The Washington times., 1909-05-31

out local color or strengthening of
State=or municipal pride.
THE danger of standing army,
entertained by our ancestors. is seen
In the constitutional restriction and
the complaint registered in the Decla-
ration OF independence. 1t mas al
ways been easy to awaken prejudice
against the possible aggression OF a
regular army and professional sol
dieTY, and correspondence difficult 20
create among the people that love ana
pride in the army which we ind to
day and frequently in the history OF
the country aroused on behaIi or the
navy This has led TO varied ano
changeable policy in respect 10 the
regular army.
But Eighty Regulars.
AT times it has been reduced to almost
nothing In 1884 there were but eighty
men who constituted the regular army
of the United States, and of these Bat
terry F, of the Fourth Artillery were
hfty-hve Of them; but generally the alb
solute necessities in the defense of the
country against the small wars, which
embraced so large a part Of our his
tory have induced the maintenance of
regular force. small to be sure, but one
so well trained and effective as always
10 reflect credit upon the nation. In the
war OF 1872 had we had a regular army
of 10000 men, trained as such an army
would have been, we should have been
spared the humiliation OF the numerous
levies of unframed troops and the enOT-
nous expense of raising an army on
paper of 100000 or 100000 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 faF
greater in proportion than that which
II rendered IN the civil war, ana tle
success which attended the campaigns
Of Taylor and of Scott were largely
due TO that body of men.
Credit to Army.
''To the little army of 5000 men that
survived the civil war we owe the open
ing-up OF the entire western country
end the trials of the frontier Indian cam
paign. which made possible the con-
struction of the Pacific railroads, have
never been fully recognized by our peo-
pie, and the bravery and courage and
economy of force compared with the
task performed, shown by our regular
troops have never been adequately com
menlorated by Congress or the nation.
To-day, as result OF the spanish
war, the added responsibilities of our
new dependencies in the Philippines,
Porto Rico and for some time, IN
F,llha together with d sense of the inn
portance of our position as Wofld
power. have led 10 the increase IN our
regular aFlnN 10 luIBtL lUAAE iAtclAA
ever before in the history Of the coun-
At West Point we have been able to
prepare a body Of professional soldiers
well trained, to officer an army and
numerous enough at the opening OF the
civil war 10 give able commanders to
both sides of that internecine strife.
Proud of Soldiers.
with my intimate knowledge of the
regular army, their high standard of
duty. their efficacy as soldiers, high
character as men, I have seized this
opportunity to come here to testify to
the pride which the Nation should have
in its regular army and to dedicate this
monument 10 the predecessors of the
present regular army on field in which
they won undying glory and perpetual
gratitude from the nation which they
served.
with no one to blow its trlmpets,
with no local feeling or pride to bring
forth its merits. quietly and as beflts
a force organized TO maintain civil IN
stitutions and subject always TO the
civil control, Il has gone on doing the
duty which il was its TO do accepting
without a muTmuT the dangers or war
whether upon the trackless stretches o.
our western frontier, exposed 10 the
arrow and the bullet of the Indian. or
In the jungle and the rice paddles OF
the Philippines. on the hills and in the
the tremendous campaigns OF the civil
war itself, and It has never failed 20
make a record Of duty done that should
satisfy the most eXacting lover Of his
country"
Impressive Scene.
Upon the conclusion of President
Tafts remarks, Miss Helen Taft took
her station at the base of the granite
shaft, grasped the cord that held the
enshrouded flags around the monument
and ar the word given by one of the on
Gals present. pulled right manfully,
and silently the flags were flung aside
and as they fioated in midair above the
heads of the crowd on either side Of the
monument, the band burst forth with
1.-THE Star-Spangled Banner
The cheers of the throng wei nigh
drowned the music, and the guns of the
Third Field Artillery added to the noise
with a national salute.
The ceremonies were concluded by
Secretary of War Dickinson formally
presenting the monument to the Gettys-
burg Battlefield Commission, and the
latter received it through Chairman
Lieutenant John p. Nicholson.
Laurel Wreaths we're then placed OF
the base OF the monument by the oldest
survivors Of the battery commanders
present, and taps were sounded by
The band bugler
The President and his party return Il
Washington at $3.50 p. m, being due
there shortly after g