelago, during which stops will be
made at all the principal ports. From
the social point of view therefore the
trip will be most interesting one and
it is not remarkable that there has been
almost unprecedented pressure brought
TO hear from women in society to OBJ
tain invitations TO accompany the party.
Miss Alice Roosevelt is, OF course, the
most prominent OF the lady guests. She
will be accompanied by her special
friends, Miss Mabel Boardman, Miss
Amy Mcmillan, and Miss Helen Patlen'
A number of prominent members of the
Senate and House with their wives ard
among the party. Every member Of the
party with the exception of Sec. Taf's
official staff will pay his own expenses
with the exception of that for trans
portatiOD. 1t is estimate that it will
cost each one not less than $500.
There are number OF very important
questions demanding Secretary Taft
visit TO the Philippines at this time add
it will be no means junket for him, no
matter what it may be for the other men,
bers of his party. By taking with him
number of the members of Congress
he hopes to secure more liberal legisla
ton for the PHILIPPINES next winter, be.
carse lie is of opinion that a personal in
vestigation of the conditions thereby
Senators and Representatives will rein
force his own views as TO what should be
done more than whole lot Of argu
ment. The present internal revenue
laws, transportation, church matters and
the political situation generally of the
islands will be examined into.
John +. Stevens, former vice presi-
dent of the Rock Island Railroad, and
the man who built the mountain section
of the Great Northern Railroad, has
been appointed chief engineer of the
Panama canal to succeed John +. Wal
lace Mr.. Stevens is the railroad ex-
pert who was to have accompanied Sec
rotary Taft to the Philippines, but gives
up this trip in the interests of the canal.
The home of the new engineer is in Chi
cagO. Mr.. Stevens will not be made
member of the canal commission. His
duties will be confined exclusively to
those of chief engineer His salary will
be $50, 900 year. In appointing Mr..
Stevens as chief engineer without max
ing him member of the canal commits
sion certain false notions have been |
swept away which were connected with |
Mr.. Wallsce's position. Mr.. Stevens
will be an employee of the commission
and be has accepted his appointment
with that understanding. He will be
made general manager of the Panama
Railroad and will report as such to its
Mr.. Shonts. As chief en-
gineer he will report 10 the commission
which is largely composed of engineers.
No decision has yet been made as to the
appointment of a new member of the
canal commission to Gil the vacancy
created by the retirement of Mr.. Wal
lace. The place whicb,Mr. Stevens was
about to occupy as general supervisor on
behalf of the government Of the con-
struclion Of the railroads in the Philip
pines has been offered to w. A. Darling,
Of the Rock Island system.
Secretary Taft today had conference
with representatives Of the Columbian