The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-30
and the slow suffering of the field h
p The Average Man Rules.

and the slow suffering of the field he
The Average Man Rules
So in the army and navy today,
the last ANALYSIS we must depend upt
having the right stuff in the enlistl
man and then upon having that stu.
put in proper shape. So again in or
republic as whole it is just as true !!
peace now as it was forty-fve years az
in war that it is the character Of tn
average man that must be the dete.
mining factor in achieving nations
success or going down to national di
alter. Leadership is necessary in ordt
that we may get really good results on
Of a high average Of individual charay
ter; but without the high character j.
the average individual the leadershi
by, itself can avail but little
"Now, it is easy to say this in word,
which shall imply merely fattery Of the
average voter or Of the average enlisted
man. certainly do not intend my wore.
to be 50 taken. Tt is sure sign O
weakness in any man ii he is Away:
wanting to be fattered, and especially
if he lets his head be turned by fiat
terry. The average voter needle to lear1
and to keep steadily in mind the fact
that if in the last resort the real power
is HIS SO in the last resort tho real
responsibility is his. He can not cast
off on anyone else the responsibility TO,
our governmental, shortcomings: Moth.
ing is cheaper than to say that thu
people are all right but that the poll.
| ticians are all wrong. AS a matter of
fact, politics, and therefore politicians,
| will in the long run represent faithfully
either the wishes or the indifference Of
the people; and if the people are indif
ferent the results are lust about as
bad as if they deliberately choose to
go wrong. So it is with the enlisted
man. When I call attention to the
high place he holds, and must ever hold
do it less with the intention of empha-
sizing the respect due him by outsiders
than with the intention of making him
realize the burden of honorable obliga-
ton resting upon his shoulders. By I'M
wearied effort he must learn to do his
duty, whether that duty lies ahoat or
ashore, whether it lies in the cavalry
or the infantry. in the gun tnrret or in
the engine-room. He must be able to
handle himself and to handle the for
midable and delicate mechanism in
tFusted to his care in SUCH manner that
part in battle for the flag, another page
shall be added to the many which ga
to make up the long honor roll Of Amer
lean history.
Alertuess in Emergency.
"In closing I ask your attention tc
the fact that our soldiers and sailors arc
able to do their duty in, great emergen
cies even other than those of war. Re
Gently the most appalling disaster that
try, the most appalling disaster that
has befallen any city Of the same size
for century past, befell the great anG
beautiful city of San Francisco In
the midst Of their horror and pity and
sympathy the rest Of our people were
rendered proud and glad by the courage
the seif'rellance. the selt-commant
shown by the men and women Of Sal
Francisco themselves under the suddel
them. We had yet another source O
pride in the fact that the first Ameri
cans outside the city who were able tt
extend relief and help were the officer
} and enlisted men Of the garrison ant
J the ships in the immediate neighborhoot
Instant response to the the deman ndS> mad s
. upon them, the mixture of self'relian
initiative with orderly obedience an,
cohcrence Of action. the high persona
Y valor and the steady endurance an
Y strength shown by the soldiers an
: sailors of the regular army and navy il
l coping with this disaster, were as grea
= as if shown, in time of battle. Such
3 record should make every true Ameri
: can proud Of the army and navy an
e should make every true Amer can resc
8 Lutte to see that thru our national All
8 thorities at Washington we make sue
y provision by law for the maintenance
e the support, and the training Of tn
e army and the navy that they shall eve
stand in the forefront of their respec
s tive professions.
n When the president had closed his ad
e dress, procession was formed to tn
r cemetery adjoining where he unveile
/. the beautiful shaft erected by the Arm
s and Navy union.
- The president and Admiral Harrine
v ton, followed by Mrs. Roosevelt an
y Mrs Harrington, then returned to tn
y navy yard. where they were the guest
of the admiral at luncheon: At
D. 0 'clock the president left on the May
flower for Hampton to address the stu
dents of Hampton institute.