Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-01-31
President Roosevelt Pre-
sent at the Graduation
Delivers Interesting Address On
General Topics.
Also Presents Sword and Medals of
Proficiency to Successful Middies.

from all parts of the country to witness
their graduation, the ia members of
the first class at the Naval Academy.
To-Day. completed their four-yedrs'
course and received their diplomas at
the hands of President Roosevelt.
The President and his party from
Washington arrived shortly after 10
O'Clock and after short stop at the
house of Supt. BroWnson of the acad-
eIny, went ut once To the ArmOry. The
iilll brigade Of mldshipmen were drawn
up, the 1st Battalion on the right and
The ID on the left of the new Armory.
lack of these were arranged a bril-
li'tnt assemblage Of women and gaily
dccked officers.
As the President entered the Armory
the miGshipmen presented arms ana
the band played "The Star Spanglel
Banner" President Roosevelt entered
the building with Supt. BroWnson, i'm
mediately behind these came Gov. War
field of Maryland, and his adjutant
general, Clinton L. Riggs. Next came
Secretary of War Taft. and Sec. Morton
of the navy, followed by the officers OF
the academy and attendants. The mid
shiplnen presented arms and everyone
in the vast building stood While Pres
iCcnt Roosevelt passed to his seat on
the platform erected in one end OF the
room. The President was introduced!
by Capt. RroWnson, who said: II nave
the honor and it is Il great pleasure OF
presenting to You the President. who
will deliver to you your diplomas.
Mr.. President. these are the gradu-
g 4 10 Al
President Houstvelt's address WAS, in
part, as follows:
Captain BroWnsOn. Members of the
graduating class, Governor Warfieid
and to the other midshipmen. to their
friends and kiIisn.en gathered here:
Il fail to see how any good Amer
lean can be other than better American
When he comes here to Annanols and
sees the academy as il is, and as ii
soon will BE-. thanks to the wise muni-
ficrncc Of Congress, and am not sur
priSel that you who graduate fro!n
this Institution should make the min!
of men that as 4 rule you do maze aft
terWarl. shoulu show the qualities of
courage. OF Lefty ability to duty. of de-
EoliOn to the flag and Of far-Sightci
preparedness to meet possible futur
emergencies: should show the traits
which | think. Captain BroWns"n. |
can say without fiattery. characterize
the service to which you belong. 't'l
not surprised that you should show
those traits. for | should b. heartily
ashamed of you if you did not. More
tt;n any other peo Die III this countrv
" it'll the sole exception of those i'll thu
sister service. who have had your ad
V&ntageS you owe Il peculiar fealty to
t he nation which has trained YOU.
which has SiNen you Il career i'll after
life. a career in which. if you do your
duty You are sure To lead honorable
lives and to deserve we'll of The renlo-
lie; and II career i'll which there is al
ways the chance that YOU may spring
into one of those few i,llceS to be oc-
unied by the men Of the nation who
win deathlesS fame for themselves by
the way in which they serve the ma
tinn in the hour OF the nations need.
ON the one hand, we have the right to
expect 4 peculiar measure Of self-sHcrI-
!cing service from YOU. ON the othr"
hand We have tile right to eXuect from
the REPRESENTATIVES Of the people a Pc
Culiar care for Your interests.
There are 4 good many hnselesS
alarms which some worthy l,eoplc feel
from time to time in this country. and
y HIGH other less worthy people affect to
feel, but of all foolish crimes,
of I'll baselcss fgments of Il
disturbed aggregation. the cry OF
in this country is
the most foolish and the mo:t
fa.olc.;s Not only there does not exist
now. but there lever has eNiSter III r.
cent times any nation 50 wholly fra"
as this is. from amy danger of an undue
growth of the military spirit. The dan
ger is now. will be, and always hIs
been, the enact =. verse. the danger lest
we do not make sufficient thought in
the men ANA material which
will make our attitude in claiming to-
be 4 great nation respectable. would
be SORRY to see us content to ASSUME the
POSITION Of Il nation unwilling ana un-
!, BE to display a great part in the
world. unable to bold its own in the
shock of arms should it DC ever neces-
sary. which | most earnestly hore tnlt
i'll the life time of no man here present
it will be necessary
Should it ever be necessary. ana |
hope it will not be. to appeal to arms.
| should be sorry to see us take the po-
sition of avoWed weakness: take the
position that we did not intend to
rank ourselves among The great powers
of the earth. | should be sorry to see
that: bit I would great deal rather
see that than see us insist upon taking
such a position and refuse to provide
the means which would make such
nositinn other than a sham. If this
country believes in the Monroe doctrine
if this country intends to hold the Phil
ippines. if it intends. besides building.
to notice the Isthman canal. if it in
tends to do its duty on the side of civ
i,;zation on the side of law and order
and that duty can be done only by the
just man armed. if this country intends
to he that. then it must see to that it
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