The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-27
WIT AND
ELOQUENCE.
Continued From Page one.)

cnusetts troops We're regiments like the
ga Kansas, which had only sufficient
guns in the whole regiment to arm the
guard of 40 or so men, and when they
changed guard they changed guns. At
Chlckamauga the LIST Ohio cavalry reg
iment arrived with 1000 strong with
nothing to distinguish them from or
Qlnary citizens except a yellow hand
kerchief around their necks. These
were not Isolated cases, but they were
true everywhere.
When President Mckinley inquired of
the various governors how soon they
could furnish their quotas the reply
Was-lmmediately. If the other states
mad furnished troops equipped and sup
plled as We're the troops from Massa-
cnuSetts there would have been no
complaint Of the lack of arms, uni
Iorms, tents, etc. All the troops would
nave had these articles, and also their
hospital stores. Instead of this the gov
eminent was expected to increase its
army from $4,000 to 100000 in five
weeks, and to supply them with sub
stantlaily everything. Undoubtedly
PRESIDENT Mckinley expected, and he
nad right to expect, that the troops
which We're sent by the various states
would come armed and equipped ready
Tor active service.
But Massachusetts had another duty
10 perform. She had not only to fur
nish her soldiers, properly drilled and
equipped, but she had to consider the
needs of these soldiers after they had
suffered from the wounds of battle and
erom the disease so sure to come to
them in the tropics and in southern
camps. Here again was Massa chusetts
prepared. Even before the declaration
OF war Gov Wolcott conceived the plan
OF forming an association which should
Cooperate with the civil and military
authorities of the nation and state in
relieving our sick soldiers and sailors.
On the day that our Massachusetts
troops first went to birmingham he
called together representative men of
all parties in our old council chamber
OF the state house and formed the Vol
nnteer Aid Association.
The old Bay State has been prominent
on the sea IN every war in which the
United States has been engaged. In
the war of independence it was to a
Massachusetts captain and crew that
the British flag first surrendered. 1t
struck to the schooner Lee of Marble
head, floating the pine tree flag of Mas
achusetts. The Constitution made the
stars and stripes alike terror to the
pirates of Algiers and later to the ships
of the British navy in the war of 1872
officers hailed from Massachusetts,
The Alabama, the terror of all Ameri-
can commerce, was sunk by the Kear-
sarge, under Commander WinsloW who
lies buried in Forest Hills When Lieut.
Hobson selected his devoted crew Of six
to accompany him in performing his
desperate venture in the darkness of
the night, to encounter almost certain
death, three of the men chosen were
from Massachusetts
No praise is too great for our navy
1t was ready and waiting. Our fleets
had been modified at Hong Kong, at
Hampton Roads and in Florida. They
We're waiting eagerly. When war was
declared Dewey did not have to tarry
for ammunition or supplies, but in sew
en- days he had won the battle of Man
liza. Sampson had the shot and shell
which destroyed the Spanish fleet at
Santiago on July 3. 1t was the marines
of the navy who first landed near Santi-
ago and, 800 strong, held their posi-
ton for many days against several
thousand Spaniards hidden IN the
woods.
y The American navy was ready and
prepared, under the direction of our
Massachusetts secretary. The Massa-
chusetts troops were furnished at once,
properly equipped and supplied by our
Massachusetts governor. The sick and
needy soldiers have been cared for by
the state of Massachusetts and by the
society which he founded.
Remember the picture that Senator
Hoar drew Of our entrance into the
war. We entered it with united peo-
ple-president, senate and house, navy
and army democrat and republican,
all joining hands and all marching one
way. We entered it with the sanction
of international law with the sympathy
of all humane and liberty loving ma
lions, with the approval Of our own
conscience, and with the certainty of
the applauding Judgment of history 1t
was not with the genius of America
angry snarling, shouting, but rather
in her agust and serene beauty, in>
spired by a sentiment toward her enc
mics, not of hate, but of love, perhaps
a little pale in the cheek, and dan
gerous light in the eye, but with a smile
on her lips as sure. determined, uner-
ring, invincible as was the Archange
Michael when he struck down ano
trampled upon the demon of darkness