The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-06-03
PRESIDENT TAFT
AT DEDICATION OF
GETTYSBURG SHAFT
Daughter of Executive Unveils
Shaft-Impressive Military
Parade.

Gettysburg, Pa, May 31.-The mem
Dry of regularly enlisted men in the
United States army who gave up their
lives or fought IN the Gettysburg cam
paisn Of 1863 was perpetuated in gran
ite on the famous battlefield today
when the monument erected by act of
congress was unveiled in the presence
Of President Taft.
The great shaft. one Of the most con-
s%picuous on the field. stands close to
the bloody angle" where the hottest
action in that struggle occurred. The
GRATED for the event and the town is
crowded with people.
President Arrives.
President Taft arrived here shortly
after 10 o'clock after an all night ride
from Plttsburg. A great crowd sur
the station. The presidential
party was met by Colonel John P.
son and General l.. l.. LomaX, the mem
bers of the Gettysburg national park
commission. After a slight delay,
President Taft, his party, and the To-
cal reception committee entered auto
mobiles for a trip over the battlefield.
Following the visit TO all historic
points, the president returned to his
car for luncheon and at 2 p. M. took
mis- place at the head of the military
parade which formed in the town and
proceeded to the bloody angle" on
cemetery Ridge.
were opened by the playing Of Amer
{ca" by the Thirteenth Coast Artillery
oand. followed by prayer by Chaplain
II. H. Chouinard, Fifth United States
Infantry.
The Presidents Address.
President Taft then delivered the
.oration. He said, in part:
We are gathered at this historic spot to-
lay to dedicate a monument to the mem
IF the regular army who ave up their
lives for their country in the three days
oattle. 1t is but a tardy recognition of the
nations debt to the brave defenders,
whose allegiance was purely to the nation,
without local color or strengthening of
state or municipal pride.
The danger of a standing army, enter
aimed by our ancestors, is seen in the con-
st1tutional restrictions and the complaints
registered in the declaration of independ-
ence. 1t has always been easy to awaken
2f a regular army and a professional SOL
liery and co~rrespondtngly difficult to Gre
ate among the people that love and pride
1uently in the history of the country
aroused as to the navy. This has led to
. varied and changeable policy in respect
20 the regular army. At times it has been
were but 80 men who constituted the regu-
ar army of the United States, and Of
these me Battery F Of The Fourth artillery
absolute necessities in the defense Of the
country against the small wars which
embrace SO large a part Of our history,
mar force, small to be sure, but one so
we'll trained and effective as always to
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 trained, we would
nave been spared the humiliations of the
numerous levles of unframed troops and
lhe enormous expense of raising an army
On paper of 100000 or 500, 600 men, because
With an effective force Of 10000 men we
night have promptly captured Canada and
ended the war.
The service rendered by the regular
army in the Mexican war was far greater
n proportion than that which it rendered
N the civil war, and the success which
attended the campaigns of Taylor and of
scott We're largely due to that body of
men.
To the, little army of 5000 men that sur
lived the civil war, we owe the opening
lp of the entire western country. The
saardships and the trials of frontier Indian
campaigns, which made possible the con-
'truction OF the Pacific railroads have
never been fully recognized by our peo-
pie and the bravery and courage and
S.onomy OF force compared with the task
performed by our regular troops have
aever been adequate by
congress or the nation.
Ioday, as a result of the Spanish war,
he added responsibilities of our new de-
in the Philippines, Porto Rico,
and for some time in Cuba, together with
, sense Of the Importance of our position
as a world power ave led to the increase
n our regular army to a larger force than
ever before, but not larger in proportion
20 the increased population and wealth
han In the early years of the republic. 1t
should not be reduced.
Gettysburs's Heroes.
On the side of the North many of the
officers were drafted to command the vol
lnteer troops from the state while the reg
+llar army, a~ggregattng about 10000 at the
opening of the war. was increased to
about 25,00O during it's first year. More
A novel type Of trolley car has been
built for the South M%anchurian rail