The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-04-25
FATHER or THE
AMERICAN NAVY.
Jacksonville Times Union-)
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There is nothing that the American
people have as much reason TO De
proud of as their navy. Its record Is
one Of heroism from the beginning TO
the present day. He who wishes TO
tell the truth must say that the record
of the American army is badly mixed.
Much must be written to its credit,
but some things to its disgrace On
some occasions American troops have
fought as well as any in the world.
On others they have shown themselves
as great poltroons as ever Sneaked
out of fight. or course much of the
praise or blame belongs TO commaa-
ders. 1t will never be forgotten that
or one occasion an American force in
a fort surrendei to an enemy inferior
in strength without firing a gun. The
commander was courtmartialed and
sentenced to be shot, but foolish
weakness spared him and he died,
it is difficult to conceive of anything
more natural than that such coward
should have been shot.
But the American navy has no spot
on its record In the war of 1912,
when the army so often acted on the
idea that HE who fights and runs
away will live to fight another day"
the navy was always ready and al
most always victorious. II neither
counted numbers nor guns, but when
an enemy was sighted fight was the
result and in almost every instance an
American victory
The navy is our greatest and just
est pride. and John Paul, who selected
as an additional designation the I'M
common name of Jones, was the
father of the American navy. And
he was not first in chronological or
der only. He stands first today among
the heroic men of a century and a
quarter of naval history as the great
est fighter. And we need not confine
ourselves to America in making COM
parsons that do him honor His equal
never walked the deck of a ship. He
was the Napoleon of the waves.
HS died in Paris, and his grave for
century has been unmarked and IN
known. The American government
has made a tardy search for his re-
! mains. Ambassador Porter pursued
this search out of his own means
when the appropriation gave out. We
honor him for the honor he has paid
to great mantle greatest in his
field OF all the worlds history.
The search has been successful. at
last, and a body that is pronounced
TO be that of John Paul Jones has been
found and will be brought to America
Our people should receive it with the
highest honors that can be paid the
| dead It should be reinterred al
Washington, where it would belonp
to the nation aud not to state. and
the finest memorial that the richest
nation on earth can erect to its most
heroic dead should mark the resting
place of this man who knew no fear
wnen courage was the most needed
OF all qualities. He was not a natiye
American, but he was living in Virsi
ma when the Revolution broke ont
| and the American from choice Is moi
less to be honored than the American
by accident. "a
-Jonn Paul Jones was not q saint
out II we will look closely We viii
oHen ind in sinners Qualities thot
wouid adorn saints if they could he
found In tha-n+ And we must remem.
per tnat john Paul Jones lived at =
tlme when courage was worth NOR
20 MS people and to the generation
tnaI would succeed them than ths
QUANTITIES that make the best citize,c
In time of peace. He was a man T fn7
an emergency, and no Qan ever met
the emergency better,