Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-05-31
PROTESTS AGAINST
ANY SMALLER ARMY
Strength Of Our Present Army
Should Never be Reduced
Because We Are a World
Power. He De.
CldrcS.

Gettysburg, May 3l.-The memory
of-tl1e regularly enlisted men of the
United States army who fought in the
Gettysburg campaign of 1853 was
perpetuated in granite on the famous
battlefield today when a monument
erected by act of Congress was un-
veiled in the presence of President
Taft. The great shaft is one of the
most conspicuous on the field and
stands close to the ''bloody angle"
whore the hottest action occurred
a great crowd met the president
and party, who arrived after an all
night ride from Pittsburg. The pres
ident delivered an oration and m
mediately afterward Miss Helen Taft.
daughter of the president. unveiled
the monument. Following the GER
emonies the president reviewed the
troops. Miss Taft and other mem
bers of the presidential party were
the guests of Miss Lomax, daughter
of General Lomax Confederate mem
ber of the Gettysburg national park
commission.
The monument, which commemor-
ditS lnt StINlttS OF lIt itSuldI ARMY
is situated on Hancock avenue. a lit
tie south of the "bloody angle"
where Tiekett's men struck the Union
line With such fearful results TO the
invading army The shaft is So
feet high from the ground and is
made of light granite from Airy, y.
c. On each side is a large bronze
panel, carrying legends concerning
the soldiers who fought and fell.
Tafts Grafton dedicating the mon
ument follows:
1--WE are gathered on this historic
spot to dedicate a monument TO the
memory Of the officers and enlisted
men who gave their lives for their
country in a three days battle It
is a tardy recognition of the nations
debt to the brave defenders, whose
allegiance was purely to the nation,
without local color or strengthening
of local pride.
THE danger of a standing army
entertained by our ancestors is seen
in constitutional restrictions and
complaints registered in the Declara-
ton of Independence. II has always
been easy to awaken prejudice
against possible aggressions Of reg
ular army and professional soldiery.
This has led to varied and change
able policy in respect to our regular
army.
"Gn 1874 there were only so men
i'm our. regular army. To the little
army of % 000 men that survived the
Civil war we owe the opening up of
our entire western country. The
hardships and trials of the frontier
campaigns, have never been rccog-
nized by our people and the bravery
and economy of the force. compared
With the task performed, has never
been adequately commc morated by
Congress
AS a result of the Spanish war
together with a sense of our import
ance as world power our standing
army has been increased and Il
should not be reduced The profess
sion Of arms has always been an hon
orable one. The general plan of the
American people, II it can be said
there is plan, is To hav the skelc-
ton Of an army which can be turned
into an army twenty times the size in
times OF necessity.
Upon my intimate knowledge Of
the regular army | have come here
to testify to the pride the nation
should have in its regular army and
TO dedicate this monument to the
the field on which they won undylng
glory and perpetual gratitude from
the nation they served"