The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1902-05-09
TALKS TO CADETS.
President Presents Dip1 OmaS to Grad
untes Mt the Naval Academy

President Presents Dipl omaS to G rad
untes Mt the Naval Academy
Annapolis, Nd, May 3.-President
Roosevelt yesterday forenoon came
here and delivered the address to the
graduating class at the United States
naval academy. He said among other
things:
In receiving these diplomas YOU become
men who above almost any others OF tne
entire union are to carry henceforth tne
ever-present sense of responsloll1ty "hAcn
must come with the knowledge that on
some tremendous day 1t may depend upon
YOUR courage, your preparedness your
keen intelligence ard knowledge OF your
nrofession whether or not the natlon Is
again to write her name on the word ron
of honor or to know the black shame OF de-
feat. We all of US earnestly hope that the
occasion for war may never come, put II II
has to come then this nation must win; ana
the prime factor in securing victory over
anv foreign foe must of necessity be the
United States navy.
Hope Lies in Navy.
If the navy fails us then we are doomed to
defeat, no matter what may be our material
wealth or the high average OF our citizen
ship. 1t should. therefore, be an ooJect OF
nrime Importance for every patriotic
American to see that the navy is constantly
huilt I'D and above all that 1t is kept to the
highest point Of efficiency both In material
and In personnel. 1t cannot be TOO OFTEN
repeated that in modern war. and especfall y
in modern naval war. the chief factor IN
achieving triumph is what has been done
IN the way of thorough preparation and
training before the beginning Of the war.
The Supreme Hour.
You. to whom give these diplomas. now
3oin the ranks of the officers Of the United
States navy. You enter glorious service,
proud of its memories of renoWn. You
must keep ever in your minds the thought
Of the supreme hour which may come when
what YOU do will forever add to or detract
from this renown. Some Of you will have
to do your part in helping construct the
ships and the guns which you use.
Importance of Details.
You need to bend every energy toward
making these ships and guns IN all tnelr
details the most perfect of their klnd
throughout the world. The best ships and
guns and the most costly mechanlclsm are
utterly valueless If the men are not trained
to use them to the utmost possible advan-
tage. From now on throughout your lives
there can be no slackness on your part
under you, in the actual work of seaman
ship, in the actual work Of gunnery.
In the Day of battle.
If the day for battle comes you will need
all that you possess of boldness, SKILL de-
termina tion bility to bear punishment and
instant readiness in an emergency. But
though without these qualities you can do
no thing, yet even with them you can do
but little If you have not had the fore
thought and set purpose to train your
selves and the enlisted men under you
Alright. officers and men alike must have
the sea habit; officers and men alike must
realize that in battle the only shots that
count are the shots that hit and that nor
mally the victory will lie with the side
whose shots hit oftenest. Seamanship and
Observation-Disclosures must be The two
prime objects of your training, both for
yourselves and for the men under you"
Your duty must be present with you. wax
ing and sleeping. You have got to train
yourselves, and you have got to train those