The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-07-09
PRESIDENT MADE AN LID.
Roosevelt Attends the Commence
ment at Harvard.
HAY ALSO RECEIVES A DEGREE

The President. In Eis Speech. Defends
the Troops In the Phiiippinss-H"
Bsssovs High Praise on Root Tan and
wood, Especially Comnendins tho
Lastsr's Services In Cuba.
Cambridge. Mass. - Commencement
at Harvard University. always an
event which brings together distin-
guished gathering. was Of unusual In
terest this year because Of tine pres
ence Of the President OF the
United States. Theodore Roosevelt,
q graduate Of Harvard. class OF lsSo.
who was to receive the honorary de.
gree of LID. from the university. BY
immemorial custom the Governor OF
the Commonwealth is an honored guest
of Harvard each year. and the Chief
Executive Of the Commonwealth. with
all the dignity OF military escort
came to the university attending fresi.
dent Roosevelt. and the President ana
the Governor were received with tue
greatest distinction.
The program Of commencement DAY
was similar to that OF other years.
There were the commencement exer'
cises In Sanders Theatre. with the
comforting Of honorary degrees at I'D a.
M. the commencement dinner OF the
alumni and invited guests In Memorini
Hall at go p. m. and In the afternoon
the reunions Of classes.
At 10 o'clock. preceded by the senior
clrss and the graduate marshal. Presi
dent Eliot. led the procession to san
der's Theatre. There were six com
mencement speakers.
After these speeches the honorary
degrees were conferred by president
Eliot. That Of LID. was conferred
not only on President Roosevelt. hut
on Secretary Hay. described as the
most successful diplomat now living.
The banquet was held In Memorial
Hall ut go o'clock. John ID. Long
presided and introduced the speakers.
Toasts were responded to by President
Eliot. Governor Crane. president
Roosevelt. Secretary Hay. Professor
Alexander Agasslz and Malcolm Don
aid. Mr.. Roosevelt said:
president Eliot spoke Of the service
performed by the college graduate to
the State. 1t was my great good for
tune, five years ago. to serve under
your president. then Secretary OF the
Navy. former Governor Long. and by
a strange turn of the wheel Of fate he
served In my Cabinet rs long as he
would consent to serve. and then l had
to replace him by another Harvard
man.
Il want to speak Of three other col
lege graduates because Of the service
they have done the public.
II want to speak Of a graduate OF
Hamilton College. Elihu Root: OF a
graduate Of Yale College, Governor
Taft, and of n fellow Harvard man.
Leonard WoOd-men who did things.
When in England they get man to do
what Lord Cromer did in Egypt; when
q man returns as Lord Kitchener will
return from South Africa. they give
him a peerage and great sum OF
money. Our CrOmers. our men OF that
stamp come back to the country. and
II they are fortunate they go back to
private life with the privilege Of taking
ND what they can tind Of the stringe
left loose when they sundered theif
old connections. And II they are un.
fortunate they are accused OF malad'
version In office-nOt an accusation that
hurts them. but an accusation that
brands with infamy every man who
makes 1t. and that reflects but Ill on
the country in which II Is made"
The President talked In n similar
high vein of praise OF Judge Taft and
Secretary Root. dwelling on the per.
sonal sacrifices they had made In order
to serve the nation.
President Roosevelt at a dinner OF
the Algonquin Club. made spirited
defense of American soldiers in the
Philippines. His hosts were war veter.
ans Of various societies. Mr.. Roose-
velt said:
There has been a good deal OF crit
cism, and some Of 1t Of an exceedingly
Incorporate kind. about the actions Of
the Army In the Philippines. Within
the last fortnight there has been an
appalling outrage committed IN the
Philippine Islands. Four men were
captured and put to death by torture.
You have heard little OF IL. and the
reason Is because those four men wore
the uniform Of the United States. For
that deed. II 1t Is possible to exact
punishment, punishment will be cx.
acted.
But let the other side Of the medal
be kept In view also. Let II be re.
membered that Of all forms OF cruelty.
the worst Is the weakness which hesi.
tates to use a proper severity when
proper severity Is needed.
Peace las almost come In the Phil
ippines. because the officers and enlist.
cd men wearing the National uniform
have gone about their duty. needing
the foe In front as little rs they needed
the advancement Of those who should
have known better behind.
1T has gone forward until now
throughout the Philippine Islands there
is O condition Of greater pecce than
has obtained In them from the time
when the keels Of Spanish ships first
furrowed the waters Of Manila Bay
until the present moments.
And more than that. remember that
the Army has conquered not to bring
military rule. but In order that the
sphere Of civil government should be
constantly expended at the expense of
military rule"