Connecticut western news., 1906-11-29
ON CANAL
Declares Panama Project Is the Greatest Enterprise In His
 tory of the World.
BUSY WITH NEGRO QUESTION


 ter of Dismissed Soldiers and Find
 Mir. Roosevelt Standing Firm-May
 Make Special Statsment-Favors Git
 ixenship For Porto Ricans-
 Washington, Nov. 2S. President Roosevelt talked to group of Wash ington correspondents on his visit to Panama and Porto Rico. He declared that the canal project is the greatest enterprise in the history of the world, that he was greatly impressed by it and that generally he is satisfied with conditions as he found them, but he would not discuss the canal in detail pending his special message to con gress on the subject. a rough draft of which he had prepared. This message will be sent to congress within fort night.
 AS a result of his visit to Porto Rico. President Roosevelt will recommend that the people of that island be grant ed American citizenship. He will send special message to congress on this subject. The president does not con- template recommending any change in the form of government of Porto Rico, but he considers it unjust to the Porto Ricans that they are denied American citizenship. He pronounced the inhab- itants of the island high class and in- telligent people. They have a first class government at present, according to President Roosevelt: unparalleled prosperity prevails, and the people are we'll pleased with existing conditions. Enthusiastic Over Navy.
 President Roosevelt returned to Washington bubbling over with enthu- siasm for the American navy. He de- clared that there Is no navy on the sea which can match 1t, ship for ship and man for man.
 The first official callers the president received upon resuming business brought up the dismissal without hon. or of the negro troops of the Twen- ty-fifth infantry. They were Charles Anderson, collector of internal rev enue, New York. and E. J. Scott pri- vate secretary for Booker T. Washing ton.
 Anderson came as a representative of the colored Republican club of New York, and Scott, was the messenger of MT. Washington.
 Both Anderson and Scott were rather reticent regarding what occurred. but it was apparent that they got very lit- tie encouragement from the president MT. Scott said he presented to the president a petition from Booker T. Washington. in which a plea was made for the dismissed soldiers.
 Has Power to Reinstate Soldiers.
 It is learned that the president stands willing to take up the individual cases of the men if 1t is shown that they were not responsible for the troubles that brought on the discharge ordered, but he has no intention of resembling or even modifying his order.
 President Roosevelt holds that he has the power to reinstate in the army any of the negro soldiers If the circum- stance of any individual case justify such action. Whether he will avail himself of that power, according to the president will depend on such evi- dence that may be presented to him in the case of any one or more soldiers which will tend to clearly exculpate them from any participation in the in- cident.
 Some statement is expected from the White House in a few days defining the presidents attitude and clearly outlining his reasons for ordering the discharge of the three companies of men. He is awaiting certain data bear ing on the subject and some co:nmuni- cations from persons interested before making any statement.
 President Roosevelts order dismiss ing the troops followed their refusal to tell which eight of their comrades were implicated in the row In Browns vile. Tex, last summer, in which white man was shot and the town ter rified. The order deprives the dismiss ed men of many civil and military privileges despite the previous honora- ble record of many of them. The pres ident's order has caused criticism in some quarters.
 Secretary Taft made public the re- ports of General Darlington, the fn- spector general of the army, who in veStigated the case for President Roosevelt, and of Major Blocksom of the inspector generals department who made the preliminary investiga- ton.