El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-08-05
TEDDY ROOSEVELT
Gives the Naval Militia of Greater New
York Sensible Advice

| Assistant Secretary Of the Navy
Teddy Roosevelt, the former Montans
frontiersman and latterIy N. Y. police
com m issiO Toner, has been reviewing the
naval militia at New York. and made
them an address. What he said was SC
sensible that it is reproduced hero for
Ice Il reading:
81 am more than pleased to have the
chance to see you at work, because
count on your working and not playing
You are an element that could be made
Immediately available should action
demand it. Not only would your SER
vices be looked to by the state TO which
your organization belongs, but also by
the nation.
1.-THE great navy we have just begun
is not yet completed. The number of
ships available for duty must be
doubled and tripled before any halt is
called. While we have no need for
them at present, the building of them
must be continued, as there is no tell
ing when they will b come useful. and
| am believer in the saying: In times
of peace prepare for war;
I'VE want men to handle these ves-
sels, men that can fight. | have no
sympathy with men who form them
:, Ives into military organization for
the mere pleasure they can get out Of
the state or nation, and the sooner they
get out of the service the better for
them and the organizations to which
they belong.
The men of the naval militia must
be men that can be relied on. Lovers
of independence, liberty and law abid-
ing imbued with the sense of liberty
that should be Inherited from our fore
fathers. The strength of our country
~
their duty as nobody else can perform
it. Our liberty relies on our men
and the means we make to protect it.
1.-THE naval militia is growing rapid
ly, as is the regular service. The men
in the naval reserves must bear in
mind the fact that they have their
state and nation to stand back of
them.
"For the past forty years the supre-
macy of the nations in naval warfare
mas been decided in from one to six
weeks. We have grown to such state
that while many men might be called
in 10 action, the first, and those tn at
would be looked up to make good
showing would be those that had re-
ceived military and naval training.
Il have watched the work of macy
of thu naval battalioDs. They
have all done good work. One of the
of our fine ships will have one to use.
81 will recommend to the navy
department that the best battalion be
given the use of one of these vessels
Lext year.
Il DO not mean by that the most en-
thusia site, but the one whose work
most fits them for the duty that will be
put on them W hen the ship is turned
over for their use.
1--WE want more ships and more Off
GERS and men to man them. Battle
ships, armOred cruisers and vessels of
the torpedo class are the types of YES
sells most needed.
1.-The more we have the better. Our
navy is rapidly growing, but the end
has not yet come. In fact the growth
of the navy has just begun.
"There is no nation tit to be called q
nation which cannot protect its citlzens
comma respect and fig hit when called
upon to protect its honor. Our respect
is always worth fighting for, and when
we cry halt we must have the material
with which to back it up."