The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-08-21
Its First Observance.

week, or d SCI uay IN Lne week, mas
been very generally observed. There
have been some notable celebrations
in Washington county and other points
Of Central Vermont, reports of which
will be the subject OF later publication.
In the city of Mo tpelier the celebrs-
ton must be accounted distinguished
success. The day and evening OF Fri
day, the 10Th, the Bennington battle
anniversary, was the time appointed
by the local association for the formal
welcoming of returning children aud
for the exercises designed for the occa-
sion, but the sons and daughters have
been dropping in throughout the week,
and informal welcomings and acts of
hospitality have been throughout the
week continuous performance.
On Friday noon the guest of honor,
by universal and spontaneous assent,
Captain Charles E. Clark, with his in
separable companion in love, honor
and esteem, Mrs. Clark, came to town.
DR.. George B. Spaulding and wife Of
Syracuse, N Y, and Hon. John M.
Thurston and wife of Omaha, Nebras-
ka, had preceded them, and the trio
of bright consultations in the August
sky OF the capital was complete.
The demonstrations on the streets,
at the meeting on Friday evening, the
references of Mr.. ThursLon TO his ser
vices 10 the war with Spain, the sp-
plause they evoked, the eagerness OF
the assemblage at The reception closing
the exercises to greet Captain Clark,
told how deep and warm and abiding
is the regard of the people for the man
ship of the age, who is the hero about
whose beroism in the late war and su.
preme fidelity to every duly, written or
unwrtten, there ia, and can BE-, no dis
pute. Captain Clark needs not these
repeated ovations, increasing always in
fervor snd affection as the man and
his relation to naval operations in west
ern waters become better understood,
to assure him of his place in the heart
and heads of his fellow men, but it is
for the people he so signally served, for
the glory he has brought to State and
nation, that these acclamations have
become sacred duty and pleasure
unalloyed.
In this connection IL has been eug
Il. 81 =.
that in his recent article on The battle
of Santiago, in reply to a serious mis-
statement of the Chicago Tribune, the
JOURNAL should have gone further
and told how it was that the Oregon
was able to get nearer to the enemy
than any other vessel in any "noted
POSITION" to hold that place through
out the battle, and TO contribute most
decisiveiy to the complete annihilAtlon
of the Spanish squadron. The article
in question was statement OF facts IN
correction OF an error or misapprelen-
ion that see rs to be one OF tn } ba eful
consequences Of the SChley-Sampson
controversy, and it was address ed 10 a
single end. The JOURNAL had 81
ready, at previous stages OF the con-
troversy over Santiago, given the de-
tails showing the wonderful prepared
ness of the OREGON for the duty that
for more than month had hourly con-
fronted the blocksding squadron.
Ia the first place there vas a good
ship, built for ,peed aud endurance
fare. 10 the next, crew fitting the
ship and armament, aud c0mman or
of supreme competency in every emer
gency, or any phase Of any emergency
was over ship and crew, and crew anC
officers were passionstely devoted to ship
and Captain. From the day the O.e
gon left the Golden Gaze, as she "foi'
lowed down the billow, her guide tn
Southern Cross" Till sue doubled TIE
Cape and the North S.ar was lighting
her course, drill was unintermit ing,
man wisdom could forecas was unoer.
taken, whether OF actual battle, OF
chase or retreat, under forced draught
or ordinary conditions of steaming A
vigilance that never slept was practced
There was plan Of action for every
conceivable surprise or event. Precsu
lions against perls thst might Turk il
coal taken in foreign hArbors, or thG
stealthy approach Of an enemy, on the
high seas or in port, were taken.
They were all OF the most decisive kind
No risks were TO be taken. A strange,
craft ia the track Of the ship, havinl
the shadow Of suspicion was to be in
stantly sunk. Should the ship encoun
ter Cervera's squadron the scheme o
action was matured, the crew had it