The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-02-13

serves
Among a more primitive people when |
the stranger arrives he is asked, "Who |
are you? Whence come you2 What |
message do you bring9" The soldier |
with five hundred sabers at his back |
is not expected to be man of many |
words, but I am glad of this oppor-
tunity to introduce to you this newly |
arrived element in your community, a
cavalry regiment of distinguished his
tory and proud traditions, which has
been in action in all our wars since
1855. and whose roster bears the names
of many generals famous in American
history.
We came to you with the sword, but
it is in the scabbard, and if we bring
you any message, it is one of peace and
good will, and the wish for your con-
tinued prosperity.
While officially we represent the
power of the United States, and our
end of maintaining its dignity and
authority, we, individually, are all good
citizens, and our desire is to live in
harmony with our neighbors. Our
backs are clad in the panoply of war,
hut the spirit of battle is not now
flaming in our hearts. Let us hope
that in these beautiful Islands nothing
may ever occur to arouse it.
You have all seen something of mill
tary people, and you know that our
calling requires that we be both versa
tile and adaptable-equal to any duty
that may be assigned us and able to
fit any environment into which we
may be thrown. Whether the Army is
to be envied or commiserated depends
upon whether your taste is for travel
and adventure, or for the tranquil do
nestle life. A few weeks ago we were
quietly domiciled amid sterile deserts
of Arizona, and surrounded by the
! richest copper-mining districts of the
world. Now, by speedy transition
across an ocean, we are in the midst
Of the loveliest garden-and, it may be
observed, the only mining is for
, water.
We have come to you with kindly
curiosity and genuine interest in you
and your pursuits. We are prepared
/ to comprehend and to sympathize with
| you in all your prescriptions.
| We find you a prosperous and low
1 dDit iHtSnbciF
| with, at the same time, burning pa
i triotism for your Hawaiian Islands.
| You have given us hearty welcome
and it is a great happiness to be with
you. While we shall keep ourselves
ever prepared and proud, in any
emergency, to draw the sword in your
defense, we wish to sit down and cul-
| tivate with you the civic virtues,
especially that one which is to us just
now of paramount Importance; that is,
the "level head the calm good sense
which avoids precipitate action, which
demands deliberation and exact infor-
nation, which can not be stampeded
under the excited verging of intemper-
ate agitators, and which refuses to live
in nervous dread of dangers which may
never come.
Z, Ladies and gentlemen, let me re-
peat that for the Fifth Cavalry it is
JOY to be with you. May we be long
in your land.
Captain Rees' Remarks and Poem.
| Captain Rees paid an eloquent trib-
ute to the work accomplished by Lin
coin in his efforts to preserve the
Union, and characterized him as an I'M
} rivaled ruler. After being introduced
by Chairman Atkinson, Captain Rees
spoke as follows, concluding with an
original poem:
r We can do but meager honor to Lin
| coin here tonight. We can not add
the smallest increment to his fame;
but we can do infinite honor to our
selves in paying homage, on this cen.
2 tennial of his birth, to the memory of
5 one of the greatest, grandest, noblest
men that ever livedl
Abraham Lincoln-patriot. states
man, philosopher, emancipation, Presi
< dent, unrlvaled ruler, immortal man
in the whole history of the world has
had few equals and perhaps no supe
e riors. Wise as Solomon, mighty a:
I Caesar, pure as Washington-he stands
= side by side with the Father of Hi'
= Country, towering head and shoulders
j above the stalwart men of his own gen
eration-a magnificent model for al
. who are vet to come.
[ He had his enemies and detraetors
e as genius and wisdom and glory al
/ ways have; but these delusionists arr
= growing fewer day by day, and in tim'
[. will vanish from the earth which the,
o neither benefit nor adorn.
"Lincoln belongs to the ages!' Hi
II fame is the glory of the nation ant
Y the priceless heritage of generation
l. vet unborn. Let him who would din
+ the luster of his achievements or tar
= nish the splendor of his reputation re
J. | member that he vainlv strives wit
impious hand to cloud the star tina
e gives him light and queneh the fir