Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-05-24
ROChambeau,s
StatueU Unveiled
Impressive Ceremony President Pays fine Tribute TO
Great French Marshal - Countess de RochambeaU
Then Drew Aside Veil fnveOping the Bronze.

Washington, May 24-The president
Of the United States today Joined with
the official representatives of the
French republic In unwilling the statue
Of Marshal de Rochambeau, the COM
patriot Of Washington and the COM
mander-in-chief Of the French forces
In America during the revolutionary
war. 1t was an event combining many
demonstrations Of international good
Will and with oratOry and music ex-
pressive OF Franco American friend
ship.
The ceremony was fixed for II o'clock
this morning but long before that hour
the streets were filed with mai ching
men and a great crowd eager to Wit
ness the exercises and review. A bat
talon Of French seamen arrived by
special train from Annapolis early in
the day and headed by the crack band
from the French battleship, swung
through Pennsylvania avenue to La
fayette square, where the shrouded
figure Of the French field marshal
awaited the signal for unwilling.
The American soldiers, sailors and
marines already had assembled aud
gave their French brothers in arms
hearty welcome, The American troops
were under command Of Mai Gen. s.
b. NJ. Young and embraced a battalion
OF engineers, a battalion of sailors and
marines with the marine band, bat
talon OF cavalry and of field artillery,
and brigade Of national guardsmen
Of the District Of Columbia. represent
ing In all the various branches OF the
United States military and naval SER
vice.
PRESIDENT ARRIVES.
President Roosevelt and the members
of the cabinet arrived at the review
grounds shortly before II o'clock and
took position facing the draped figure.
Alongside the presidential party sat the
French ambassador, NJ Cambon, Gen.
Brugere Vice-Admiral Fourier and
other distinguished representatives Of
the French government and also the
Count and Countess de Rochambeau
and Count de Lafayette descendants Of
the gallant soldier who fought with
Washington.
Cardinal Gibbons was to have opened
the exercises with an invocation but
In his unavoidable absence the Rev. DR..
Stafford delivered an impressive open
Ing prayer. Al Its conclusion President
Roosevelt stepped 10 the front OF the
platform and extended generous well
come to the French guests, The presl-
dent spoke as follows
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
mfr, Ambassador and you. the rep.
resentatives of the mighty republic OF
France ] extend to you on behalf OF
the people OF the United States the
warmest and most cordial greeting We
appreciate to the full all that is i'm
piled In this embassy composed OF such
men as those who have been sent over
here by President Loubet to comment
crate the unwilling OF the statue Of the
great marshal, who, with the soldiers
and sailors OF France. struck the de-
cisive blow in the war which started
this country on the path OF indepen-
dence among the nations Of the earth.
[Applause.l
- am sure that / give utterance to
the sentiments Of the United States, OF
every American TO whom the honor
and the glory OF our republic In the
past, as in the present, are dear, when
say that we prize this fresh proof OF |
the friendship OF the French people not |
only because II is necessarily pleasing
TO us TO have the friendship OF ma |
ton so mighty In war and so mighty |
In peace as France has ever shown |
herself TO be, but because II is peculi- |
arly pleasant 10 feel that, after a cen.
fury and a quarter OF Independent ex- !
istence as a nation, the French republic |
should feel that In that century and |
quarter we have justified the saci.
fees France made on our behalf. !
GApplause,l
81 am sure my fellow citizens. that |
you welcome the chance which brings
II about that this embassy Of the ,
French people should come to our
shores at the very time when we, in
our turn. have done our part In starting
on the path OF independence a sister
republlc-the republic OF Cuba ZAP.
plausel Mr.. Ambassador the Ameri.
can people. peculiarly because they are
the American people. and because the
history Of the United States has been
so interviewer with what France has
done for us; also because they are
proud OF the whole world which &C.
knowledges and must ever acknowledge
in n peculiar degree the friendship Of
France along so manv lines in the mat
ter Of progress and civiizatlon-the
American people. through me. extend
their thanks 10 you, and in their name
I beg 10 express my acknowledgements
TO the embassy that has come hero and
n President Loubet and all OF the
French nation, both for the deed and
for the magnanimous spirit and friend
shin behind the deed and I thank YOU"
loud applausel
STATUE UNVEILED.
As the president closed his remarks
the Countess de Rochambeau drew
aside the wells envealoping the figure.
into view the massive bronze
standing proudly erect with
arm outstretched. directing the for.
tunes OF war on the field of Yorktown. |
A great cheer went up from Frenchmen
and Americans alike and at the same
instant the marine band broke into the |
Inspiring strains Of the"Marsellalse." As
the French national hymn died away. |
Cambon escorted 10 the |
front OF the platform, the youthful
sculptor. NJ. Hamar, who executed the J
MAYOR GLASMANN HOME.