The times., 1899-10-02
A PROPHETIC SPEECH.
The Present Glory of the Navy Fore
told by General Wallace

nence thus given to the United States
navy, has brought to the mind a signi6
cant address by Gen. Lew Wallace. de-
iiVereo hve years ago, before the cadets
OF the Naval Academy, at Annapolis.
General Wallace declared on that occa-
sion that the days of the army were over.
and that those of the navy had come.
! General Wallace himself relates the cir
cumstances, under which the speech was
made:
Il happened in 1894 to be one of the
My associates, in blocking out the busi-
ness before them, assigned me to the
usual address. I remember very well
the assemblage of cadets and officers in
the old chapel at that time. While tell
| ing of the future of the navy, l was as
tDnished to see the young gentlemen
rise in their places and give three rous-
before-never, at least, in the chapel
stopped speaking, and in alarm looked
around to the Superintendent, Commo-
dore Fi1hian, and was still more aston
ished to see the serious, grey-haired Of
4
/ loudly as any OF the boys"
At the time referred to General Wal
| lace spoke in part as follows:
| Gentlemen of the Academy: Tho
Board OF Visitors. of which i have the
/ honor to be member, IRE unwilling,
after witnessing your many varied and
excellent performances. to separate
without a direct expression of the in
terest you have excited in them. They
j haun cala
in their behalf, as wefl as their own.
Let me begin with a confession. ]
am not unconscious or my years; their
weight Is upon me, yet / remember the
days of my youth. when the making OF
/ life was my sacred privilege. And. look
ing backward now, I tell you sobsry there
is nothing in life SO beautiful as manly
| youth.
'.Did I envy you there would be much
reason in the envy Do not treat the ut
| terance too lightly. Do not dismiss it as
| an idle compliment. Hear me first Sup
posing distinction your ultimate aim, it is
not in these days enough that you are ia
vored with health, strength, education. and
! all the physical and mental graces OF
which superiority is compounded. No man
/ ever was, no man ever viii be- great, .ex-
! cept he have opportunities to manifest
| himself. Here is why you move me SO
/ greatly: When you pass out the door yon-
! der look up thankfully then look down
and be glad. for at your feet there begins
| a road lined with opportunities exclusively
yours; and / caution you, SO thickiy will
that road be strewn with opportunities.
that IL you run your races undistingufsh-
ed among your fellow-men, fail not as
you love Justice, to exonerate the Govern
ment which has so enriched you with its
paternal godspeed.
/ Next, to such of you as do go to sea,
Be you also of good cheer; though the sea
is painless. the winds that make their
! fairgrounds on it will be found alive
!. with III chances of distinction and good
| service
III were useless denying that up to the
present the s-uy has been more a favorite
with our people than the navy. ! have be-
/ longed to it in two wars, and deny now
the slightest wavering in my loyalty to its
/ dead and living, to its SCOTS and Taylors,
1 its Grants and Sheridans. more especially
/ to the mightier host OF unprofessionals
/ who volunteered in emergencies and must
| continue nameless because they are count
/ less. Wherefore you viii not suspect me
| of a doubtful motive when l declare to
/ you deliberately that the day is near, II it
has NOT already arrived. when the navy is
4 to transcend the army in popular favor.
/ This / think but a rational deduction.
| me WOfh OI the army Is dOue- Inc III
/ dians are quieted. They are in reserva-
/ turning farmers. The untamabies among
them have buried their hatchets. There
! are no frontiers for them to harry. A
/ sea OF settlements has swallowed them.
\ Or III they are again heard of 1t will be as
! votersn So much for the present. Next.
4 what does the future hold for the army ?
/ What one promise of glory or popularity or
i opportunity for either? Will We ever
again turn to it for a President?
1 Turn now from this picture of the fu-
1 ture of the army to its eorollary relative
4 to the navy. i have not committed my
1 self. you will observe, to an assertion that
4 there will be no more wars: that would be
an Arcadian dream. In my Judgment one
of the greatest of wars, and in many re-
4 spects the most interesting, is just before
| US In no other way is IL possible to ad-
4 Just dominion in Asia and Africa To be
| sure we will have no part in it; yet there
| is no end to the greed OF nations. and the
1 Pacific coast from Alaska to the Horn, and
i the Atlantic Coast from the Horn to Hall
\ fax, bear temptations more frequent than
lighthouses. What is the Monroe doctrine
\ other than standing challenge to the pow
4 ers OF Europe, singly or in combination ,
1 The next ship from Honolulu may bring a
| cause for war; and. for that matter. the
/ Nicaragua Canal though but in proposition.
/ is a nest egg of war. The world at large
/ looks with unloying eyes upon lines OF
/ trade in close monopoly
| Undoubtedly hostilities viii come; they
I are inevitable; but when they come, where
win the fighting be? Mira. young gentle
| men! Behold your opportunities! In that
/ day how many places will need your ships
/ How often yeur White Squadron will
i Il IL =
threatened cities! How many ears will be
! bent listening for the welcome thunder Of
| your guns in the ofing below the water
line? If, after gallant effort you are beat
| en- there viii be tears for you plenteous as
rain; if you are victorious. heavens how
you will be whelmed by resolutions unani-
monsiy adopted and by snuffboxes and
swords and canes, and by notes in scented
envelopes praying your pictures and auto
| graphs And when you bring your prizes
in look for the army among the spectators
gathered on the shore TO salute you for
dear Old Giory's sake.
LAS / said. l may not grudge you your
youth, or your education. or your happy
start in life, or the high hopes afiower in
your hearts, or your honorable ambitions;
but, as the truth may earn me salvation, !
| wish with all my soul / were young again
| and a cadet in the navy. For / do believe
| the lights which from the beginning have
been most alluring to brave men have been
transferred from the land to the sea. 1 do
| believe that the guns are now fashioned
about which you will be called in oft-re-
peated struggles for renown in life or en-
during monuments in death"
Getting Even.
From the Detroit Free Press)
| at is my private opinion said Smith, as he
Glanced to meet Jones ON the street, That that
man Brown il crazy"