New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-03-07
Mr.. TAFT THE WORLDS
GREATEST TRAVELLER
udS COVERED OYER goo 900
MILES IN NINE YEARS.
pres;dent Has Visited Manila -Four
Times. Panama FiUe Times
and Cuba T1cice.

r,,-i5an+ Taft went to Washington 70
'--,ra+ea he had completed an itinerary OF
-, cars in which he travelled more than
., hundred thousand miles, a greater dis
800 than that by any other person or promi-
80 -, ancient OF modern times. In addition TO
= almost unrrecedented number of Journeys IN
.. -. the President went four times to
Manila. including one visit on ms way arouliu
a5ot.s. Eve times 70 Panama and twice to
u .o.,,,,ir, al porto Rico once on his way
- 7, his campaign East and West North
- 9Th - was estimated that he covered
g -, e,e,,+aen thousand miles, and that is
-,-.-;5s-+ rraft,s goings to and fro upon the
= -,a earth began in March. 1900 1t
came about in this way
,,-,;la m his way 10 Canton. in 1893, President
,,.r-;rle,- had as 4 companion his friend, eX-
r.-o+.r- nav The Philippine question was in
..-a..r,e stage A Philippine commission had
- provided Tor by Congress Turning to MI
nav the President said;
II ,-ont q nan to head the Philippine Commis-
,i,, who is strong, honest and tactful-a man
- a5ucation and executive ability. a man fear
less. but conservative, and one who VIII get
along with the military authorities.
.e1ybv. Mr. President" Mr. Day said, you have
described Billy Taft"
ue was Judge Taft at the time. and when
President Mckinley sent a telegraph message
ssIing him to come 10 Washington the judge
wandered what il was all about But, OF course.
hs went Then the offer Of head Of the com
mission was made, and. receiving two weeks in
which 10 decide Judge Taft made up his mind
,bzt he would accept, although he had made it
,,ss- 70 the President that he did not approve
~ keeping the islands That decision started
the his. man going. and with only a few months
tntermission he was going right up to the time
he took the train for Washington TO be the head
Of the nation
CALLED WALKING DELEGATE
.uarsfnr delegate Tor the white mans civiu-
,arionr his brother Henry called him Presi-
dent Taft's view Of the wisdom OF his tTaFeIs
was EXPRESSED at Washington in August 1So''
inst before starting his journey around the
globe. He said:
Extensive travel is a good thing tor CaDl-
net oescer. II is mutually beneficial to him and
the ueople Of the localities in which he traVe4s'
because il enables him to get intimately IN
+oucb with local conditions and the people TO
yain q closer acquaintance with him and the
rroblerns with winch he has TO deal nave
GAINED inestimabe benefits from my journeys.
h,,, have not vet been seized with the wander
lust"
The table of distances which makes the total
Of miles travelled, 202,114 does not include ms
many Journeys up and down the Philippine
ero.p of islands Il computes the circumnaNl-
cation Of the earth at 5000. which does not
allow for all the great distances covered TO ana
from places out Of the direct line OF travel NO
great Importance was attached TO his compara-
lively short journeys when at home from the
Far East in 1902 and for q few years after his
return 70 take the Secretary ship OF War, al
though he was seldom long in one place Even
when apparently at rest he kept moving on
golf field at some place OF temporary abode, and
this added TO the miles. To go from Washing
ton to New York or from the capital TO his old
home. Cincinnati was a suburban jaunt TO him.
and Of as much moment so far as exertion was
concerned
DISTANCES COVERED BY YEARS
The table OF miles covered by years shows
that # he had kept up the average set for the
first two months Of 1903 he would have nearly
equaied the record for 1868 and exceeded that
for any other year. The table follows, the
mileage for 1901 and 1902 counting the return
journey from Manila as completed although he
was on board ship VIXEN the years closed
Miles Miles.