New-York tribune., 1908-12-13
PLANS TRIP TO PANAMA
Mr.. TAFT LIKELY TO GO.
Confers nth Secretary Root and
Others Cabinet Gossip.
from The Tribune Bureau. !


Washington Dec 12-The President-elect is
seriously contemplating trip TO Panama in the
latter part of January Er- Taft has long be-
Heved that It facilitates the progress Of the work
the isthmus and keeps I'D the spirit OF the
employees for the President some other high
official to visit the Canal Zone occasionally. and
thus show those who prosecuting the great
enterprise that they not forgotten and that
their work is Of the utmost interest to the peo-
pie OF the United States. Moreover. he found
when he was Secretary of War that on reaching
the isthrnus there were a number of little snarls
which he was able TO smooth out with COM
parative ease. thus increasing good feeling in
the zone.
Approaching that it will be difficult and per
haps impossible for him 20 visit the isthnlus
after he enters the White House, Mr.. Taft be-
Iieves II would be wise TO take the opportunity
before his Inauguration It is true that some
question has been raised as the advisability OF
his going while he is President-elect 1t Is re-
called that Senator Hoar always maintained tnat
there was no method provided under the consul
tuition or the federal statutes whereby the place
of the President-eIect could be filed in the
period between the casting OF the vote OF the
electoral college and his inauguration. and some
persons are concerned over the prospect OF Mr
Ta4t's taking sea voyage at this time The
indications are however that Mr.. Taft will carry
out his plan Of visiting the isthunus in January
probably ernbarking cruiser at CharlesIoh
and reaching Colon about February l. his
plans for the trip have been discussed Win tne
President and the Secretary of State IN the last
few days and Mr Taft will defer his final de
cision until he hears from them further II Is
also possible that If he makes tpe trip 10 Fan-
ana the President-elect may decide TO make
short stop, either going or coming, at some quiet
az
opportunity to prepare his Inaugural ADDRESS,
although this suggestion is purely tentative
Mr. Taft.s chief conference to-day was with
eecre+arv Root and was on the same lines as
the conference held with the President IaSI
night He discussed with Mr.. Root various ques-
tons OF diplomatic policy and also his selecno1s
for the Cabinet. When asked, just berore leaS
ing washington. for Cabinet news MI IaIO 7aU
that he was not yet in a, position TO make alS
thing public and intinated that most OF tl0
prosress made in Cabinet building was IarseIS
tentative It is known that the Presloent- eiec'
yzo,,Id be glad to have ex-senator spooner sue
ceed Secretary Root, but It is regarded as hlshIy
froprobable that Mr.. spooner would feel thac
he could afford 70 return to public life there
ts also good reason for believing that the Presl-
5an+-eIect has offered the Treasury portfolio to
Representative Burton. but Mr. Burton, VINO Is
still an active candidate for the Senate VIII re-
turn to Ohio to look over the ground, ana Il .
believed that, should he decide that his can0I-
dacv was TO succeed he would not accept the
Treasury portfolio. The Postoflce port1ollo Is
of course, already disposed Of. having been Of
fered to and accepted by Frank H HITCHCOCK
The indications are strong that Willarn LoeO'
~ will succeed Truman H. Newberry at the
head Of the Navy Department and that frank b
Kellogg, of Minnesota will succeed Charles }.
Ronauarte as Attorney General The Secretary
OF War and the Secretary Of Agriculture VIII
probably remain in the Cabinet for time, and
there seems 70 be little Likelihood that there Will
be any other hold-overs. Postmaster General
Mayer will probably receive some appointment,
although what 1T viii be has apparently not been
determined
Mr.. Taft said that his interviews yesterday
and to-day with Senators Aldrich and Haze had
led him TO believe that the attitude Of these
leaders respecting tariff revision was decidedly
favorable 10 the kind of tariff bill he has been
advocating. a conference with Senator Crane,
of Massachusetts, confirmed this view
Chairman Hitchcock, who came to Washing
ton to-day from New York saw Mr.. Taft TO-
night with James T. Williams, jr, who was
connected with the national committee The
Cuban situation was discussed thoroughly at a
conference with Governor Magoon- Secretary
Wright and General Clarence R Edwards. chief
Of the insular bureau, talked with Mr.. Taft
about department and Philippine affairs So
ucitor General Hoyt- classnate Of Mr.. Taft,
had an extended conference. Senators Bourne
and Hemenway were callers. Bishop O'Gor-
man, of Sioux Falls. S D. talked with Mr.
Taft. Secretary Garfield had an interview, as
did Representative Lowden. OF Illinois; Perkins,
of New York; slemp and Groner, OF Virginia:
Martin. of South Dakota; Needham. of Cali
fornia- and Langley. Of Kentucky.
Mr.. Taft left Washington AT midnight for
New York. following the dinner Of the Gridiron
Club. Mrs. Taft preceded the President-eIect to
New York taking an afternoon train He will
be the guest of his brother, Henry W. Taft. and
will remain there until Thursday. when he will
go to Augusta Ga, for several weeks