Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-06-03
Taft Lauds "Regu|ars."
Great Crowd At Gettysburg

Great Crowd At Gettysburg.
Gettysburg, Pa, May 31.-This
was the day of tardy honor to the
regular" at Gettysburg.
An imposing shaft of granite, erect
ed by Congress to the memory OF
those of the regularly enlisted forces
who fell in the three days fighting
about the Round Tops and the Bloody
Angle, was unveiled by the President s
daughter, Miss Helen H. Taft, and
President Taft himself paid tribute
to officers and men of the United
States Army, past and present.
The President put himself square
ly on record as opposed to any re-
duction in the present standing army
He told of the prejudice which has
often arisen against the possible ag-
gressions of regular army and a
professional soldiery, and of the cor
responding diff Guilty in arousing that
loye and pride of the army which en-
presses itself today, and has frequent
ly expressed itself in the past, in be-
half of the navy. The President as
serted that the services of the rcgu-
lar army have never been adequately
commemorated by Congress or the
nation.
On his way to Gettysburg today
from Pittsburg the Presidents car
was side-t tracked at York for two
hours, and during his stay he made
a brief address, in which he declared
again his hope for the early enact
ment of tariff bill if the Lord will
only be good and send some real hot
weather in June.
The crowds on the battle field We're
said to be the largest ever gathered
here on Memorial Day. Excursion
trains poured into the gayly decorat-
ed old town from early until far past
noon. The Western Maryland Rail-
way officials estimated the crowds
handled over that road alone at IA, =
600. The streets fairly overhowed
with humanity, and the way to the
battlefield park was congested for
hours before the President started for
the unvciling ceremonies.
Four regiments of the regular army
were here to Escort the President and
to participate in the program. There
also was a personal escort to the Pres
idcnt, made up of veterans of the
regular army who fought in the Get
tysburg campaign.
The day was ideal in all but the
intense heat of the early afternoon.
The President arrived shortly before
10 a. m. and was taken at once for a
drive over the battlcfelds. At sever
al points he alighted and stood on
the prominences overlooking the
beautiful valley and the hazy mount
aims in the far distance.
Returning to his private car for a
quiet luncheon, he remained there
until the arrival of his daughter from
Washington. Miss Taft came with
the Secretary of War and Mrs. Dick
inson. In the party from the capt.
tai were many distinguished officers
of the army and Assistant Secretary
Oliver. Gen. j Franklin Bell, Chief
of Staff; Gen. Leonard Wood, Gen.
Clarence r. Edwards, Gen. Crozier,
Chief of Ordnance, and Gen. s. B.
M. Young, retired, were among the
number.
The ceremonies of the unwilling
were simple. Miss Taft pulled the
silken cord which released the flags
draped about the monument, and in
falling one of them caught on a bronze
eagle decorating one of the inscribed
tablets. A trooper gave the flag a
tug, but it could not be released un-
til quite a hole had been torn in the
folds of the stripes.
The President spoke from a plat
form erected near the monument.
He was followed by Secretary Dick
inson, who presented the monument
to the battlefield commission, the ac-
c'ptancc speech being delivered by
Col John Z. Nicholson, chairman of
the commission.