The Washington herald., 1909-06-01
PRESIDENT TAFT PLEADS
FOR ADEQUATE ARMY AND
LAUDS REGULAR SOLDIER


President Taft. in his Gettysburg
speech. said:
We are gathered at this historic spot
to-day 10 dedicate a monument 10 the
memory Of the officers and the enlisted
men OF the regular army who gave up
their lives for their country in the three
days battle Il IS but q tardy recogni-
ton Of the nations debt TO It's brave de-
/ tenders, whose allegiance was purely to
the nation. without local color or strength
ening OF State OF mUnicipai pride.
The danger Of a standing army enter
tained by our ancestors is seen in the
constitutional restrictions and the com
plants registered in the Declaration OF
Independence Il has always been easy
TO awaken prejudice against the possible
aggressions Of a regular army and pro-
I fessional soldiery and correspondngly
difficult 10 create among the people that
love and pride in the army which we
find to-day and frequently in the history
Of the country aroused IN behalf OF the
navy.
Regular Array Needed.
This has led 70 varied and change
able policy In respect TO the regular army.
At times Il has been reduced 10 almost
nothing I7s4 there were but eighty men
who constituted the regular army Of the
/ United States. and Of these. Battery F.
OF the Fourth Artillery. we're hfty-ive Of
them: bat generally the absolute neces-
sites in the defense OF the country
! against the small wars, which embrace
so large q part of our history, have IN
! duced the maintenance of q regular force.
small, 10 De sure, but one so well trained
/ and effective as always TO reflect credit
Z upon the nation.
In the war OF 1872. had we had a
/ regular army OF 1900 men. trained as
! such an army would have been. we
( should have been spared the humiliation
l OF the numerous lsvies OF unframed
/ troops and the enormous expense Of
( raising an army on paper Of 10000 OF
/ 5O0.o)0 men, because with an effective
1 force OF 1000 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 proportion than that which II rendered
| IN the civil war. and the success which
attended the campaigns Of Taylor and Of
4 Scott vas largely due 10 that body OF
men.
| 'To the little army OF Z5.0oO men that
survived the civil war We owe the open
ing I'D Of the entire Western country.
! The hardshfps and the trials Of frontier
Indian cs-HFsigns which made possible
| the construction Of the Pacific railroads
have never been fully recognized by ouI
people. And the bravery and courage and
/ economy OF force, compared with the
task performed BY our regular troops
have never been adequately commem-
GRATED By Congress or the nation.
New Use for Regular Soldiers.
To-day, as a result OF the Spanish war
/ the added responsibilities Of our new de-
II tendencies in the Philippines and Porto
Rico, and for some time Cuba. together
\ with q sense Of Importance Of ou- posi-.
4 ton as a world power, have led to the m
4 crease IN our regular army TO q larger
force than ever before In the history OF
4 the country, but not larger in proportion
70 the Increase in the population and
wealth than in the early years Of the
republic
I 1T should not be Te0ECeQ.
The profession Of arms has always
been an honorable one. Under conditions
/ Of modern warfare II has become highly
/ technical. and requires years OF experience
and study to adapt the officers and mer
to its requirements
Upon the side Of the North many Of
the officers were drafted to command thC
volunteer troops from the States. while
the regular army, aggregating about 10
000 at the opening Of the war, was in.
creased TO about $500 during it's frs
year.
More than half this army was engaged
4 in the battle Of Gettysburg. Time doe.
u not permit me to mention the names Of
u the heroes OF the regular army wnosC
Il blood stained the historic field, and WHOSE
III sacrifices made the Union victory pos
n sible-
"Au honor 10 the regular army Of th'
4 United States. Never in its history hal
J # had a stain upon its escutcheon.
J TT now becomes my pleasant duty {,
dedicate this monument to the memor!
Of the regular soldiers OF the republI'
who gave up their lives at Gettysburg
and who contributed in a large degre.
, to the victory Of those three fateful day.
in the countTy's history