Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-25
TALK To- GUARDSMEN
PREs1DENT'A SPEECH AT SEA
GIRT, N. J.
He Gives the Young Militiamen Some
Strenuous Advice Regarding
Their Calling.


A dispatch from Sta Girt, N. j., last
night says: TeE thdFa people greeted
the presidential pHtS at the Sea Girt sta
ton this afternoon. President Roosevelt
and other distinguished guests were es-
corted In carriages to the governors cot
tage, adjoining the military encampment,
less than half a mile from the station AS
he arrived at the cottage Presidents sa-
Lutte of twenty-one guns was fired
After brief rest and an informal recep-
ton at the cottage. President Roosevelt
and Governor Murphy and staff reviewed
the troops in camp, the President being
mounted on a magnificent chestnut bay,
which he sat perfectly. At the conclusion
of the review Mr.. Roosevelt was escorted
to a stand adjoining the parade ground,
and there addressed the assembled troops
and the multitude which had gathered and
which numbered by this time nearly 5000.
Governor Murphy introduced the Presi-
dent as follows: II have the pleasure and
honor of introducing to you one who is
distinguished alike a citizen, as a SOL
| der and as a statesman and is how hon
ored and beloved as the President of this
great country. / have the honor to pre-
sent to you President Roosevelt"
In opening his address President Rcose-
welt complimented the national guardsmen
of New Jersey upon their soldierly bearing
and proficiency, and continued:
"A man is of use as national uardsman
for just exactly the same reason he is of
| use a citizen. and that is if he sets to
work with his whole heart to do his duty
for the time being. to make himself thor
oughly proficient IN the line of business he
has taken up. A national guardsfnan who
joins only to have good time pretty gen.
orally does not have a good time and GER
faiu1H makes hand of
guardSman.
You have got to try at once to come up
to the highest standard that you can set
before yourselves Of soldierly proficiency
like the way you have borne yourselves.
/ like the way you marched by in review
and 1 do not think it necessary to tell YOU
what you surely will be told as long as you
have a West Pointer like General Gilmore
over you (applause)-a man who comes of
a generation of fighters for the United
States flag. descended from an illustrious
general of the civil war. and. am happy
| to say, with a son to follow in the fathers
| footsteps at West Point. 1 am sure l do
| not have to tell you when you have such
| a commander of this brigade that you will
show your worth by fitting yourselves now.
in time of peace, so that if the need should
come you would be able to show that you
were not play soldiers only. but that you
could do your work. That is what counts
having learned your duties so as to apply
them whenever the necessity shall arise,
not only in handling yourselves well on the
parade ground and in the barracks, but also
In handling yourselves well on the march
and in the target practice at the butts.
Il earnestly hope and believe" continued
the President, you never will get into bat
tie but if you db, it Is going to be mighty
important to hit, the other fellow; and you
are going to be able TO do it largely in con-
sequence of the Eay-you have put in your
| time. knowing YOUR rifle until it is just part
Of yourself. until yoa can handle it, take
| care of it. and use it. 1t has been the pride
of the American army in the past that our
troops always have used their rifles eff
GENTLY. We have prided ourselves upon
having an army-of marksmen. Our army
has given us just pride in it, because it's
constant and jealous effort has been to take
care of itself in the field in all that pertains
| to the duties Of 2 soldier.
L think, gentlamens that much help can
be given to thd National Guards Of the
states by the action of the United States
government. l want to see the National
Guard armed with the best and most mod
ern weapons. Applause.) l. want to see
the infantry with the Krag-Jorgensen. and
l want to see the artillery with the three
point two gun of the regular army. am
happy to say that a bill has been passed
through the lower house. which Will en-
able the national government materially to
aid the National Guard Of the different
states. At the next session. I firmly be-
lieve that we will get it through the United
states Senate, and then I can guarantee
the signature Of the President. daughter
and applause.)
Il think that our people have not always
appreciated the debt they were under to
the National Guard A man who goes into
the National Guard and does his duty fairly
and squareiy there puts the whole country
under an obligation to him. Always in our
history it has been the case, as it will be in
the future, that. If war should arise. 1t is
to be met mainly by the citizen soldier-the
volunteer soldier.
I'VE have, in the regular army differed
as IT Is and filled with the type of enlisted
men we had in it, an army which I firmly
believe, for It's size Is unequaled In the
civilized world, and am sure that I can
chailenge the most generous support from
the National Guard for the regular army
OF the United States Applause.) But
that army Is, and Of necessity must be,
SO small that In the event of serious
trouble in the future the great bulk of our
troops must come. as IN the past they have
come. from the ranks of the people them
selves: ana In forming those regiments, the
good done by the presence In them of men
VINO have served faithfully in the National
Guard cannot be overestinated. Those
inen are ready They know Whit is ex-
pected of them. They train othe- to do the
work that Is needed. And anciner thing
iaoles ana gentlemen, the Sd qualities
tiat nuke man success, TIA make him
40 MS duty decertly and hone - in a Ma
tional Guard regiment are f.G.damenta.ly
the Qualities that ne needs to n AXE him a
good citizen in private life.
NO doubt some of you were in the Spar
of us!)
The only trouble with that war was
that there was not enough war to go
around Laughter)
voice. You got your slice"
did; continued the President II was
| one of the lucky onesr
after relating the anecdote Of the am
Dltlous soldier who entered camp at Tampa,
| tla, at the beginning of the Spanish
american war and was set to work digging
| tinued:
Just as it is in the army, so it is in
Cttizehshlp. If you are content to go
| through life waiting for a chance to be a
| nero you may wait and the chance may
not come The WAY to be good citizen is
u 40 the ordinary, everyday, hum-drum
| Mork mat comes to citizenship. Don't you
lIlnk so? am sure you do. The man who
Mani, WANTS to wait HptiI battle comes is not
m mhe waits it's for hOi fines is likely to be
y plead WITH yoaoto do your duty as
national guardsfdenn and as citizens. Do
your duty day by day-the common, ordi-
| nary duties which. when done, make in
d dneir sum the citizenship of the nation. La
| oies and gentlemen. I thank you
dent n and be- been sRe Ptention Of the Presi-
| murphy at luncheAr,cbut the lateneSS of tho