Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-30
At THE WHITE HOUSE
President Not in III-HeaIth, as
Rum0red.
HAS HAD MUCH HARD WORK
And Been Concerned Over the Uneasi-
ness in Business Circles.
HE HAS BEEN MISCONSTRUED
HE HAS BEEN MISCONSTRUED
Absorbing to Visitor Today, as to His
Intentions Regarding Railroads
May Define His Attitude.

Stories in circulation that President
Roosevelt is in ill-health are denied at the
White House: Because the appetite of the
President fell off for a day or two during
the hot spell Of the past week, and some Of
his callers noticed that he was not quite as
active and vigorous as usual a story went
the rounds that he was really i'll. He has
also been bothered by a mean tooth, which
his dentist has been treating This has
given him some discomfort and did not con-
duce to allayfng the tremendous wear and
tear on his nervous system for the last two
months. The President went to his dentist
again today, a large number Of visitors In
the White House grounds saluting him as
he passed out and returned. He appeared
to be in excellent health.
III the President does not show some
signs of falling strength before the sum-
mer is well on there will be surprise
among his intimate friends. He has never
had harder winter and spring and there
Is still before him a large accumulation of
work. Congress left him much to do and
he has had forty or fifty difficult appoint
ments to make. The Ohio judgeship, in
which he once again clashed with Senators
Foraker and Dick, was one of these There
has also come the crash in the stock mar
ket, and general uneasiness in business
circles throughout the country. The Presi-
dent has shown more concern as to this
situation than as to any other since he has
been In office. He has conferred with
many people, and has been subjected to a
| severe strain as to the best course to pur-
sue. The general effect has been to prev
upon mighty strong nervous system
The many conferences, together with the
plethora OF regular work, have prevented
the President getting as much exercise as
usual. In the past frequent exercise has
been synonymous with medicine with him.
| 1t Is understood that from now on the
President will get outdoors oftener than in
| the last few months.
president Has Been Misconstrued."
The President had a conference today
| over the railroad and financial situation
| with August Belmont, ex-Representative
| Jefferson M Levy, both of New York, and
Frank B. Kellogg, special attorney of the
interstate commerce commission. AS in
| nearly all previous conferences recently
| the visitors, acting under instructions from
| the President. were mum as oysters,
especially If their names were to be used
as saying this or that. One Of them, how
ever, ventured the assertion that the Presi-
dent has been greatly msconstrued to
his intentions as to the railroads and indi-
Gated that the President had undergone
an important change of view as to the
arteries of travel in the country. He gave
it his opinion that the President will
yet make speech defining his attitude.
The President, he said. is now seeking to
find the best time and place to let the
public know what he thinks.
New Governor Of Porto Rico.
Regis H. Post, secretary of Porto Rico,
and recently appointed by the President as
governor of the island to succeed Gov
Winthrop, who is to become assistant secre-
tary OF the treasury. called on the Presi-
dent today. While Mr.. Post declines to be
quoted on the subject. 1t is pretty we'll I'M
derstood that he is opposed to the demand
of the Porto Ricans that they be given
majority Of the executive council Of the
island. Under the present system of gov
eminent of the island the lower house of
the legislature is elected by the people, but
the executive council. which is the upper
house, is appointed by the president, and
of the eleven members Of that body six are
Americans, five being Porto Ricans. If the
Porto Ricans could induce the President to
give them a majority of the council they
would control both bodies of the legislature
Mr.. Post is believed to have advised the
President against any change for some
years to come. He has a high opinion of
the Porto RicanS of the better class, but
doubts whether men of this class would be
chosen by the people to both branches Of
the legislature.
Mr.. Post has been in Porto Rico over four
years, having gone there auditor in
February, 1903. He became secretary of
Porto Rico when Gov. Winthrop was ap-
pointed to succeed GOV. Hunt. Mr.. Post
has a good record in the island. He Is the
author of between sixty and seventy laws
upon the statute books of the island, the
most important bearing upon elections and
municipalities. Two and a half years ago
the cities of the island were bankrupt
Under the guidance of Mr.. Post the mu-
nicipal organizations have been reformed
They are free of floating indebtedness and
many have surpluses In their banks
To Lecture on the Canal.
Representative Marshall of North Dakota,
who was among the congressional party
that went to the Isthmus of Panama i'm
mediately after adjournment Of Congress,
added to the unanimous opinion of the other
visitors that things the canal are do
ing splendidly. Mr.. Marshall has sue-
gested to the President the advisab ilfty OF
lecturing in the northwest on the work
on the canal. and the President considers II
a good idea. Mr.. Marshall does not believe
that the country knows the achievements
on the canal to date, and thinks that the
best way Is to lecture to the people. This
idea has proven so popular among the
congressman who made up the party that
at least eight Of them have decided to adopt
the lecture plan. Secretary Bishop of the
canal commission has furnished the states
men with pictures and lantern slides and
all they will have to do will be to get
lantern operators to assist them.
Secretary Bishop said there is absolutely
only one thing missing on the canal-that
is entertainment Of some kind for the
workers. Vaudeville has been suggested,
but 1t would take such long trip for q
company that no money could be made by
reason of steamship fares.
The President today received a large
number of visitors. The city is full of ex-
cursion parties, and some OF these have
managed to arrange appointments with the |
President. The Washington conference of
the A. NJ. e. Church Is in session. and
about 100 ministers Of the conference shook
hands with the President The President /
gave hearty reception to the members
of the Yale base ball team.
NJ " the president of the Woman's Bryan
Lea que who has entertained Mr.. Bryan at
her home several times. was among the
large number Of persons who were re-
ceived by the President today.