The National tribune., 1909-09-09
THAT l3,OOO-MILE TOUR.
Continued from page one.)

these 25 programs. Occasionally there
has been delay in obtaining replies.
Once there is an agreement protests
often come in. These have to be inves
tigated. All the larger matters, of
course, must be brought TO the Presi-
dents attention. In the main, however
such questions are handled by Secre-
tary Carpenter. whose Beverly offices
have been kept open till 10 O'CLOCK at
night-after nearly everybody else has
gone 10 bed-to attend to perfectinS the
25 programs.
tour to the Pacific Coast is quite an
item. 1t comprises two or three book
let's of considerable proportions. Pos
sibly the most important of these is the
itinerary itself in paper covers. There
is an established form, the front cover
having at the top. in gilt. the National
coat of arms, and beneath. in gilt, the
words Tour of the President TO the
Pacific Coast" with the date of the de-
parture and return. The days of the
week and the month are printed in red
letters The time of arriving and leav-
ing are given for each point, together
with its altitude, population under the
census of 1900 and the miles between
stations.
There is much other information in
printed form for the information not
only of the President and members of
his party, but of the thousand and one
committeeman and local celebrities. One
page is devoted to the names of men,
bers of the party. who generally include
a Cabinet officer or two. half dozen
newspaper correspondents. stenograph-
ers, often photographer and some
times an expert operator from each of
the two telegraph companies.
The Presidential Party.
President Tafts party, however. will
be smaller than those of his two prede-
cessors who toured to the Pacific. Nc
Kinley was accompanied by his Secre
tary of State. Postmaster-G General, Sec
retary of the Navy, Secretary of the
Interior and Secretary of Agriculture
Most of the Cabinet members Travelled
with the ladies of their families All
told, there We're 20 guests on the Nc
kinley train, apart from quite as many
more who We're employed in some ca
pacity in furnishing the country with a
news report of each days doings.
A Presidents private car is a center
of hospitality all the way from the At
lantic to the Pacific seaboard when he
is on tour. There are committeeman TO
board his train before every station at
which ne stops. They expect to be pre-
sented to him and to enjoy few min
utes of conversation. Senators and Rep
resentatives come abroad to travel with
the President while he is passing thru
the particular territory they represent
at Washington.
Great as the activities in the Execu-
tive offices are in making ready for a
long Presidential tour, the activities in
the hundreds of communities the Presi-
dent is to visit can not be overlooked.
Mayors and Chambers of Commerce
whose invitations the President has ac-
cepted are by no means as numerous as
the town and city authorities who hope
to have the President in their midst for
a few minutes, while the train stops TO
let off and take on passengers or while
the locomotive moves up to the tank
for fresh supply of water. There are
many thousands of such local person
ages who are throbbing with import
ance against the time when the Presi-
dent steps upon the rear platform TO
speak a few cordial words, and then 20
be whisked away by imperative train
men on his historic trans-continental
journey.
Almost two weeks before the time
for the Presidents journey would be at
hand trusted man was sent on ahead
to see that the preparations were per-
feet. He viii travel the same route
that the President is to travel. and will
review in detail the arrangements at