The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-04-18
PRESIDENT WILL VISIT THE
SOUTH THIS SUMMER.
is FOND OF TRAVELLING
Executive Expresses a Desire to See
the Seattle Exposition, Attend the
irrigation Congress at Spokane and
Take a Trip to the Most Northern
Possession Of the United States.

Washington, April 17.-President
Taft, who believes that the chief
magistrate of the nation should keep
in as close touch with the people as
the duties and requirements OF the
the office admits, is planning nota-
BILE trip during the late summer and
early autumn, provided congress de-
cides to continue the annual appro-
priaton of $4,000 for travelling eX-
penses allowed during the Roosevelt
administration. The plans for the
summer have been completed UP to
August 10. Mr.. Taft will leave Wash
ington as soon as he can arrange
matters after the adjournment of
congress and has been told that the
extra session will end June l. The
president will go direct to his sum-
mer home at Woodbury. Point, Bever-
ly, Mass, and will spend two months
or more there as quietly and as free
from official worry as possible. Mr..
Taft will devote most of his Vaca-
ton to golfing and motoring and per-
haps will take a short cruise along
the northern coast. The re-assembled
Atlantic fleet of 16 battleships Will
maneuver off the New England coast
during the summer and the president
undoubtedly will want to see some of
| the work of the iron clads,
Too Excessive.
! The trip during the late summer
will be entirely too expensive to be
paid out of his own pocket. An out
| line of the proposed itinerary has
been given to a high railroad Off
! cial and an estimate requested. 1t is
| said the cost would be in the neigh
borhood of $4,000 to $4,000. If he
| goes west at all the president will
include Alaska in the journey, sail
| ing from Seattle. No president has
ever visited the far northern terri
| tory which for so long has been part
| of the United States. The president
| is particularly anxious to attend the
| following gatherings: The annual en-
| campment of the G. A. r. at Salt
| Lake City; the transmississippi con-
ference at Denver; the National Ir-
| rigation congress at Spokane and the
| Ala ska Y ukon-Pacific exposition at
| Seattle.
| In addition to his proposed visit to
| the Rocky mountain states and to the
| Pacific coast the presidents tentative
| plans for the trip include long
swing through the southwest and the
| south itself
| To Alaska.
The vessels of the Pacific fleet
| which include eight vessels of the Car
| olina and Montana type which Mr..
| Taft used on his recent trip to Pana-
ma will be stationed in and about
Puget sound during the exposition and
the president would likely take the trip
to Alaska on one of these. Returning
from the north he probably would
| land at San Francisco to begin from
| there the journey along the southern
| border line. Mr.. Taft has often Spok
en- of an Alaskan trip, but 1t has not
been definitely known until now that
he has decided positively to make ii
part Of any trip he may take to the
Pacific coast.
Fond of Travel.
Mrs. Taft, who is as fond of travel
as her husband, would accompany
the president on the tour and many
western senators and representatives
are anxious to have the president
visit their states and are particular
ly anxious to provide the funds, and
believe that the trip should be re-
garded as an essential factor in the
universal desire to keep the people in
close touch and sympathy with the
central government.
President Taft makes no secret OF
his fondness for travel. He believes
it to be the only way of obtaining a
proper idea and perspective of such a
big country. Mr.. Tafts stay at Bev-
erly will be interrupted by few
short trips to fill speaking engage
ments he has already made and
others which he has under contem-
plation. Two splendid new motor cars
ordered some time ago have just ar
rived at the White House garage
making three machines in all now al
the presidents disposal. The presi.
dent and Mrs. Taft both are looking
forward with pleasure to motoring
long distances over the splendid New
England roads.