The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-31
President Roosevelt Has Pleas
ant Word for Each
SAYS "MAKE YOUR SHOT HIT
Praises the Record of the American
Navy and Urges Upon Them the
Importance of Maintaining
High Standard.

Annapolis, Md. January 9o.-Before a
host of their friends and relatives who
came from all parts of the country to
witness their graduating the Ia members
of the first class at the naval academy
today completed their four years course
and received their diplomas at the hands
of President Roosevelt.
The President and his party from Wash
ington arrived shortly after 10 o'clock and
after a short stop at the house of Sup
erintendent Brownson of the academy
went at once to the armory. AS the Pres
ldent entered the armory the midshipmen
presented arms and the land played
Star Spangled Banner"
Everyone I'm the vast building stood
while the nations chief executive passed
to his seat on the platform erected on
one end of the room The President was
introduced by Caption Brownson, who
said:
Il have the honor and it is a great
pleasure of presenting to you the Pres
ident, who will deliver to you your di-
plomas. Mr. President, these are the
graduates of the naval academy
The address of President Roosevelt to
the graduating class of the naval acad-
erny follows:
The President Speaks.
Captain Brown, Members of the Gradu-
ating Glass, Governor Warhe,d, and to
the Other Mdshipmen and Their Friends
and Kinsmen Here Gathered Together:
Il fail to see how any good American
can be other than better American when
he comes here to Annapolis and sees the
academy as 1t is, and it soon viii be,
thanks to the wise munihcence of Con-
gress, and | am not surprised that you
who graduate from this institution should
make the kind Of men that as rule you
do make afterwards, Should show the
qualities of courage. Of lofty fidelity to
duty, of devotion to the flag and of far
sighted preparedness to meet possible flu
ture emergencies, should show the traits
which, l think, Captain Brownson, | can
say without nattery characterizes the
service to which you belong l am not
surprised that you should show those
traits. for | should be heartily ashamed
of you IL you did not.
More than any otter people in this
country, with the sole exception of those
In the sister service, who nave had your
advantages, you owe a peculiar fealty to
the nation which has trained YOU which
has given you a career in after life a
career in which II yeu do your duty,
you are sure TO lead honorable lives and
to deserve well of the republic: and
career in which there Is always the
chance that you may spring into one of
those great places to be occupied by the
men of the nation who win deathless
fame for themselves by the way in which
they serve the nation In the hour of the
mn fDf,fu IN. he l,n,, I...r
the right to expect a peculiar measure of
self-sacrihcing service from you. On the
other hand, we have the right to expect
from the representatives of the people a
peculiar care for your interests. 1t is well
that every public man should feel under
a peculiar obligation to see to the welfare
of the army and the navy
Alarms Are Baseless.
There are a good many baseless alarms
which worthy people feel from time to
time in this country and which other
less worthy people affect to feel. but of
all foolish cromes, of all baseless fig
ments OF a disturbed imagination, the
cry OF miltarism In this country, is the
most foolish and the most baseless. Not
only there does not exist now, but there
never has existed In recent times any ma
ton so wholly free as this is from any
danger of excessive mlitarism, so wholly
free from any danger of an undue growth
of the military spirit. The danger Is now,
will be. and always has been the exact
reverse, the danger Is lest we do not
take sufficient thought in preparing men
and material with when we may make
our attitude in claiming to be a great
nation respectable. | would be sorry to
see us content to assume the position OF
a nation unwilling and unable to play
a great part in the world, unable to hold
its own in the shock of arms. should
1t be ever necessary, which | most earn-
estly hope that in the life time Of no
man here present 1t will be neC essary.
Should 1t ever be necessary. and hope
II will not be, to appeal to arms, |
should be sorry to see us take the posi-
tion OF avowed weakness, take the po-
sition that we did not intend to rank
ourselves among the great powers Of the
earth. l should be sorry to see that; but
| would a great deal rather see that than
see us insist upon taking such a posi-
ton and refuse to provide the means
which would make such position other
than sham.
Must Be Able to Make Good.
IF this country believes in the Mon
roe doctrine; IL this country intends to
hold the Philippines; IL 1t intends besides
building to police the isthmian canal If
ii intends to do its duty on the side Of
civilization; on the side OF the law and
order, and that duty can be done only by
the just man armed; II this country in
tends to be that, then 1t must see to 1t
that II is able TO make good II the neces-
sty arises to make good. II Is idle to
talk OF our faith in the Monroe doctrine
If we are not able to make that faith
evident.
TT Is foolish TO remain permanently
in the Philippines unless we provide a
base OF military action for our fleets
and army should 1t be necessary TO de-
fend the Philippines in time OF war. 1t
Is unnecessary to assert our position as
entitled to the respect of other great ma
tions, unless we are willing TO build the
ships, to build the guns and to train
the men who are to man the ships, and
handle the guns II the need arises. Bur
/ would rather see 1t play the part
frankly, than see IL Joast what II was
and then so handle itself that II any one
questioned the boast, we would have 10
retreat from the position we had as
sumed, because we lacked the power to
make our words good
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