The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-09-06
TAFT GETS ABOUT OFTEN
War Secretary Is Champion
LOng-Distance Boy.
COVERED NEARLY 10000 MILES
President Roosevelt Himself Is Not
So Slow, Record Of Mr.. Root,
Head Of State Portfolio.

Washington, Sept. 4.-"Otficial ira
Yelling is as contagious as yellow fever.
1t goes through an administrative
household like a prairie fire and, oddly
enough, the more of it that is done
the more of it seems necessary"
This comment was made by one of
the oldest and most experienced of
government officials in connection with
the world tour on which Secretary
Taft has started. He noted that, from
the president down through all grades
of government officials, the extent of
the travelling done in the past six
OF eight years exceeded that of the
past quarter of century.
president Roosevelt's cabinet" he
continued, might well be known as
the travelling cabinet. It's members
have been away from Washington more
frequently, have travelled farther and
on more extensive journeys. than the
members of any other cabinet in the
History of the country. In way this
is only the natural result of the de.
velopment of the country. No cabinet
officer possibly can familiarize him.
self thoroughly with the work of his
department without coming into in
innate touch with it in all of its de-
tails. These details are widely scat
tered and, as they cannot be brought
to him, it is necessary that he should
90 to them.
Will Go to Philippines.
Take Secretary Taf's case as an in
stance: He is now about to make his
second trip to the Philippines since he
was appointed secretary of war. Prac-
tically he made trip around the world
before. This time he actually will en-
circle the globe. From the time he left
Washington until his return next De-
mately 10000 miles. That triI
will mean much, not to hir
personally, only, but to the peopl,
of this country. Taft, notwith-
standing his bulk and his weight is a
prodigious worker and every hour he
is away he will be working for Amer
lea and for its diversified interests A
few years ago such journey would
have been wholly unnecessary; now it
is an absolute necessity, made 50 by
| the conditions which America created.
Long Distance Traveller.
Taft, however, is not the only long
distance traveller in the cabinet Sec
rotary Root has already taken one
long trip-longer than any other cab
| took-that to the countries of South and
met officer, except Taft, ever under
Central America. The good results OF
that long and arduous journey, hay
not yet been appreciated fully, but
in the years to come they will be.
He is just about to 60 on another
| long trip, not so extensive as the South
American trip, but one pregnant with
interest and Importance to the people
of the United States. He will visit
Mexico in the near future, and while
the precise nature of his, mission has
not been disclosed it is expected that
it will result in closer relations politi-
cally and commercially between the
United States and Mexico than have
ever existed before. 1t is not likely
that out of Secrtary Roots visit to
Mexico will grow more stable and
definite understanding as to the stu
ton throughout Central America. II
certainly will be fruitful of good re-
suits respecting the United States and
the country over which President Diaz
presides.
SECRETARY Straus of the department
lof commerce and labor is just about
completing tour which included the
United States and the Hawaiian is
lands. He has been in touch with parts
of the governments service that nc
cabinet officer ever before came into
personal contact with, and the jour
ney will give him ideas and informa
ton Impossible to obtain In any other
way.
| Wilson's Trips Across Country.
Secretary Wilson of the department
of agriculture has been studying fol
two. months forestry and grazing prob
lens in the West and Northwest, trav.
cling hundreds of miles over almost
impossible roads in wagons. This is
true also of the new secretary of the
Iinterior-Mr. Garfeld-who has also
traversed all of the public land states
together with the territories in de.
sire to have first hand information as
to the great questions with which
the interior department must deal.
while he has been secretary of the
navy, Mr.. Metcalf has inspected most
of the naval stations of the countr,