The Washington herald., 1908-07-04


ganization IN the District We're present
last night at a celebration Of the tenth
anniversary of the destruction Of the
Spanish feet under command OF Admiral
Cervera. by the American fleet of SAN
tiago, given under the auspices Of the
Army and Navy Union. in q. y. X. Hall.
On the platform. which was decorated
with flags, were well-known veterans Of
the civil and Spanish-American wars,
among them Benjamin +. Barnes, post
master of Washington. who was private
Secretary to President Mckinley during
the war with Spain.
The celebration opened with the assem-
bly, call given by a detachment Of
marines. composed Of Drummer NJ. J.
Ober and Buglers J. W. Lawton and z.
J.. Dinnington. through courtesy Of Gen.
Elliott. commander Of the Marine Corps.
After the bugle call. Rev. Zed Copp de-
livered the invocation. Col B. F. Chase,
commander Of Barry Garrison, Army and
Navy Union, who presided called Dr.
Thackcr L. Lee. Of Porter Garrison, Army
and Navy Union. 10 deliver an address Of
welcome to representatives Of various
patriotic organizations in the audience.
DIR. Lee was followed by Commander
John s. Walker, OF the Department Of the
Potomac. c. A. r. who stated briefly the
purpose Of the celebration.
Th, Postmaster's Address.
Postmaster Barnes was introduced. He
said. in part:
you do well to-day 10 celebrate :he
naval battle OF Santiago. which confirmed
the supremacy of the American idea and
sounded the kueu of medieval misrule
in the western hemisphere. Little was
known 10 us I'm advance Of the battle Of
the dcplorable condition Of the Spanish
ships in the matter Of armament and
other equipment, and indeed, 50 valiant
was the spirit of the noble Cervera and
his men that with a little better equip
meat they would have proven most
formidable antagonists for our fleet. That
battle and it's complement. the battle
on land at Santiago in which our great
President took so active and honorable
q part. and in which our own North and
South forgot the old feud and strove IN
friendly rivalry for the same cause.
FASTENED the union Of the two oceans
and greatly accelerated the welding to-
gethor OF the interests and aims of all
the hemisphere. from Alaska and Labra-
dor To the island of Terra del Fuego.
while the President-to-be struggled
with the enemy under the tropical sun
the kindly, humane. sympathetic Presi-
dent who was waiting anxiously in tn,
White House for the outcome of the
campaign, Of which he was the com
mander-in-chlef. his mind engrOssed IN
the future. which depended so much upor
the success Of our arms but keenly alive
TO the peTils 10 which the men at tbs
front were then being exposed. Ny con
nection with the executive staff begar
shortly before the outbreak of the war
as one Of the rank and file, and Il was
not until after its conclusion that my
work led me into anything Ike close as.
socation with President Mckinley.
In those days he went about his dutie!
absorbed and grave, often appearing {,
be oblivious TO his immediate surround
ings. 50 intent was he on the right solu
tion Of the problems resting so largel!
upon him. Day and night were little dis
tinguished at the White House. and TIT
President rarely ceased his labors befor,
] or o'clock in the morning. frequently
70 be reused shortly after by matters o
great moment, as was the case early on
the morning Of the Fourth of July. whel
word came of Cervera's attempt TO es
cape from Santiago harbor and Of IN
triumph of our fleet His recreation wa
limited 20 a few minutes walk about tn
grounds and an occasional brief drlv
with Mrs. Mckinley. That he was abl
20 keep health and strength through {
all, the trying months of the war itsel
and the long duration Of the subsequen
a. rrrnu
vincing testimonial 20 his calm. philosoph
ical temperament and his orderly, wise
and abstemious mode of living"
4 Confederate Speech.
Following the address of Postmaste
Barnes. Col ]. Mcdowell Darlington
commander OF Camp III. United Con
federate Veterans. was introduced. II
said:
There are here men who fought unde
different flags. wearing uniforms Of off
ferent colors. FOR different principle,
Th"ce men join hands ir celebrating tn
anniversary Of one Of the greatest nava
battles in the history of the United State,
/ do rot hesitate TO say that In IN
future the North and South will joi
hands I'm everything. whether It be
patriotic celebration or a battle agains
a common foe"
William a. Hickey read an account q
the battle Of Santiago as recorded in
log kept by Admiral Sampson during N
Spanish-Amcricau war.
Capt J. Walter Mitchell. OF the Arm
and Navy Union. was introduced as pas
department commander Of the Unite
Spanish War Veterans of the Distric
lie said.
The men who enlisted In the Unite
States army 20 fight Spain did not l,no
whether the war would be Of five months
or five years duration They were Or,
pared 10 fight hard and as long as the
country needed them. Looking at n
list OF casualties I'm the war with Spal
the struggle does not seem to be one {
great Importance. yet 1t has proved
turning point I'm the history Of our M
tion.
1t placed our country among those {
the top rank Of world powers and an
nounced 90 the world that the Unite
States was a refuge for sufferers and
protector Of the weak
I received letter to-day. in whIc
the news was brought 10 me that n
Army and Navy Union in all parts OF n
United States is 10 be reunited, and q
three garrisons in the District. whic
were suspended a few months ago. al
10 be reinstated."
John Curran. who was aboard u
cruiser New York in the battle of Sal
tlago recited an original poem descri
tive OF the sea fight, after which CO
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