Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-03
THE PRESIDENT
Presents Diplomas to Fifty
eight Naval Cadets.
His Address Full of Good Advice and
Caution for the Future.
Personally Visits Sick Cadet and Hands
Him His Diploma.


this morning, over the Pennsylvania
Railroad.
AS the President alighted from the
train he was received by Supt. VAIN
wright and his aide, Lieutenant II. J.
Ziegemier. A battalion of marines I'M
der command of Captain Lucas was
drawn up at the station. The party
proceeded in carriages to the academy
grounds, the President going directly
to the superintendent house where
there was IA short wait to permit the
assembling of the cadet battalion at
the chapel.
The President walked across the
campus to where the cadets were lined
up and passing down the line looked
each cadet squarely in the face. He
was then presented to the officers of
the academy by Commander Vain
wright. While this was going on the
shore batteries fired the Presidents sa-
lutte of q guns. At the sound of
bugle blast the cadets stacked guns and
with a precision that bore evidence of
the discipline which they have to un-
dergo marched by tours to the chapel
where the benediction was pronounced
by the chaplain. In the meantime the
President had been escorted down the
aisle by Commander Wainwright and
was shown to his seat on the platform,
the battalion of cadets, the officers and
others receiving the President stand
ing.
Commander Wainwright then intro
duced DIR. George II. Winston, a menu
Der of the board of visitors, who de
livercd a short address in which he
spoke Of the navy as being the most
important factor in the countries his
tory. He was loudly applauded when
he referred to Dewey as the hero of
Manila and Sampson as the hero of
Santiago and at the conclusion of his
remarks was congratulated by the
President.
A great crowd gathered around the
grand stand where the cadets We're to
receive at the hands of the President
the diplomas which would make them
officers in the United States navy.
The graduating class discarded their
guns and acoutrements and advanced
close to the platform. President Roose-
welt then addressed them. his remarks
frequently being interrupted by ap-
plause. Following is the Presidents
address:
In receiving these diplomas you be-
come men who, above almost any
others of the entire Union, are to carry
hencefOrth the ever-preSent sense of re-
sponsibility which must come with the
knowledge that on some tremendous
day it may depend upon your courage.
your preparedness, your keen intelli-
genCe and knowledge of your profess
sion whether or not the nation is again
to write her name on the worlds roll
of honor or to know the black shame OF
defeat.
We, all of us, earnestly hope that the
occasion for war may never come, but
if it has to come then this nation must
win; and the prime factor in securing
victory over any foreign foe must of
necessity be the United States navy.
If the navy fails us then we are
doomede to defeat, no matter what
may be our material wealth or the high
average of our citizenship. 1t should,
therefore, be an object of prime i'm
portance for every patriotic American
to see that the navy constantly is built
up and above all that it is kept to the
highest point of efficiency both in ma
terial and in personnel.
1t cannot be too often repeated that
in modern war and especially in mod
ern naval war. the chief factor in
achieving triumph is what has been
done in the way of thorough prepara-
ton and training before the beginning
of the war. 1t is what has been done
before the outbreak of war that is all
important.
After the outbreak all that can be
done is TO use to the best advantage the
great war engines and seamanship
craftsmanship and general practical
efficiency which have already been pro-
vidcd by the forethought of the ma
tional Legislature and by the admins
trative ability. through n course OF
years, of the navy department. A bat
tleship cannot be improvised. 1t takes
years to build and the skill of the Off
GERS and crew in handling it Alright can
likewise never be improvised but must
spring from use and autual sea-service
and from the most careful, Jealous and
systematic training.
IOu TO whom ! give these diplomas
now join the ranks of the officers of the
United States navy. You enter a glori-
Gus service, proud of it's memories of
renown. You must ever keep in your
mind 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. You need to bend
every energy toward making these
ships and guns in all their details the
most perfect of their kind throughout
the world.
The ship must be seaworthy. the
armament fitted for the best protection
to guns and men, the guns in all their
mechanism fit to do the greatest pos
sible execution in the shortest possible
time. Every detail must be thought
out far in advance, and the thought
carefully executed in the actual work
The best ships and guns and the most
costly mechanism are utterly worth
less If the men are not trained to use
them to the utmost possible advantage.
From now on throughout your lives
there can be no slackness on your part.
Yourfduty must be present with YOU
waking and sleeping. You have got to
train those under you, in the actual
work of seamanship in the actual work