Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-02
MIDSHIPMEN GRADUATE
SIXTY TWO JUNIOR OFFICERS
ADDED TO NAVY.
Secretary Moody and Governor War
field Of Maryland Give Them
Parting Advice.

A dispatch from Annapolis, Md, last night
says: The graduation of sixty-two midship-
men of the class Of 1904 took place this
morning in the Naval Academy Armory.
The Secretary of the Navy, William H.
Moody; Assistant Secretary Charles H OAR
| ling, Chief of the Bureau Of Navigation
Rear Admiral Henry c. Taylor. Rear Ad-
miral G. w. Melville, Governor Edwin War
field and other noted men were present, as
we'll as hundreds Of the relatives and
friends of the mdshipmen.
The graduating class was formed at 1850
am. in front of the main quarters and
marched to the armory.
The Secretary of the Navy, with Governor
Edwin Warfield. headed the official party In
its procession to the platform. Others COM
posing the party were Admiral H. c. Tay-
lor, Major Clinton L. Riggs, adjutant gen
eral of Maryland; Superintendent Brown
son and the heads of departments at the
Naval Academy.
Those who occupied seats on the platform,
besides the members of the official party
above mentioned, were Rear Admirals Cas-
we'll and Walton, United States navy (re-
;ired). Rear Admiral Brown, Colonel r. NJ
Thompson and DR.. Thomas Fell, president
OF ST. Johns College.
Gov. Warfield was introduced by Superin-
, tendent BrOWnSon and said:
II am speaking on very short notice. as
your superintendent requested me to make
a few remarks as we were walking down
here together. and 1t was not until then
that l had any idea that I should have
something to say. There is one thing, how
ever, that I wish to charge you, and that
Is to remember that you are about to go
forth to represent S0,000,00O people Remem-
Der that you will stand for the whole ma
ton and that you are Americans, citizens
Of the greatest nation of the world. You
will meet many people of great dignity and
standing in the different parts of the world
to which you may go, but you will remem-
Der always that you will not meet the
superior of an American citizen. The stuff
within Ia what really counts, and 1t is 81
ways and everywhere true that worth
makes the man and want of 1t the fellow
There Is another thing that I wish YOU
to bear in mind. The day has happily pass
ed when officers in the army and navy find
promotion through the influence Of political
friends, or, to use the homely phrase po-
lidcal pull Promotions and honors may be
delayed, but they will come in the end to
the deserving. Grit will always win, and
ask you to look to your own patient effort
and that alone for final success.
"As look into your faces feel sure that
you have worthily won the honor that Will
be conferred upon you today. and bid you
Godspeed and charge you to remember that
the honor of the glorious Aa-s and stripes
Is in your keeping"
Secretary of the Navy William II. Moody
said:
up to last evening I had expected the
President Of the United States to Ee here
and to address the graduating class and
present it's members with their diplomas.
Last night, however, he told inc that it
would be Impossible to leave Washington
today He charged me. however. with tho
duty of expressing his special and personal
we'll wishes to every graduate.
Graduates of the Naval Academy, you
leave the institution at an suspicious time
1t was not long ago that the law of the land
limited the number of commissions in tho
navy. and the navy itself was in state Of
disintergration. AS the old ships rotted
they were not replaced with new ones AMI
the opportunities which naval officers had
for creditable service were limited. The am
bilious officer who looked for avenues where
he could serve his country with distinction
found them not. There were a few fine
souls, however, like Admiral Taylor, now at
the head of the personnel of the navy who
had the spirit and perception to believe that
| the day was coming when the navy would
occupy different place in the country )
| estimation.
II am glad the governor of Maryland al
| luded in his beautiful remarks to the fact
| that you must seek promotion through your
own merit and not through the Use Of po-
| ltical and social influences. You always
have the right to appeal to the department
| for the remedying of 81 grievances. but keep
your hands clear of trying to win the pleas
ant places by influence which will sell them.
Honors may be slow in COMING, bu- patient
work and devotion will at last bring them.
Il want also to impress upon you that the
| most important part of your work is to
learn the handling of the men who are I'M
der you. / do not underestimate the value
here, but l still say, unreservedly, that con-
troll of your subordinates is the most i'm
portam part You have great powers You
say to one man come, and he cometh and
to another man go, and he gOeth.' The