Evening journal., 1904-11-19

Through you I wish on behalf Of the
people OF the United states to thank His
Majesty. the German Emperor and the
people Of Germany for the gift to the
nation which you have just formally
delivered to me. 1 accept It with deep
appreciation OF the friendly regard which
st tyn.hes for the people of this Republic
both on the part of the Emperor and on
the part of the German people / accept
Sc not merely as the statue of one of
the half dozen greatest soldiers of all
tims. and therefore peculiarly appropriate
for placing in this War College. but l
accept It as the statue of "a great man.
whose life was devoted TO the service OF
a great people. and whose deeds FASTENED
tho approach of the day when "a united
Germany should spring into being
AS "a soldier Frederick the Great ranks
IN that very very small group which i'm
ciudes Alexander. Caesar and Hannibal
in antiquity, and Napoleon, and possibly
Gustovus Adolphus. In modern times.
Tie belonged To the ancient and nlustri-
Gus house of Hohenzolcrn which after
playing strong and vrile part In the
men, like the great Elector. who were
among the most famous princes of their
time. founded the royal house OF Prussia
two centuries age, ana at last In our
own day established the mighty German
Empire as among the foremost of world
powers. We receive this gift now at the
hands of the present Emperor himself a
man who has markedly added 20 the
lustcr OF his great house and his great
nation. man who has devoted his life to
the welfare of his people. and who, while
keeping ever ready to defend the rights of
that people has also made It evident I'm
emphatic fashion that he and thoy desire
peace and friendship with the other
nations of the earth.
II IS not my purpose here to discuss
at lcngth the career of the mighty King
and mighty General whose statue we have
just received. IN all history no other
great commander save only Hannibal
fought 80 long against such terrible
Odds and while Hannibal finally failed.
Frederick finally trumphed In almost
every battle he fought against great odds,
and ne almost always won the victory.
When defeated he rose to an even greater
altitude than when victorious. The mom-
ory OF the Seven eYars war will last as
long as their lives in mankind the
love of heroism. and its operations
viii be studied to the minutest detail
as lcng as the world sees "a soldier
worthy Of the name. IL is difficult TO
know whether 20 admire most the vic
tories Of Leuthen and Prague Rossbach
and zorndorf, or the heart-brealslng cam
paigns after Kunersdorf wheh the great
King, after having been beaten to the
ground by the banded might of Europe.
yet rose again and by an exhibition of
skin, tenacity, energy, and daring such as
had never before been seen united in one
person finally wrested triumph from de-
feat. Not only must the military scholar
always turn 10 the career of Frederick
the Great for lessons IN strategy and
tactics; not only must the military
administrator always turn 20 his career
for lessons m organizing success. not
only viii the lover Of heroism read the
tales of his mighty feats as long as man.
kind cares for heroic deeds: hut ever
those who are not attracted by the valoi
OF tho soldier must yet. for the sake o
the greatness Of the man. ponder an,
admire the lessons taught by his un
darntcd resolution. his innexihle tonac,o
Of pirpose. his farsighted grasp of loft,
possibilities. and his unninchng. un
yielding determination in following II,
path he had marked out Il is eminent!
fitting that the statue Of this iron sol
der, this born leader OF men, shoul
ind place i'm this War College: for who
soldierly genius and soldiery heroisi
reach the highest point Of acheveme,
the man fl whom they are splay,
grows to belong not merely to the natio
from which he sprane but to an natior
capable Of showing, and therefore capao
OF appreciating. the virile and inastcrfl
virtues which alone make victors in tho,
dread struggles where resort is AZ N,
had 10 the arbitrament OF arms
But, Mr. Ambassador. in acceptin
the statue given us today through yo
from the German Emperor, I accept
not merely because it Is the statue OF
mighty and terrible soldier. but I acceI
# as a symbol Of the ties Of frient
ship and good will which I trust 4
the years go on will bind ever clos,
together the American and the Germa
peoples. There is kinship Of bloc
between the two nations. We Of n
United States are Of mixed stock. I'm oi
veins runs the blood OF almost all Il
peoples Of middle, northern, and westei
Europe. We already have a history
which we feel that we have the right
be ,eeitimately proud. and yet our nj
tionality is still in the formative perio
Nearly three centuries have elapsed sin
the landing Of the English at Jamestov
marked the beginning Of what has sin
grown into the United States.
During these three centuries sfrear
Of newcomers from many different oou
tries abroad have in each generals
contributed TO swell the Increase Of O.
people. Soon after the English SETH
IN Virginia and New England. the II.
lander settled at the mouth Of the Hu
son and the swede at the mouth OF I
Delaware. Even in colonial davs I
German element had become very stro
among our people in various parts
this country; the Irish element v