Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-06
Taft to Go on Foot Through
Yosemite Valley.
SPEECH ON SHIP SUBSIDY
Comes Out Strong in Address at San
Francisco Banquet.
Q0T THROWING MONEY AWAY
Answers Governors Plea for Pacific
Coast Battleships by Pointing
to the Panama Canal.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
SAN FRANCISCO, October 6.-Presi-
dent Taft said goodbye to this city at
$50 o'clock this morning and started
for the Yosemite valley. The President
will be riding on the train all day, with
only one or two tail-end stops. He will
reach Ell Portal. the entrance to the
valley. this evening and will remain
there over night, starting out on his
three-day trip through the valley early
tomorrow morning.
The President is looking forward with
much pleasure to his stay in the valley
1t will be the first real playtime that
he will have had since he left Boston
September IA. Yet the President can't
get away from the troubles of the trip
altogether. for the Californians. it
seems, have arranged to have a troop
of cavalry escort him through the val
ley. That will be fine If the dust in the
valley is as deep as it usually is. The
President has been assured. however.
that a recent rain has laid the dust
and he will find ideal travelling even
with troop of cavalry along beside.
Is Going to Hoof It.
The President has never visited the
valley. He and his party will travel in
private stages From Glacier point. where
the tourist usually mounts a mule. the
trip will be made by the President on
foot. Besides looking out for his own
safety Mr.. Taft has some pity for the
mules. 1t will mean a hard walk for him
down into the valley. The President will
spend an entire day among the big trees.
Mr.. Taft was greatly pleased with his
visit to San Francisco, and particularly
with the reception that he received and
the assurance that the state will stand as
firmly behind his recommendations as it
has behind those of Roosevelt. In his
speech at the banquet late last night Mr..
Taft was more specific than he has been
before as to. the. proposed ship subsidy.
He said:
II have heard something tonight about
the merchant marine. We have got along
in wonderful way without 1t for many
years, and although we have not had our
ships. we have built up an immense inter-
national commerce. But that Is no an
swer to the question-it is no excuse for
our not having the merchant marine, for
if in those fifty years past we had had our
ships then our international trade would
have been of much greater proportions.
For Straightout Ship Subsidy.
1.-The question is what to do; what is the
best way to provide this country with a
AlCLS hdut Lldi lIc. lie OIuy pldH WLlCii
commends itself to me is to give enough
money to the merchants to engage in this
trade, to enable them to meet the differ
ence they encounter In competition with
foreign ships-the difference in the cost of
the ship. in the cost of labor and in the
cost of operation. And l think we ought
to add to that an amount equal to the
subsidies which the competing nations
give to their ships.
1t'Thev ca11 that SnhSf6v don't thew >
That's awful. isn't 1t? subsidy
think of it! AS Tom Reed said. the
fellows opposed the statute because
some other fellows might. make a dol
lar and a half out of it, They say the
government is putting this money into
the pockets of individuals. That is not
true. The government will put up the
subsidy to enable them to render to us
a service-a service out of which. with
the subsidy added, they shall only be
able to make a reasonable profit"
The President also outlined what he
believed would be the effect of the Pan
anna canal on the distribution Of the
trade of the world, answering at the
mans for a Pacific battleship fleet.
Said he:
Panama Canal Will Help.
"Your governor wants sixteen or
eighteen battleships on this side of the
water. Well. If you will guarantee that
the only attacks that are coming will
come on this side. we will let you have
the battleships. But l want to call at
tention to the fact that if, in one, two,
three or four or five years, we have a
Panama canal that in itself will double
the efficiency of our navy. and the diff
ference between the east and west coasts
will be far less in sailing distance than
it ever was. My impression about the
to 49,,
is going to be introduced in the trade
Of the world, and especially in the trade
between the east and the west coast of
the United States.
II think 1t is going to affect the trans
continental lines so as to take from them
a large part Of the heavy bulk of mer-
chandise that cannot afford to- and ought
not to, pay high rates, and to limit their
carriage to that kind of merchandise that
needs rapid dispatch and Is valuable
enough to pay the high rates consistent
with that rapid dispatch.
Trade With South America.
1T Will also. Of course, affect the trade
between the eastern coast Of the United
States and the western coast of South
America. For that, with the Panama
canal, will be almost a straight line. If
you will look at your geography you
will see your recollection does not tell
you that, but II you will put the ruler
there you will find that is just about 1t.
Also it will develop the trade between the
west coast of the United States and Eu-
ropean ports. Everybody In the United
States will. 1 feel very sure, feel the ben
fits Of the Panama canal How far 1t
will affect or control trade from New
York or from Liverpool Is a different
question. There the competition of the
Suez canal will be so great that modifica-
ton will not be. think. as much as is
expected"