Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-22

spend TWO years away from the United
States for two reasons. Rest and rec
reation in hunting and scientific re-
search are only the minor ones He
intends To put himself beyond the
reach of those persons whom, he be-
iicvcs. would inevitably seek, if he
We're within reach, to use his influence
with the administration of President
William II. Taft. Mr. Roosevelt is, of
course, aware of the manner In which
the charge has been circulated that
Mir. Taft would be only Roosevelt
man as President and whatever Air
raft. as President, might. CO. 1t would
be ascribed to Mr.. RooseVelt's inilu-
ence 1t Is because of this situation
that My. Roosevelt decided to take
himself out of the country where it
would he impossible for anyone to re-
peat any such charge against Presi-
dent Taft. Mr. Roosevelt has well Sc
lected place where his seclusion in
THIS respect is secure, for hardly could
a more inaccessible locality be found.
In TINS connection, Mr. Roosevelt. some
months before the Republican Nation
al Convention had nominated Mr. Taft
to the Presidency, made statement in
which he said: IF Mr. Taft is nom
irated and elected President, which
would be very gratifying, it would
make impossible any criticism, if
were abroad, to the effect that J was
debating to him and being followed,
or that l had dictated and had been
turned down in any suggestions"
In travelling abroad Mr.. Roosevelt will
not make any such tour as did General
{. A,..y NJ
dency. General GRAFT was received in
state by Emperors and Kings WHEREBY
er he went ON his tour around the
world. He was fcted as no other AM
erlcan ever has been. Mr.. Roosevelt
viii avoid all that, it being his desire
TO travel as a plain American citizen
and spending a good part of his time
IN the pursuit of game; he will put
himself out of the way of social enter
tainment
Statements have been made to tie
effect that the game preserves in Brit
ish East Africa under control of the
British Colonial Government are to be
opened to the President and his COM
panions to shoot at will No advan-
taSe of these offers will be taken, Mr..
Roosevelt having made up his mind to
decline to do any shooting on govern
mcnt preserves where the hunting is
not open to all. The feeling of the
President on this matter of shooting On
government reservations he explains
IN thus way: A person taking adVail-
tage TO shoot on government reserVa-
TONS III Africa would be exactly In line
same position of any foreigner who
came to America and was given per
mission by the United States Govern
ment II shoot at will in the govern
ment reservation at Yellowstone Park
where the American buffalo, to be
found almost nowhere else roams I'M
molested. The President declares that
such permission rightly would arouse
resentment
Mr. Roosevelt shares with other
srortsmen the feeling that the wild an
imals on reservations should be pro-
tected to the utmost and that under
no circumstances should permission be
given t" kill them. except, possibly
vixen predatory animals become too
numerous for the safety of other prac-
tically Gefenseless animals. PERMITS
son for one person to shoot on a res
ervation, Mr. Roosevelt believes, would
lead eventually to permission to others
and that in the end the game reserva-
ton would not be a reservation at all
in it's proper sense.
1t is Mr.. RoseVet's desire that his
African hunting expedition shall not
be looked upon as one with sport as a
main object. A limited number OF
specimens of mammals and birds will
be killed for the uses of the United
States National Museum. Other kill
ing will ice confined to the limits of the
necessary food supply of the camp. On
his trip Mr. Roosevelt hopes to secure
for scientific purposes two adult spec
imens, enc of each sex, and specimen
of their young, Cf animals he Is likely
to meet on the Dark Continent For
the ordinary needs of the museum the
and the naturaliStS and di-
rector Of the Smithsonian Institution,
whom he has consulted, think these
VIII be sufficient, but whether they are
sufficient or not these are all he has in
mind to kill; no matter how plentiful
the game may be.
1t is the known wish of the President
that the expedition into Africa shall be
made with the privacy that marks, or
should mark, any other scientific expo
dition. Mr.. Roosevelt wants an onting
and q chance to a moderate amount of
shooting, with q first view to getting
re suits that viii be of some benefit to
science. While a number of the Amer
lean newspapers would like to send
correspondents with Mr. Roosevelt, It
is needless TO say that no newspaper
representatives will accompany the
party.
During his summer vacation last
year. which he spent at his summer
home in oyster Bay, Long Island, New
York, Mr.. Roosevelt did most of his
planning for the trip. During the hot
summer days from June till September
the President devoted much of his time
sitting on the broad veranda of his
home studying books on natural history
and big game hunting in Africa. These
he procured from every available
source. Working out the details of his
plans occupied a great deal of time. He
was continually in correspondence dur
ing the summer and even after he
again resumed his official duties at
Washington with the noted big game
hunters and naturaliStS who have de-
4 L.. ~ f,,t.,