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

NEW YORK, Oct. 2.-The recent cele-
bration in honor of Admiral Dewey in
New York, and the remarkable promi-
nence thus given to the United States
navy, has brought to the mind a signif-
cant address by Gen. Lew Wallace, de-
livered five 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:
II happened in 1894 to be one of the
Board of Visitors to the Naval Academy.
My associates, in blocking out the busi-
ness before them, assigned me to the
usual address. l 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
| tonished to see the young gentlemen
rise in their places and give three rous-
| ing cheers. AS that was never known
| before-never, at least in the chapel
| stopped speaking, and in alarm looked
around to the Superintendent, Commo-
! dore Fitnian, and was still more aston
| ished to see the serious, grey haired Of
| fcer swinging his cap and cheering as
| loudly as any of the boys"
At the time referred to General Wal
| lace spoke in part as follows:
Gentlemen of the Academy: The
| Board of Visitors, of which l have the
honor to be a member. are unwilling,
| after witnessing your many varied and
| excellent performances, to separate
without direct expression of the in
terest you have excited in them. They
| have, therefore, selected me to speak
| in their behalf, as we'll as their own.
Let me begin with confession.
| am not unconscious of 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, l tell you sobsry there
| Is nothing in life SO beautiful as manly
| youth.
"Did l 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 il is
not in these days enough that you are ia
yored with health, strength, education and
| all the physical and mental gracss of
which superiority is compounded. No man
| ever was, 40 man ever will 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 thIcllly VIII
! that road be strewn with opportunities,
that If you run your races undistinguish-
| ed among your fellown 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 he sea
| is pathless. the winds that make their
| Fairgrounds ON it viii be found alive
! with chances Of distinction and good
| service
1T were useless denying that up to the
! present the eHmy has been more favorite
with our people than the navy. l have be-
| longed to 1t in two wars. and deny now
| the slightest wavering in my loyalty to its
dead and living, to it's SCOTS and Taylors,
| its Grants and Sheridans, more especially
! to the mghtier host of unprofessiOnals
who volunteered in emergencies and must
continue namelesS because they are count
| less. Wherefore you will not suspect me
| of a doubtful motive when / declare 10
| you deliberately that the day is near, il 1t
| TO transcend the army in popular favor.
This / think but rational deduction.
| The work of the army is done. The In
dians are quieted. They are in reserya-
| tions. With few exceptions the tribes are
| turning farmers. The untamables among
| them have buried their hatchets. There
are no frontiers for them TO harry.
| sea of settlements has swallowed them
| Or if they are again heard Of it will be as
ys1nrh for the Next
| what does the future hold for the army?
What one promise OF glory or popularity or
opportunity for either? VIII We ever
again turn TO il for President?
Turn now from this picture of the fu-
ture of the army TO its corollary relative
TO the navy. l have not committed my
self, you viii observe, to an assertion that
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-
spects the most interesting. is just before
US. In no other way is it possible to ad-
Just dominion in Asia and Africa. To be
sure We viii have no part in it; yet there
is no end to the greed of nations, and the
Pacific coast from Alaska to the Horn, and
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
ers of Europe, singly or in combination"
The next ship from Honolulu may bring a
cause for war; and, for that matter, the
Nicaragua Canal, though but in proposition,
is nest egg of war. The world at large
| looks with unloving eyes upon lines of
trade in close monopoly.
Undoubtedly hostilities will come; they
are inevitable; but when they come, where
will the fighting be? Mira, young gentle
men! Behold your opportunities! In that
day how many places will need your ships?
How often your White Squadron will
be looked for from cathedral spires in
threatened cities. How many ears will be
bent listening for the welcome thunder of
your guns in the offing below the water
line? II, after gallant effort, you are beat
en- there will be tears for you plenteous
rain; if you are victorious, heavens, how
you will be whelmed by resolutions unani-
mously 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 Glory's sake.
LAS l said, 1 may not grudge you your
youth, or your education. or your happy
start in life, or the high hopes afiower in
your hearts. OF your honorable ambitions;
but as the truth may earn me salvation,
wish with all my soul 1 were young again
and cadet in the navy. For 1 DO believe
the lights which from the beginning have
been most alluring to brave men have been
transferred from the land to the sea. / do
believe that the guns are now fashioned