The Sentinel=record., 1909-10-10
GOES OVER TWO HUNDRED MILES BY STAGE AND o,l
 FOOT THROUGH FOREST.
Is Urged to Take Trip to the Philip pines in 1e11-contempIates a
 Visit to Alaska Next Year.

El Portal Cal, Oct. 9-After hay ing travelled nearly 100 miles by stage, and on foot, in and around the Yosemite Valley, Pre- sident Taft reached here tonight, and will resume his journey to the Southwest tomor- row morning He will stop during the day at Merced, Fresno and Bak- ersfield and reach Los Angeles early Monday morning.
 The president was wet with per s ration when he reached the foot of the trail today and had to go to bed in the Sentinel Hotel, while his cloth ing was hung out in the sun to dry, as he had only one gray Norfolk suit with him in the park
 President Taft took luncheon with Major Forsythe, of the army. His last day in the Yosemite Park was most enjoyable. He began the the eastern granite walls of the val | ley, his vantage point being the yer anda of the little glacier point hotel, | right at the very edge of three thousand foot cliff. The surrounding were rough and secluded and the president appeared in scant attire. Having seen the sun properly up. MT. Taft retired again and slept until 8 o'clock.
 The altitude did not seem to affect him and the president has stood long rides and early hours of the Yosemite trip better than some of the other members of his party.
 The president today set such a pace down the four miles of the short trail, which brought him from Glacier Point, Yosemite, as to set two of his congressional escorts-Representa lives Mckinney and Needham, calling for help At Union Point, one third of the way from the top, the presi- dent went to the very edge of the cliff, and waved handkerchief in greeting to some mere specks of hu. manity who could be seen moving about below.
 In a little while he caught the soln of three cheers sent up in his honor.
 John Muir. the naturalist, explained every view, every tree and flower on the way down and dwelt time and again upon the glacial theory of the I formation of the valley. The presi- dent was told that the short trail' down which he was passing, was first "blazed" by an old settler, who lived in the hills.
 Ills wife would not Let him have any whiskey in the house so he had to walk daily down into the valley President Taft has been deeply i'm pressed with the beauty, not only of the valley itself, but the entire Yosemite Park. He declared that the park had been neglected, as was the Yellowstone. MT. Taft is anxious that some definite plan of improvement shall be agreed upon in order that progress may be made year by year Road building is the first great need, as the president himself has suggest ed, and he probably will make some recommendation on the subject in his forthcoming message to congress.
 Members of the California delega- tion to congress, who have accom- panied him through the Yosemite. have been urging the president to make trip to the Philippines in 1911. Mir. Taft has no deeper interests than those of the Philippines, and he mas listened to the suggestions of a trip to the islands with some enthusiasm.
 It has been pointed out to the presi- dent he could make a trip to the Philippines we'll inside of three months. by taking a fast cruiser, and that he would actually be away from Washington but a little longer than ,on his journey through the west.
 If the president should decide to go it would be his idea to have a large congressional delegation precede, so they might go over the island with him.
 The president is anxious to return there for a visit
 With contemplated visit to Alas ka next year. and "a stop at Honolulu on the way home. following a voyage age to the Philippines in 1911 and an occasional visit to Panama, President Taft would easily set a new mark for pr2NURl travel