The San Francisco call., 1909-06-08
TAFT WILL COME
HERE TO DRINK
PORTOLA TOAST
Robert Roos Meets Him in the
White House and He Praises
Bay City's Pluck
Compliment to City Being Pre-
pared and Will Be Read Over
the Civilized World
Especial Dispatch TO The Call

Especial Dispatch 10 The Call
WASHINGTON, June President
Taft today told Senator Flint and Rob-
ert A. Roos of San Francisco that he
expected to be in San Francisco at the
time of the Portola festival and to pro-
pose toast to San Francisco and
drink it on the spot
Senator Flint presented Roos to the
president as a member of the Portola
festival committee. Taft was already
we'll Informed regarding the festival
and his comment upon the enterprise
of San Francisco was very fiattering.
DESERVES NATIONAL NOTICE
He said the celebration of San Fran
cisco's' reconstruction was deserving of
national recognition and that he felt it
his duty to visit the city. He intends
to go to Seattle first to attend the Yu-
kon exposition, arriving there the lat
ter part of September. He will then
go down the coast leisurely, possibly
also visiting Spokane, where the ma
tional irrigation congress will be in
itinerary so as to be in San Francisco
on October 19, on the opening of the
festival, but in any event will be in
that city during October. He will also
visit Los Angeles and will return
through the southern states, where he
has several engagements.
The president said he had hopes that
Mrs. Taft would be well enough to ac
company him on his western trip. He
has abandoned the idea of visiting
Alaska this year, but he hopes to go
there later.
WORLD WILL DRINK: TOAST
The toast which President Taft is
to propose in honor of San Francisco
in now being prepared and will be
made public soon. 1t win be translated
into French. German, Spanish, Italian,
Russian, Dutch, Japanese and Chinese
and the diplomatic representatives of
European and Latin American nations
will drink to the toast on October 10,
wherever they may be.
John Barrett, the director of the bu
real Oh AUlcIlCdn ldhil6 q
keen interest in the Portola festival
The monthly bulletin of the bureau
was held back by Franklin Adams, as
sstant director of the bureau, who is
a. Californian, in order that an article
concerning Portola might be inserted.
Thousands of copies of this article, in
Spanish. have been marked and sent to
government officials throughout Latin
America. Through the good offices Of
Director Barrett Commissioner Roos
has been placed in toueh with the dip
Iomatic representatives of Latin Ameri-
can countries.
CHILEAN MINISTERsWILL AID
The first one visited was Don Anibal
Cruz. Chilean minister, who spoke with
admiration of the wonderful recovery
of San Francisco, and of ethe gratitude
felt by Chileans toward Californians
for their prompt aid in rehef of the
sufferers from the earthquake at VAL
paraiso Minister Cruz said he, had for
warded the state departmental invita-
tion to his government. He volunteered
to follow up this communications with
strong letter, advising the govern
ment to send at least two of the ckack
Chilean warships to San Francisco nAext
October He said he was sanguine that
his government would be pleased to
seize the opportunity to show its good
will toward California and the United
States by dispatching its finest ships to
| San Francisco.
! Commissioner Roos extended an in
! vitation to Minister Cruz to visit San
! Francisco as the guest of the city. The
minister replied that his duties would
| probably prevent him from visiting the
coast, but that he would join heartily
in drinking to President Tafts toast on
Portola day.
Representative Kahn and Commits
/ sfoner Roos will interview the remain
| ing members of the diplomatic corps
whose countries have been invited to
participate in the Portola festival, and
will invite them personally to visit San
Francisco. Meanwhile, full informa-
ton regarding the festival and the re-
construction of San Francisco Will be
published throughout Latin America in
the bulletin of the American republics.
lITALY TO SEND wARsHIPs
The Italian Ambassador and Baroness
Mayor des Planches gave a dinner to-
night. among the guests being Repre-
sentative Kahn, Commissioner Roos,
Ira e. Bennett and Signor Antonio
! Ravaioli, Italian commercial delegate.
| The Porto1a festival was discussed in
;detail. and the ambassador made it plain
| that Italy's interest in the fete would
take very substantial form.
+ He and Baroness Mayor will leave
| for italy next week, and while i'll Rome
| the ambassador will impress upon the
! government the Importance of naval
| representation at San Francisco. The
/ Italian minister of marine has visited
San Francisco and has warm friends
! there Ambassador Mayor thinks Italy