The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-26

Washington, June 23.-President
Roosevelt Will visit the Isthmus OF
Panama 10 make a personal investiga-
tion of the work of the constructing Of
the Panama canal.
This announcement was made at the
White House late this afternoon by
Secretary Loeb after conference with
the president. 1t is expected the pres
ident will leave Washington for Pan
anna the latter part OF next October or
in the early days OF November. He
will be absent about three weeks. The
trip probably will be made on one of
the big cruisers OF the navy, but what
vessel Will carry the president and his
party is not yet known
None Of the details of the trip yet
has been worked out Beyond the
bare decision to make the. trip, the
president has reached practically no
conclusions. It is likely he will be
accompanied on the journey of Secre-
tary Taft and Chairman Shonts Of the
Panama canal commission, but even
this has not been determined definite
~.
The president long has desired per-
sonally TO inspect the route Of the
canal and to make himself personally
familiar with the great undertaking Of
constructing the waterway. The de-
ciSion, announced today that he will
visit the American zone isthmus of
Panama, was not reached hastily, but
has been under consideration for q con-
siderable time. 1t is the expectation
that the president will be able to spend
at least a week on the canal zone and.
in that time, he will familiarize him
self with the situation by a study OF IL
at close range. He believes a personal
visit 10 the canal zone will enable him
| TO gather information that will be of
| immense advantage not only To tile
canal work itself, but TO congress ard
to the American people Above ali. IL
will enable him 10 handle with an alb
sofute knowledge of the situation me
great problems which constantly will
be arising in connection with the work
of canal construction and administra-
Tion.
In cOnnectio with the announcement
of the presidents intention I'd visit
| Panama, Secretary Loeb said the presi-
dent had decided not to visit San Fran
cisco next autumn TO participate in
| the ceremonies incident TO the laying
Of the cornerstone of the new federal
| building. The people of San Francisco
and of California, generally, were very
anxious that he should be In San Fran
cisco at that time While the presi-
dent, Il can be said, desires TO do any
| thing he properly can to promote the
| reconstruction of the city, so nearly
| destroyed by earthquake and confia6ra-
| ton, he cannot make the trip to Pan
anna and that to San Francisco too, os
the two trips necessarily would fall
about the same time.
For several weeks, the president has
been considering the matter Of making
trip next spring through the middle
west, touching points in Ohio, Indiana,
Michigan, Illinois. Missouri. Oklahoma
and, perhaps, other states. He had
hoped to make the trip in order 10
attend the commencement exercises Of
some agricultural colleges and state il
stitutions. Since the announcement
was made OF the Likelihood OF his TAX
ing the trip, such O mass OF invitations
has been received from almost erery
state in the union that the president
finally decided not to make the trip
at all Il became evident that Il he
should accept one-tenth Of the invita-
tons he has received the trip would oc-
cupy two or three months. The proc
ability is that ne will go next May 10
Lansing, Mich, 10 attend the semi
centennial celebration OF the establlan-
ment Of agricultural colleges in this
country There he will meet many Of
the prominent educators OF the coun-
try. The trip viii be brief, occupying
probably rot more than four or tTe
days.