The Mena weekly star., 1907-05-02
SECRETARY TAT FTS PLANS
Tells Newspaper Men That Nothing Will Interfere With Proposed
 Philippine Trip.
NO POLITICAL OPINIONS TO EXPRESS
President Roosevelt and the Secre- tsry of War Discussed Political Al. fairs over Their Luncheon at the White House-WIll Make Three Speeches In Ohio Soon.


 Washington. April 25.--Secretary Taft Tuesday resumed his routine du- ties at the war department. The fact that 1t was cabinet day made 1t necessary for him to cut short the time allowed to callers and to post pone until a more convenient moment the consultations he desired to have with General Bell, chief of staff and the other officials.
 It is doubtful, if in his Washington experience. the secrtary has had to deal with more newspaper men than he saw Tuesday. They were mainly desirious ,o learn just what the sec retary intended to do in the answer to the challenge which Senator Forakcr had issued in regard to the contest in Ohio. MT. Taft frankly told his newspaper callers that he was under the disadvantage of a considerable absence from the country, with only scanty news of the important politi- cal events that had occurred. He did
 
 that it was proper for him to make any kind of statement as to his pos litial opinion and plans.
 One point developed in the course of the talk with the newspaper men that might be regarded as significan. in view of the fact that it has been reported that he intended to cancel his proposed Philippine trip in order to go on the stump in Ohio.
 Replying to direct inquiry, the secretary stated his intention to sail for the Philippines about September 1 next. This statement was made. too, after the secretary had spent nearly two hours in close conference with the president. Secretary Taft was invited by the president to re main for luncheon and that time was spent very profitably in a free discus sion, not only of the secretary's tb- servations in his southern trip, but also of the political developments here in his absence and of the policies to be pursued in the future
 What the plans are was not dis closed but after the luncheon the sec retary reiterated his statement of Monday night that he intended to go to Ohio next Friday and would make three speeches while away from Wash. ington, one long one at Cincinnati on the occasion of the meeting of the Western Federation of the Yale Clubs one at Dayton at the cornerstone laying of the Young Mems Christian Association, and another at Cincin- natl before the Business Mems Club. But the secretary added, with a smile that none of these speeches would be in any sense political
 Later in the summer he expects to go to Iowa and to Minnesota in each case to address the state universities. but the secretary did not say that these addresses would be enon-political He was wanted in Oklahoma. and he said he would go If he could. He had been told that a bitter political fight was to be waged there and if he went into the new state he would have to enter that fight He also was a purely political tour and possibly requested to go to South Dakota on he would make one speech at Fort Meade.
 Nothing, however. would prevent him from going to the Philippies In September. The secretary was willing to talk freely about conditions on the isthmus but most of his statements had been included in the resume of his trip given to the newspapers Mon day night One New point of interest was that Chief Engineer Goethal had suggested that the concrete work on the canal constrution should be done by contract, although that method was not practical under the present condi, tion.
 Washington. April 25.-In answer to