The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-09
MEXICAN VETERANS.
Honors Paid by the Old Soldiers
to General Miles.
A Gold Badge Presented-The War Situation,
Election Of officers and a Ban.
quet

% O'FarreIl street last night with President
w. c. Burnett in the chair.
The annual reports of the Treasurer and
Secretary were presented and referred to
the Board Of Trustee. to be read at the next
meeting. An election of officers to serve
for the coming year was then held and re-
suited as follows: President, A. Andrews :
Vice-President, E. Fl. Engelberg; Secre-
tary, S. J. Loop; Treasurer, j. II. Martel :
Marshal, William G. Lee; Trustees-Charles
LANCE, Il. j. Knipe, John Munro. J, H.
Adams, Josiah Bender. The newly elected
officers will be installed at the next meeting
of the society.
A delegation Of leading veterans was
then appointed to escort Major General
Nelson A. Miles, U. S. A, into the hall.
The General was loudly cheered when he
made his appearance and took his seat on
the right of the President, who, in a highly
complimentary speech, introduced this pop
ular soldier to the meeting
After referring to General Miles record
during the civil war the speaker said that
the end OF Indian warfare on the frontier
was entirely due to General Miles ability.
He was the flrSt commanding officer to
recognize the fact that to subdue the In
dians 1t was necessary to stir them up con-
tinually instead of letting them do the
SIlrTlilS up. hb pronounced GENERAL Miles
the equal OF any General who had ever Wis
tied the Coast.
A very handsome gold badge of the So
ciety was then presented to General Miles
with the best wishes of the veterans, and
he was also declared elected an honorary
member of the society.
GENERAL MILES IN RESPONSE.
In response General Miles expressed his
lively appreciation of the honors bestowed
on him. He alluded very happily to his re-
membrance, when a boy, of the gallant
deeds done by the veterans during the
Mexican war and then CHANGING at the
badge glstening on his coat said such
token of esteem from the brave survivors
of the earlier American war was to him of
Infinite more value than any gift within
the power Of any monarchy to bestow.
He said he entered the ranks of the
Union army during the Civil War as Cap
tain, and came out of it as Major General,
with $4,000 men under his command. Such
opportunities were only possible under a
republican form OF government, and showed
that in America there are ample opportu-
mites for all TO rise.
Il think" continued General Miles, that
Indian wars in this country are now over
for good. There may, of course, be small
outbreaks of bands of a dozen or so, but an
uprising of large bodies, l think, is now
impossible. The country is gridironed
with railroads, SO that troops can rapidly
L.
Distances which had formerly to be
traYersed In long marches of DAYS dura-
tons are now passed over in few hours.
Every day the country is becoming more
thckly settled and immediate communica-
tion with different points of strategic
value is now matter of fact. The day of
long rides, with dispatches containing i'm
p0rtant orders for the movement of troops,
is over, thanks to the new Geographic wires
established all over the frontier.
We must, however. Tor our own best
benefit, always maintain an efficient army
and navy-not too large, nor yet too small.
IL is all very well to say that America is so
rich and large and powerful that
no standing army Is necessary, but
it would be we'll to remember that
1t Is very little, use locking the door after
the horse has been stolen. Our coast de-
lenses should be placed in such position
that no foreign nation could force us into
an ignominlous position by an attack by
sea. Their weakness should not be such
that they offer premium to the rapacity or
ayarice of any foreign nation.
WARS COME LIKE A FLASH.
1--WE should keep up with the march of
progress in the line of improvements for
both the army and navy such as foreign
governments continually provide them
selves with. Smokeless powder, rapid firing
guns and like inventions should receive the
Immediate attention of the Government.
not imply that we have large warlike
strength. War appliances have been COM
pletely revolutionized during the past thirty
years. 1t is useless to say now we can get
ready afterward. Wars come like flash.
In almost every case the overt acts of
war between nations occur before any dec
laration of war is made. The war stu
alton in the world has innumerabfe times
been much more on pacific basis than
now, yet past wars have always sprung up
like lightning Washngton's words are
just as strong now as ever: In time of
peace prepare for war America should
be In position to help and protect all
humanity in the world who are anxious to
commence the struggle for republicanism,
and should be in position to extend a
helping hand to this end to all VINO need
It,"
General Miles speech was repeatedly in
terrupted by applause. and closed with
loud cheering by the Veterans.
An adjournment was then taken to Del
m0nico's restaurant, where several hours
were spent in discussing substantial sup
per. Numerous toasts were proposed and
responded to, and many Renaissance
told by participants in the battles of the
Mexican WAL