The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-12-27
Secretary TAFT'S
LONG TRIP ENDED
HE LANDS AT NEW YORK AND
GOES ON TO WASHINGTON
TO RESUME WORK.
SCOTS at Talk of War-Japan Wants
Only Peace and commerce-ohioan
Refuses to Discuss the Presidential
Campaign.

New York, Dec. 21.-William H.
Taft, secretary of war, returned Fri
day from his trip around the world,
bringing renewed assurance of Japan's
friendliness toward the United States,
but declining to say anything with re-
spect to the political situation in this
country.
He said that he had been too long
out of intimate touch with political af-
fairs at home to discuss them in any
way. One of Mr.. Tsft's interviewers
had the temerity to ask: well, Sec
rotary, tell us who is your choice for
president"
Amid general laughter, in which he
heartily Joined, the secretary replied:
II guess l will have to leave that to
inference"
Mr.. Taft left for Washington on an
early afternoon train, saying that &C
cumulated matters in the war depart
ment would keep his nose to the OFF,
cial grindstape for some time to come,
and that the preparation of his special
report on the Philippines, which would
be in book form, would also require
much of his time in the near future.
War Talk All FooIishness.
ut is the height of foolishness to
talk of possible war with JAPAN" de-
clared the secretary. Japan doesn't
desire war with us and we certainly
do not desire war with Japan. If there
was any war spirit anywhere in Japan
l failed to find the slightest note of
it. Everywhere there was talk of con-
tinued peace. l speak very confidently
about this. Our trade relations with
Japan are extensive and constantly
growing. Japan's exports amount an
naully to about s160, 00O, 900, of which
we take about one-third. The exports
consist largely of mattings, lace goods,
embroideries and other fancy work, in
the production of which many people
are interested. We in turn ship vast
quantities of flour, oil and such COM
modities to Japan. This sort of trade
is a great pacifcator."
What about the Pacific f1eet?"
1.-The sailing must have been a mag
nifcent sight. We have fine ships
and a fine personnel, and as long as
the Pacific ocean belongs to us as
much as to anybody else, l see no rea-
son why we should not send our ships
there on a practice cruise. The Japan
csc are too intelligent and high-minded
to attribute any false motive to the
movement.
Returns to Washington.
Washington, Dec. 21.-Secretary
Taft, accompanied by his son Charlie
Taft, arrived in Washington over the
Pennsylvania railroad Friday evening
at 6:35 o'clock.
Mr.. Taft met newspaper men by ap-
pointment at his residence Friday
night, after which he called at ten
o'clock at the White House to discuss
with the president his trip abroad.
Mr.. Taft talked freely with the news
paper men concerning his long trip
abroad. He declined to be drawn into
a discussion of the political situa-
ton, stating that he had been absent
for so long a time that he was not
familiar with the trend Of events. He
did announce, however, that he had
made an appointment to meet Arthur
1. Verys, his campaign manager, early
next week in Washington to talk over
the situation. Secretary Taft says
that he expected to remain in Wash
ington all of next week.