The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-03
ROOSEVELT LEFT
AMERICAN SOIL
First of All Presidents to Venture
Away from United States
- s Boundaries.
BY w. w. Jermane.

Washington, Nov. 3.-The old theory
that the president of the United States
is barred from going outside the coun-
try has received a good deal of jolt,
now that President Roosevelt has made
the trip from New Orleans to the
At times the boat was considerably
farther away from shore than the three
miles which measure the jurisdiction of
this country on the water, and this was
especially the case during the heavy
gale which blew while the West Vir-
ginia was coming up the coast off the
Carolinas. The situation demanded that
avoid the shoals, and at one time 1t is
said that they were easily twenty-five
miles from land. ..4., 49,. ~. ...... =.
Technically, it is claimed by the ex-
perts, the president was not outside the
jurisdiction of the country, since he
was treading the deck of an American
man of war, and was thus, strictly
the old precedent dies hard, and many
people in this city say the president
had no business to make this trip by
sea, and that when he made it he ran
counter to the unwritten law of the
country, and perhaps to its written law
also.
Commander of Navy.
The reply to this objection is that
the president is the commander-in-chief
of the army and navy, which position
gives HIM the right, when he so de-
direction of the forces, either on land
or sea. Obviously, he could not exer
else this right on the sea without going
| outside the country, and so the constitu-
tional experts claim that the makers
of the constitution never intended to
put into that instrument anything
which would render it out of the ques-
tion for the president, at will, to 60
aboard war vessel, and direct the
movements of a fleet. whether in Ameri-
can waters or on the high seas.
Roosevelt Luck.
President Roosevelt g proverbial luck
followed him during his southern trip.
He came within an ace of serious acci-
shore to the West Virginia at New
Orleans, and coming by the Carolina
capes and shoals q terrific gale began
to blow, compelling the squadron to
turn out to the high seas.
In New Orleans he ran the risk of
yellow fever contagion, and whether the
risk was small or great, the fact that
friends to be anxious. But he has es,
capped without hurt, and when he
stepped off the Dolphin at the Washing,
ton navy-yard he looked as trim and
fine as he ever locked in all his, life
and showed by his every movement that
the trip had done him much good phys
ically.
t 1t is now his plan to settle down and
be president without taking anv more
n trips. The recent visit to the old south
took him thru the remaining state!
which he had not seen while president
r and thus rounded out his national itin
erary.
His Narrow Escapes.
President Roosevelt, it will be re
membered. had narrow escape from
serious accident while riding in coacl
thru Massachusetts few years ago
Secret Service Officer Craig who was il
the. same coach with him, was instantl,
, killed, and several others of the occu
pants were more or less severely in
jured: but the president escaped with
out a scratch.
His horseback experiences on tn
country roads about Washington hav
been thrilling. Once his horse fe]
while jumping a fence, and came nea
plnning him to the ground. At an
, other time he was almost run down b.
l an automobile while making a shar
l turn on one Of the country roads in tn
. Chevy Chase neighborhood. And O
still another occasion he was on frat
e tious horse which seemed determined
J. jump off. a bridge with him. His es
= corts On all these occasions tremble
for his safety, and he was the only PEI
. son in the party, each time, who az
> parently did not recognize the imm'
o diate presence of danger
8 Nobody knows how many hairbreadt
d escapes he had while hunting in th
}, mountain Businesses Of the southwes
v last spring. The accounts which he he
r written for Scribner's of those hunt
suggests that he found in them enoug
excitement to satisfy him, and the pul
l. lie must draw upon it's imagination
e to what might be written were the re-
s. ord available.