Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-06-03
Inp,ging Shaft of Granite to
Their Memory Uaveiled at
Gettysburg.
PRES. TAFT PAYS TRIBUTE
Declares the Regular Army Has Never
Had n stain upon It's EscutcheOn
lis Opposed 10 Any Reduction
Of the Present Standing
Army-Immc nse Crowd.

gettysburg. Pa. May 3l.-I MS was
the day of tardy honor to the "Regu-
lar" at Gettysburg. An imposing
shaft of granite. erected by Congress
to the memory Of those of the regu-
larry enlisted forces who fell in the
three DAYS fghting about the Round
Tops and the bloody angle, was un-
Voilcd by the FresidonTs daughter,
Miss Helen II. TAFT. while President
Taft himself paid tribute to officers
and men OF the United States army
past and present.
The President put himself sduarely
on record as opposed to any reduction
In the present standing army. He told
Of the prejudice which often has
arisen against the possible asgres-
sions of regular army and n profess
sional soldiery, and of the correspond
ing difficulty in arousing that love
and pride of the army which expresses
itself to-day, and has freQently ex-
pressed itself in tho past, in behalf of
the navy. The President asserted that
the services of the regular army have
never been adequately commemorated
by Congress or the nation.
"The profession of arms has always
been an honorable one" he declared.
The present army. he described as the
largest N The history Of the country,
hat 70; larger III proportion 70 tho
increase po.'.'r'. and wealth
t-4 in +. ca-,.. years II tie ropub-
-
"AN honor" as,ra.y'l ii Mr.. Taft, TO
the regular army Of tie United states.
Never ir it's istory has it had stain
upon its escutcheons"
On his way to Gettysburg to-day
from Pittsburg the Presidents car
was side tracked a. York for two
hours and during his stay he made
brief address in which he declared
again his hone 70" the early enact
ment of tariff bill "if the Lord will
only be good and send some real hot
weather in June
The crowds present on the battle
fields to-day were said to be the lnrg-
est ever gathered here on Memorial
cay. Excursion trains poured into
the gall decorated old town from
early morning until past noon. The
Western Maryland railway officials
estimated the crowds handled over
that road alone to-day at "a 900.
FOUR REGIMENTS PRESENT.
Four regiments OF the regular army
were here to escort the President and
to participate in the program of the
day. There also was a personal es
cort to the President made up Of
veterans of the regular army who
fought in the Gettysburg campaign
The day was ideal in all but the in
tense heat Of the early afternoon The
President arriv, shortly before ten
o'clock and was taken at once for a
drive over tho battlefelds. At sev-
eral points he alight ID and stood on
the prominences overlooking the beat
tiful valley and the hazy mountains
in the far distanG'.
Returning to his private car for a
nuiet lunch he remained there until the
arrival Of hts daughter from Washing
ton. Miss Taft came with the secretary
Of War and Mrs. Dickinson In the party
from the capitol also were many distir.
gushed officers of the army and ASS x.
ant Secretary Oliver, Cen. ]. Franklin
He'll, chief Of staff. Gen. Leonard Woo
Gen. Clarence L. Edwards, Gen. Crozler,
chief of ordnance, and Gen, g. b. II.
Young retired, were among the number
The ceremonies of the unwilling w..o
simple Miss Taft 7ulcd the silken cord
Which released the flags dT-a ped abou.
the monument. and in falling one .;
them caught on a bronze eagle deoora'-
!rg one Of the inscribed tablets. A
trooper gave the flag tug hut it could
not be released until hole had been
tori in the folds of the stripes.
The / resident spoke from plat
form erected near the monument. He
was followed by Secretary Dickinson
who presented the monument 20 tic
battlefield commission. the accordance
speech being delivered by Col. John p
Nicholson, chairman OF the commits
zion.
Following the unve!ing the Pres-
dent. accompanied by his military aide,
Captain Butt, and by Secretary Dick
inson, walked TO the base of the tow
ering granite column and there re-
viewed the troops. In the material
column were the Fifth Infantry from
Pittsburgh, NJ Y; the 18TH cavalry
and the Third Field Artillery from
Fort Meyer, Va, and a provisional
regiment Of the coast artillery gath
cred from different posts and march
ing as infantry a mcuntein battery
Of artillery, wnich recently served in
Cuba was g source Of much interest