The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-31

The President spoke as follows:

The President spoke as follows:
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. / greet you
and thank you for the honor done me in
asking me TO be present this day.
1T is a good custom for our country TO
have certain solemn holidays in commemo-
ration of our greatest men and OF the
greatest crises in our history. There should
be but few such holidays. To increase their
number is TO cheaper them. Washington
and Lincoln-the man who did most 10
found the Union, and the man who did most
to preserve it-stand head and shoulders
above all other public men, and have, by
common consent, won the right 10 this pre-
eminence. Among the holidays which COM
memorate the turning points in American
history Thanksgiving has a significance
peculiarly it's own. On July 4 we celebrate
the birth of the Nation; on this day, the
those who died that the Nation might live
who wagered all that life holds dear for
the great prize OF death in battle, who
poured out their blood like water in order
that the mighty national structure raised
by the far-seeing patriotism OF Washington,
Franklin, Marshall. Hamilton and the 9TH
trainers of the Constitution. should not
crumble into meaningless ruins.
A GREAT TASK PERFORMED.
You whom 1 address to-day and your
comrades who wore the blue beside you in
the perlous years during which strong.
sad, patient Lincoln bore the crushing
load of national leadership. performed the
one feat the failure TO perform which would
have meant destruction 10 everything
which makes the name America a symbol
OF hope among the nations OF mankind.
You did the greatest and most necessary
task which has ever fallen to the lot of any
men on this western hemisphere. Nearly
three centuries have passed since the
waters of our coasts were first furrowed
by the keels of the men whose children's
children were TO inherit this fair land. Over
a century and a half OF colonial growth
followed the settlement; and now for over
a century and quarter we have been a
During our four generations OF national
life we have had TO do many tasks, and
some Of them Of far-reaching Importance:
but the only really vital task was the one
you did, the task of saving the Union
There were other crises in which TO have
gone wrong would have meant disaster;
but this was the one crisis in which 10 have
gone wrong would have meant not merely
disaster but annihilation. For failure at any
other point atonement could have been
made; but had you failed IL the iron days
the loss would have been irreparable the
defeat irretrievable Upon your success de-
pended all the future Of the people on this
continent, and much or the future of man.
kind as a whole.
You left US a reunited country. You left
US the right of brotherhood with the men
devotion for what they deemed the right,
fought against you. But you left us much
more even than your achievement. for you
left US the memory or how IL was achieved.
You, who made good by your valor and
patriotism the craftsmanship OF Lincoln
and the soldiership OF Grant, have set as
the standards for our efforts in the future
both the way you did your work in war
and the way in which, when the war was
over. you turned again to the work OF
peace. In war and In peace alike your ex-
ample will stand the WlSesI OF lessons
20 US and our children and our childrens
children.
THE MEN IN THE PHILIPPINES
Just at this moment the army OF the
United States led by men who served
among you in the great war. is carrying TO
completion small but peculiarly trying
and difficult war in which is involved not
only the honor Of the flag bu. the triumph
of civilization over forces which stand for
the black chaos Of savagery and barbar-
ism The task has not been as difficult or
as important as yours. but. on. my COM
rades. TIE men in the uniform OF the United
States who have for the last three years
patiently and uncomplainingly championed
the American cause In the Philippine
islands, are your younger brothers. your
sons. They have shown themselves not un-
worthy OF you. and they are entitled 10 the
support OF all men who are proud OF what
you did
These younger comrades Of yours have
fought under terrible difficulties and have
I received terrible provocation from a very
cruel and very treacherous enemy. Under
/ the strain OF these provocations l deeply
/ deplore 10 say that some among them
/ nave so far forgotten themselves as TO
| counsel and commit. In retaliation. acts OF
/ cruelty. The fact that for every guilty act
| committed by one OF our troops a hundred
/ acts OF far greater atrOcity have been COM
mitted by the hostile natives upon our
troops. or upon the peaceable and law
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