New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-31
TAFT AT GRANTS TOMB
MEMORIAL DAY ADDRESS.
Ram Forces Committee to Hold EI-
ercises inside Mausoleum.

secretary Taft spoke at Grants tomb yesterday
at the annual memorial services held there under
the auspices of U. S. Grant Post 327. G. A. R.. of
Brooklyn The plan had been to have the speaking
on the plaza at the east of the rnausoleu but the
driving rain forced the committee hold the exer
cises inside the tomb.
Secretary Taft at first protested saying that
the rain would not hurt him and that he did not
want to disappoint the crowd that stood in
the storm for some time hear him An effort
was made then to hold the exercises in the open.
but the rain came down in such sheets that it
was impossible.
Not more than three hundred persons able
to get inside the tomb, but the interest was so
great that more than four hundred waited out
nde for an hour and a half and. although
drenched TO the skin raised enthusiastic cheer
for the Secretary when he out.
Secretary Taft. standing the railing overlook
ing the crypt in which the coffin of General Grant
lies. spoke of the patriotism aroused and fostered
by such days and such observances. Patriotism,
he said, was real virtue and country had
gone too far in the direction of making light of
exhortations patriotism. 1t fitting, he said.
to stimulate the patriotism of the country by
pausing to think of the character and the public
service of General Grant.
SECRETARY TAFT's ADDRESS.
The Secretary said:
who hs1e ded q in War for Their county is
beautiful and useful one 1t brings us, to con
WHICH our coun trynen numbered by the hundreds
Of thoqsands from sense Of dn[y solely parted
It the Distinguishing characteristic, o Of our
Yates. the army was actuated by a real love
Of the Thee Te TG5e T have t be
cannot agree with them The situation was vas, one
foF w mniG cou io aord eope as remedS
This day, which brings BACK, 70 US 1ne avn W.
memories memo of those known and unknown heroes
an Of he n3 people.
US out for time of the atmosphere Of self
s @ p el So hakh s e aH value again
the many instances it revlves of mental and phy-
steal courage self-denal, self-restraint and self
The day. with its "reminiscences, assures US that
now IN the search for wealth and comfort would
as willing and as mighty as was the response
when the struggle for the nations existence began
PATRIOTISM A REAL VIRTUE
We are hun MOI loving Peope we dislike ke s sr0s
our sense % the ro1cgous Is a1 aferia SPIRIT
which has been rife We are prone to make ght Of
bols through which patriotism finds expression; l
think we have gone too far am this ons sn
symbols Which suggest it and by which recog
Te ra Of serious duty and Keep touch
with It as an elevating motive. .,.- to-.
est in memorials of this character if We have in
our minds the concrete 5 @ Of e +
appropriate therefore for US to gather al this
one WRose name in the history Of the opna1o
and maintenance of this na't s life will alT9 4,
We have In the beautiful white shaft which rises
high on the banks of the Potomac and which
unbidden in its silent purity into every land
sion Of its titnde to Washington There as
yet no adequate ion o. the BpP66
Lincoln But this magnificent sepulchre on the
centre Of population Of the New World is an ap-
propriate Expression Of the debt which the nation
o,-e mil Il.
At this place, in this presence, and before
1t E fitting 70 stimulate OUT patriotism by brief
lie service
THE HAND OF PROVIDENCE.
Secretary Taft spoke Of the providential raising
up of found the nation and TO preserve it
in every crisis adding:
So. too, is IT difficult to yield the
the fate of this country when the terrible struggle
eagsea oy ts S t6 6a "a m Wap Of fbs R
beion and manifested in the presence of
Lincoln and Grant TO meet the exigencies Of that
Shall not stop to-day to dwell upon the
or 10 point out how wonderful it was that from
such squahd 6eginH3inss there could be deyeoped
President TO save the country. The character Of
to he a result was as D reerKabe in It's way eo
sidering his previous history. as was that Of
It is true that Grant received education at
West Point; but certainly nothing was developed
there in him TO indicate his fitness or ability to
meet great responsibilities He did well in the
Mexican War, as did other lieutenants. He mani
tested as regimental quartermaster. energy and
familiarity with his duties, But in 1854 he re-
yielded to the weakness of taste for strong
drink and rather than be court-martialled he left
He returned from VANCOUVER on the Pacific
coast TO his family at St. Louis without money,
cepted from his father-in-law loan of seventy
osa r Ct his Pd o 10 " i've h he s0d there b
carried on farming operations His chief bust
ting it and piling il in the back yards Of the
well-to-do people of St. Louis. After six years
health and went into the real estate business for
year. He failed in this. His associate dis
Then at last his father offered him $500 as a
e5e he MS 5oesd fro St o e or 9d
here for year also During these seven years,
great measure his weakness for strong drink
But he constituted that it seemed i'm
5 r 2r h 40 ean o fortune % the Share Of
wife and four children
GRANT IN THE CIVIL WAR
Secretary Taft said that General Grant had never
had vaulting military ambition and that he en-
listed AT outbreak of the Civil War solely from
a sense of duty. By good luck, the speaker said.
General Grant received command of the 21st ILL.,
nois Regiment. He continued:
From the time he took command of that regiment
until the surrender ar AppcLnattox his life was one
continued, well Oil ecleo wen p!dnned EFFORT 10 sup
press the rebellion. From that time his CON
slant quest to and and fight the enemy. Be
ginning with the battle of Belmont, he was always
IN the field and always seeking the Confederate
forces.
!: Though in the West: he suffered: as did the
Eastern generals from the interference OF the War
Department and the paper strategists like Halleek:
and the freedom of his movements was curtailed
and his constant activity restrained by timidty
and jealousy of his superior officers But in spite
OF all this he pressed on and by the victories he
won ne compelled the War Department TO give
him freer hand
Following General Grant through his career in
the Western campaign. the Secretary outlined his