The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-11-26
AMERICAN SHOULD
WORK FOR PEACE
Of WORLD
-PREsIDENT ROOSEVELT
AMERi cANIsM is A QUESTION OF
PRINCIPLE, PURPOSE, IDEAL
\ ISM AND cHARAcTER-ToUch.
ING TRIBUTE TO SHERIDAN.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt was the principal
speaker at the unwilling of the monu-
ment TO Gen. Sheridan, In this city. to-
day. The president paid glowing
tribute TO the military genius OF Gen.
Sheridan and then touched upon the
American OF today. "Americanism.
he said, lis best represented In the
men who never fear TO fight when
lighting is demanded by high moral
ity, but who hope by their lives 10
bring ever near the day when justice
and peace shall prevail within our
borders and in relations with all for
eign powers"
President Roosevelt said:
1t is eminently hitting that the ma
tlon's illustriOus men, the men VINO
loom as heroes before the eyes OF our
people, should be Iittinsly commen-
OraIed here at the NATIONAL capital.
una / am GLAD indeed To take part in
the unveillng OF th!s statue To Gen.
sheridan.
HIS name Will always stand high on
the list OF American worthless MOI
only was he great general but lie
showed his greatness with that touch
OF originality which we call genius.
Indeed this quality OF brillianee has
his reputation. for it has tended to
oyershadow his solid ability. We tend
to think OF him only as the dashlng
cavalry leader. whereas he was In
reality not only that. but also great
commander
lie rendered a signal service which
has gone almost unnoticed; Tor In the
tedious. weary Indian wars on the
great plains it was he who developed
IN thorough going fashion the system
or campaigning In winter, which. at
finally broke down the banded
strength OF those formidable warriors.
the horse Indians.
There is another point in Gen. Sher.
idaEs career which II is good for all
OF US 10 remember Whereas Grant,
Sherman, and Thomas were OF the old
native American stock. the parents or
Sheridan. like the parents OF Farra-
gut, were born on the other side OF the
water ANY one Of the five was just
az much type OF the real American.
OF what il best in America. as the
other four.
We should keep steadily before our
minds the fact that Americansm is a
question OF principle, Of purpose. or
ldcalisin, OF character, that ii is not
matter OF birthplace, or creed, or line
OF descent. Here in this country the
representatives. Of many old world
races are being fused together into
new type. type the main features OF
which ar" already determined, and
were dttey'ined at the time OF the
Revolutionary war. for the crucible in
which all the new types are melted
into one was shaped from 1876 to 1889,
and our nationality was definitely fixed
IN all It's essentials by the men OF
Washington day.
The strains will not continue to ex-
list separately in this country as In
the old world They will be combined
In one. and OF this new type those
men will best represent what IL loft
lest In the nations past. what Is finest
IN her hope for the future. who stand
each solely on his worth as man:
who scotn TO do evil to- others. and who
refuse To submit 10 wrongdoing them
selves; who have In them no faint of
weakness: who never fear tn fight
when lighting IL demanded by sound
and high morality. but who hope by
their lives To bring ever nearer the
day whom justice and peace shall pre-
vail within our own borders and in our
relations with all foreign powers.
Much OF the usefulness OF any career
must lie IN the impress that II makes
upon ana the lessons that II teaches
10. the generations that come after.
We OF this generation have our own
problems to solve. and the condition
OF our solving them is that we shall all
work together as American citizens
without regard to differences of sec
ton or creed or birthplace. copying.
not the divisions which so lamentably
sundercd our fathers one from an
other. but the spirit OF burning devo-
ton to duty which drove them for
ward each To do right as II was given
him 10 see the right. in the great wars
when Grant. Farragut. Sherman. Thorn
as and sheridan when Lee and jack
son. ana the JohnStons, the valiant
mon OF the north and the valiant men
OF the south fought TO finish the
great civil war.
They did not themselves realize In
fbe bitterness OF tho struggle. that the
blood and the grim suffering marked
the death throes Of what was worn
out. and the birth pangs OF q new and
more glorious national life. Mighty is
the herllage which Wn have rncnixnd
from the men OF the mighty days. We.
IN our turn. must grid up our loins
TO meet the new issues with the same
stern courage and resolute adherence
- an ideal, which marked our faith
crs who belonged to the generation of
tho man In whose honor we commcm-
crate this monument today.