The Cairo bulletin., 1909-06-01
TAFT
!. At GETTYSBURG.
DELIVERS ADDRESS AT uNvEIL-
ING OF SHAFT TO REGULAR
ARMY.
DAUGHTER PULLED CORO
Which Revealed the Great Monumen.
to Sight-Four Regiments OF
Sold ers Present--Attcnd-
snce Great. u

Gettysburg, May 3l.-This was a
Gettysburg An imposing shaft OF
granite erected by congress to the
memory of those of the regularly On
listed forces who fell in the three
Iday's fighting around Round Top and
Bloody Angle was unveiled by the
Presidents daughter. Miss fIelcu ~
| Taft, while President Taft himself
1 paid tribut 10 the officers aud men
Of The United States army, past AMI
present.
The president put himself squarely
on record as opposed to any reduc-
|tion in the present standing army.
He told of the prejudice which often
had arisen against the possible
aggression of the regular army AMI
professional soldiery, and of the cor
responding difficulty in ar0us,rg that
love aud pride OF the army which cx-
presses Itself today, a1I has ire'
uucntly expressed itself in the past,
in behalf of the navy The president
asserted that the services of the reg
ular army have never been adequately
commemorated by contTess or the
nation.
The profession of arms has al
ways been an honorable one" he de-
clarcd
The present army he described az
the largest III the history of the
country, but not larger in proportion
to the increase in the population ami
wealth than in the early years Of the
republic
''All honor, exclaimed Taft, "to
the regular army CT the United
States, Never In its history has IT
had Il stain upon its escutcheon.
on bis way TO Gettsburg~ today
from Pittsburg, the presidents car
was sdetracked at New York and
during his stay he made brief ad-
dress in which he declared again his
hope for an early enactment of tar
id bill "if the Lord will only be cool
enough and send some real hot wealth
ler in June"
The crowds present on the battle
fields today were said to be the larg'
est ever gathered here on memorial
day The streets fairly overilowed
with humanity aud the way TO Bas'
iilchcld Park was corgested for hours
before the president started for the
,unvciling ceremonies.
-Four regiments Of the regular ar
my were here 10 escort the president
and to participate in the program OF
the day There walso was a personal
escort TO the president made up OF
veterans of the regular army whD
fought in the Gettysburg campaign.
The president arrived shortly be-
fore 10 o'clock ard was taken at
once for a drive over the battlefield.
AT several points he alighted.
Returning 10 his private car foF
luncheon he remained there until the
arrival OF his daughter from Wash
inston. Miss Taft came with Secre-
tary of War Dickinson and a party Of
distinguished officers of the army.
The cercngories of unyeiliug were
simple Miss Taft pulled the silken
cord which released the flags drape1
about the monument.
The president spoke from q plat.
form erected near the monument HI
was followed by Secretary Dickinson
who presented the monument 10 the
Battlefield Commission. the accept
ance speech being delivered by Col
John f. Nicholson. chairman If the
commission Following the unveiling
the president, accompanied by his
military aide. Capt Butt and Secrc-
tary Dickinson. walked to the base OF
the towering columns aud then re
viewed the troops When the review
was concluded the president hurried
back Ia the city aud his waiting train.
lIc was escorted ny troop OF caval
.ry which had to go al full zallop a.
times Ia keep M with the preside--
tial party The president left n S.4l
for Washington