Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-20
TALKS PATRIOTISM
President Speaks at Valley
Forge Sunday.
A NOTABLE INCIDENT
FIRST TIME A CHIEF EXECUTIVE
STOOD ON THE FIELD.
Address Delivered on Site of Proposed
Memorial Church-Strolls Over
the Historic Ground

A dispatch from Valley Forge. Pa. last
night says: Today for the first time in his
tory a President of the United States stood
on the famous encampment of Valley
Forge. President Roosevelt apparently
realized the interest which would attach to
such an event, for instead of carrying out
his plan of spending the day quietly with
Attorney General Knox he accepted an in
vitatfon to take part in the memorial day
exercises in the little frame shed which
serves as a temporary shelter on the histor-
ic field
Not only did he appear with Mrs. Roose-
welt and his sister. Mrs. Cowles. but under
the spell of the occasion he joined with
Bishop Coleman of Delaware, Wayne Mac
Veagh and others and made a speech to a
small but distinguished audience on the
lessons of patriotism. 1t was the most i'm
p0rtant Sunday the rural community has
had In years AS for the President he was
heard to declare again and again that he
was having d most delightful time.
The country residence of Attorney Gen.
eral Knox Is about mile and half away
from the field made famous by the suffer
inss of Washington and his atriot army
Guard at the Farm.
A large. sunny room on the northwest
corner of the second floor of the Knox resi-
dence had been set aside for the use of
the President and Mrs. Roosevelt. A big
American flag was draped under the win
dow. AS soon as the presidential party ar
rived on Saturday night the Knox farm
placed under guard
Three secret service men slept inside the
house near the presidential room, and out
side guarding every road and concealed
under clumpS of bushes. were farm and
stable employees. Each man was armed to
the teeth. In addition a kennel of mastiffs
was unloosed and the dogs restlessy stalk
ed about
President Roosevelt rose early. At 7:30
o clock he and Mr.. Knox appeared for a
stroll and an inspection of the fine stock
in the stable. Breakfast finished. the Pres
ident and Mr.. Knox started out for another
stroll of the Valley Forge field. With two
secret service men tagging after them, they
went over the ground About 1890 o clock
they returned to the house. The President
and the Attorney General then took drive.
During this drive the President learned
that it was the anniversary of Evacuation
day. and that the annual memorial exer-
cises were to be held during the afternoon
in the little frame chapel. He expressed
desire to attend
Visitors Turned Away.
The drive was finished about l O'Clock
and TO. the next two hours the President
remained within the seclusion of the
grounds When the presidential party next
appeared it was in carriages. In the first
carriage was the President and Attorney
General Knox, and in the second Mrs.
Roosevelt. Mrs. Knox Miss Reba Knox,
Mrs Cowles and Robert Tyndall of Pitts
burg Bringing up the rear was a buggy.
the occupants of which were Philander
Knox. Jr and two secret service men.
On the way over to the chapel a stop was
made at the residence Of former Attorney
General Wayne McVeagh. and the latters
carriaDa Joined the procession.
The chapel where the exercises were held
Is opposite the Valley Forge monument. Al
ter preliminary ceremonies the President
was ntroduced by the Rev. Herbert Burke.
Address by the President.
After the simple service of the Episcopal
Church lad been concluded, the Rev. Her
bert Burke. rector of All Saints Church at
Norristown, Pa. introduced the President.
who spoke as follows:
1T is q great pleasure to come here this
afternoon and say a word on behalf of the
project to erect memorial chapel on this
great historic site. Three weeks ago l was
ct the field where the bloodiest and most
decisive battle Of the civil war was Fought.
and it Is noteworthy thing that this state
of PENNSYLVANIA should have within Its Dor
ders the places which mark the two turning
points In our MISUNDERSTANDING, which
saw the high tide of the rebellion-Nalley
Forge, which saw the getting beyond the
There have been two great crises In our
rational history-two crises where failure
meant the absolute breaking asunder of the
nation.-one the revolutionary war, one the
civil war If the men who took to arms in
1776 for national independence had failed
then, not merely would there never have
been a national growth on this continent
but the whole spirit of nationality for the
Younger lands of the world would have per
ished Stubborn If the men Of 1861 had
failed in the great struggle FOR national
unity it would have meant that the work
dcne by Washington and his associates
might almost or quite IS we'll have been
left undone. .
''There would have been no point in
concentrating what was done at valley
Forge If Gettysburg had not given us the
national right to commemorate IT. III we
were now split up into dozen Wrangnns
little communities. If We lacked the power
to keep away here on our own continent,
within our own lines. or to show ourselves
q INIT as against foreign aggression, then,
indeed the Declaration of Independence
would read like empty sound ana the Con-
stitution would not be worth the paper
upon which it was written, save as a study
for antiCuarians.
Vital to Nations Welfare
"There have been other crises than those
that eliminated during the war for indie
pendence and the great civil war, there
have been great deeds and great men at
other PERIODS Oh our HiotoIy, Jul
there has never been another deed vital
to the welfare of the nation save the two
the deed of those who founded and the
deed of those who saved the republic.
There never has been another man whose
life has been vital to the republic save
Washington and Lincoln. l am not here to
say anything about Lincoln. but do not
see how any American can think of either
of them without thinking of the other, too.
because they represent the same work.
Think how fortunate are We as q nation.
Think what 1t means to us people
that our young men should have as their
ideals two men. not conquerors. not men
who won glory by wrong-doing; not men
whose lives were spent In their own ad-
vancement. but men who lived. one of
whom died. that the nation might grow
steadily greater and better-the man who
founded the republic and took no glory
from 1t himself save what was freely
given him by his fellow citizens. and that
only in the shape of chance of render
ing them service. and the man who after
ward saved the republic, who saved the
state without striking down liberty. Often
in history a state has been saved and lib
erty struck down at the same time. Lin