Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-06-01
Marks Spot Where Hottest Action in
Battle Occurred.
IMPORTANCE OF WEST POINT
Profession Of Arms Has Become
Highly Technical.
DEVELOPMENT OF REGULAR ARMY
President Traces It's History from the
War of 1S12--Monument is
Unveiled by Miss Helen
Taft.

GETTYSBURG, Pa, May S.-The mem
ory of the regularly enlisted men In the
United States army who gave up their
lives or fought in the Gettysburg cam
paign Of 1868, will be perpo'usted in granite
on the famous battlefield today when the
monument erected by act OF congress will
be unveiled in the presence of President
Taft The great shaft. one of the most
conspicuous on the field, stands close to
the Bloody angle" where the hottest ao-
tion in that struggle occurred. The old
town OF Gettysburg is gaily decorated for
the event and the streets are crowded with
people.
President Taft arrived here shortly after
10 o'clock after an all night ride from
Pittsburg. great crowd surrounded the
station.
The presidential party was met by Col
onel John p. Nicholson, Major Charles A.
Richardson and General l.. l.. Lomax, the
members OF the Gettysburg National Park
commission. After a slight delay, Presi-
dent Taft, his party and the local recep-
tion committee, entered automobiles for a
trip over the battlefield.
Following the visit to all historic points,
the president returned to his car for
luncheon, and at 2 p m. took his place at
the head Of the military parade which
formed in the town and proceeded to the
bloody angle" on Cemetery ridge.
The ceremonies at the monument were
opened by the playing OF America" by
the Thirteenth Coast Artillery band. fol-
lowed by prayer by Chaplain II. H. Chouin-
ard, Fifth United States infantry. Presi-
dent Taft then delievered the grafton.
Immediately after the address OF the
president, his daughter, Miss Helen II.
Taft, unveiled the monument.
In his address, in which he lauded the
regular soldiers, President Taft said:
Nations Debt to Regulars.
I'VE are gathered at this historic spot
today to dedicate monument to the mem
ory Of the officers and the enlisted men of
the regular army who gave up their lives
for their country in the three days battle.
1t is but tardy recognition Of the nation 5
debt to its brave defenders, whose allie
glance was purely to the nation, without
local color OF Strengthening of state or
municipal pride.
The danger of a standing army, enter
talned by our ancestors Us seen in the
constitutional restrictions and the COM
plants registered in the declaration of in
dependence. 1t has always been easy to
awaken prejudice against the possible ag-
gressions of a regular army and q pro-
fesslonal soldiery, and correspondingly diff
ficult to create among the people that love
and pride In the army which we find today
and frequently in the history of the coun-
try aroused on behalf OF the navy. This
has led to a varied and changeable policy
in respect 20 the regular army. At times
II has been reduced to almost nothing.
In I7s4 there were but eighty men who con-
stituted the regular army of the United
States, and of these battery OF the
Fourth artillery constituted fifty-five OF
them; but generally the absolute necessities
In the defense of the country against the
small wars, which embrace so large a part
OF our history, have induced the main
tenance of a regular force. small to be
sure, but one well trained and effective
as always to reflect credit upon the nation.
I'm the war of 1912 had we had a regular
army CT 10000 men, trained as such an army
would have been, we would have been
spared the humiliation OF the numerous
levies Of unframed troops and the snor-
mouse expense OF raising an army on paper
OF 100000 or Oo.OOO men. because with an
effective force of 10000 men. we might
have promptly captured Canada and ended
the war.
The service rendered by the regular army
in the Mexican war was far greater in pro-
portion than that which It rendered in the
civil war. and the success which attended
the campaigns of Taylor and of Scott were
largely due to that body of men.
Regulars on Frontier.
ITO the little army Of 100 men that sur
vived he civil war, we owe the opening up
of the entire western country. The hard
ships and the trials OF frontier Indian cam
paigns which made possible the construo-
tion OF the Pacific railroad have never
been fully recognized by our people, and
the bravery and courage and economy of
force compared with the task performed
by our regular troops have never been
adequately commemorated by congress OF
the nation. Today, as a result of the Span
ish war. the added responsibilities OF our
new dependencies in the Philippines, Porto
Rico and for some time in Cuba, together
with sense OF the Importance OF our posi-
tion as a world power, have led TO the In
crease in our regular army to q larger
| force than ever before. but not larger In
proportion 10 the increased population and
wealth than In the early years Of the re-
public. 1t should not be reduced.
The profession OF arms has always beer
an honorable one and under conditions OF
modern warfare Il has become highly tech
nical and requires years OF experience anc
study TO adapt the officers and men tC
It's requirements. The general purpose OF
congress and the American people II one
can say there is a plan or purpose. Is &c
have such a nucleus a regular army
that Il may furnish a skeleton for rapid
enlargement in times of a war 10 q fore,
ten or twenty times its size. and at tn,
same time be an appropriate instrument
for accomplishing the purpose Of the gov.
ernment in crises likely TO arise other thar
war.
Importance Of West POint.
AT West Point we havo been able 10 pre-