The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-31
UNION MEMORIAL DAY
PRESIDENT ROOsEVELT's ADDRESS
AT ARLINGTON.
A PHILIPPIC ON PHILIPPINES.
DEFENDS THE ADMINISTRATIONS
POLICY.

The President Attempts to Draw At
tentiOn From Atrocities in Philip
mines by Calling Attention 10
Iynchings in This Country and
Declaring Them More Deserving of
CondemnatiOn-FiIip Are to BE
Taught Self Government and Then
we VIII Decide Whether They
Shall Have IndcPendence-AT rib-
ute Paid Veterans for Their Work
i'm saving the Union and a Few
Good words Incidentally for the
Men in Gray.
Washington, May 30.-Decoration
DAY was observed here to-day perhaps
more generally than ever before. The
announcement that President Roose-
Welt would deliver the GRAFTON at Ar
lington brought to that historic city of
the dead a vast concourse of people,
among whom were numbered thous-
ands of veterans who journeyed to the
cemetery to honor the memory of their
comrades.
At Arlington national salute was
fred at u o'clock by the Fourth Bat
terry. United States Field Artillery
Music was rendered by the Marine
Band and by the memorial choir. Upon
arriving at Arlington the procession
marched to the tomb of the unknown.
During the decoration of the tomb by
the special committee chosen from the
different G. A. r. organizations and
auxiliary societies, the Marine Band
played an appropriate selection. The
procession then broke up and the deco
ration of graves began. A feature of
the work of decoration was the strew
ing of flowers over the graves of the
Confederate dead who lie buried in a
section of the cemetery.
In the meantime a vast crowd had
assembled at the amphitheater where
the services were conducted. The ia
miliar strains of Nearer, My God, to
Thee" by the Marine Band, marked
the beginning of the services, which
had been most deliberately planned
President Roosevelt's arrival was the
signal for an outburst of applause,
which continued for some time after he
had taken his seat on the platform.
After the invocation and the rendi-
ton of several numbers by the band
and choir, E. b. Hay read Lincoln S
Gettysburg address.
President Roosevelt followed. and as
he arose he was again greeted with
cheers from the audience, which
stretched far outside of the limits of
the amphitheater His remarks were
given close attention, and. he was fire.
quently interrupted by applause.
The Presidents Address.
The President spoke, in part, as fol-
lows:
Mr. Commander, comrades and you
men and women of the United States
who owe your being here to what was
done by the men of the great Civil
War, l greet you and thank you for
the honor done me in asking me to be
present this day.
1T is d good custom for our country
to have certain solemn holidays in
commemoration of our greatest men
and OF the greatest crises in our his
tory. There should be but few such
holidays. 10 increase their number is
TO cheaper them. Washington and
Llnooln-the man who did most to
found the Union, and the man who did
most to preserve it-stand head and
shoulders above all our other public
men, and have by common consent won
the right to this pre- eminence. Among
the holidays which commemorate the
turning points in American history,
Ihsnksgiving has a significance pecu-
nary lts own On July we celebrate
the birth of the nation; on this day,
the goth of May, we call to mind the
deaths of those who died that the ma
uoh might live, who wagered all that
me holds dear for the great
prize OF death in battle, who poured
OUT their blood like water in
ofder that the mighty national struc-
lure raised by the far-seeing patriot
ISM OF Washington, Franklin, Mar
shaiL Hamilton and the other great
Ieauers OF the Revolution, great franz
eis OF the constitution, should not
erumble into meaningless ruins.
GU whom l address to-day and
your comrades who wore the blue be-
sue you in the perilous years during
MHlch strong, sad, patient Lincoln bore
tne crushing load of national leader
snip performed the one feat the fail
uIe to perform which would have
meant destruction to everything which
make the name America a symbol of
nope among the nations of mankind.
Iou did the greatest and most neces-
gary task which has ever fallen to the
lot or any men on this western hernjs-
~'Ne~AAy LII &C nave
passed since the waters of our coasts
were hrst furrowed by the keels of the
i nleh whose children's children were to
inherit this fair land. Over a century
ana half of colonial growth followed
we settlement; and now for over a
century and a quarter we have been
nation.
The Philippine Conquest.
=, Just at this moment the army of
ne united States, led by men who
yea among you in the great war,
CARRYING to completion a small but
pScularly trying and difficult war in
W ~i! E Is involved not only the honor
me nag, but. the triumph of civili-
bIloh over forces which stand for the
gidck chaos of savagery and barbar-
ISM The task has not been as difi-
M NJ vi as important as yours but, oh,
ne icy comrades, the men in the uniform
w. me United States, who have for the
ni st three years patiently and uncom-
gly championed the American
use IN the Philippine Islands, are
TIL, "anger brothers, your sons.
49, 'rE nave shown themselves not I'M
N. my OK you, and they are entitled to
90 support of all men who are proud
o' What you did
lhese younger comrades of yours
All, fought under terrible diff
risi mites and have received ter
cru, proVocation from very
de. and very treacherous enemy. I'm
dss-she strain Of these provoeations
mn uepiore to say that some among
se nave so far forgotten themselves
M" counsel and commit. in retalla-
ION ION acts OF cruelty The fact that for
o,- guilty act committed by one Of
ar uoops a hundred acts Of far great
tb. Iroclty have been committed by