Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-24
THE PANAMA CANAL
President Roosevelt Goinq to
See for Himself.
HE WILL VISIT THE SPOT
And Observe the Operations in the
Construction.
WILL SAIL IN A WARSHIP
San Fraa DISCO Trip VIII Be Given Up
Also the Tour Next
Spring.
ILL SAIL IN a WARSHIP

President Roosevelt proposes 10 see for
himself what is being done in the construc-
tion of the Panama canal, and will spend
three weeks on the isthmus early In No
vember.
In doing this he will break all precedents
of the White House and shatter to pieces
the tradition that President of the United
States cannot and must not go outside the
borders of his own country.
The Presidents decision to personally
visit the isthmus and inspect the progress
OF affairs has been reached after careful
study, and there is little likelihood that he
will be dissuaded from the task he has set
for himself. Congress. he feels, has placed
upon him the responsibility of constructing
the great waterway and he does not pro-
pose that this responsibility shall exist with
his eyes blind to the actual state of affairs
His visit does not imply lack of confidence
IN Commissioner Shonts or Chief Engineer
Stevens or any of the other officials on the
isthmus. 1t simply means that the chief
executive wants to know for himself what
Is going on and how it is going on. After
THAI he can keep more closely In touch
with the work from the reports that will
be received almost daily.
Trip to Be Made on Warship.
and the President will be accompanied by
Secretary Taft. Mr.. Shonts and a number OF
others. 1t has not been determined whether
Mrs. Roosevelt or any of the members of
this Presidents family will make the trip at
the same time.
The Presidents plan now is to leave here
about November / and retrn/about the
last of the month. He will be absent at
a time when 1t Is customary for Presi-
dent to be putting the finishing touches on
his message to Congress, which conyenes
In regular session the first Monday In De-
cember. He will get the message ready be-
fore he goes or put the finishing touches to
1t while he is on his way down. In all prob
ability ne will hold the printing of the
message open for some additional observa-
tions and recommendations as to the canal
and any other subject that strikes him of
Importance.
The impression is widespread that the
most momentous feature of the next mes
sage will be a recommendation for revts-
Ion of the tariff before the next presidential
election.
The trip to Panama will be the only one
of its kind ever made by a President of the
United States the only instance where
President has gone beyond the limits of his
own country. In coming from New Or
leans last November the President went
farther beyond the limits of his country
than any other chief executive had DONE
but 1t was not considered that he had gone
out of touch. as he must do this time unless
arrangements are made for wireless teIe-
graph stations at sufficient intervals to
Keep the President in close touch with
Washington.
All Presidents heretofore have shown
scrupulous regard for the tradition that
chief executive should not go outside of his
country. When President Mckinley went
on his memorable trip through the west
five years ago last spring, he stopped for
whole day at El Paso, Texas. which is on
the border line of Mexico. He went to the
bridge that spans the Rio Grande at that
point but he declined to step beyond the
middle of the bridge and put his feet into
Mexican territory.
Tradition; Not Law.
There has long been an impression that
there is law that prevents President
going out OF the country, but this Is erro-
neous. It Is merely a tradition. being based
on the possibility that something may hap
pen that would throw the country into ex-
element or trouble.
President Roosevelt had intended going
TO San Francisco in October to attend the
laying of the corner stone of the new fed
eral building to be erected there, but this
will be cancelled In view of his Panama
journey. He has also decided that when
he goes to Lansing. Mich, early next sum-
OF the agriculture college there he will not
extend his tourney to various states that
have presented invitations. He will con-
fine 1t to the two three places already
arranged for.
The President has given an fntimatinn
that II the dirt Is not flying on the Panama
canal by the time he gets down there he
will want to know the reason why. He
says the country wants th~@eanal built and
that it cannot be built any other. way than
by removing dirt in hurry. The iaspira-
ton OF his visit Is said to be likely to have
splendid effect.