Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-05
President Taft Speaks at Un-
yelling of Monument.
QUAINT VILLAGE CROWDED
Provincetown's Criers Announce Ar
rival of Executive.
BATTLESHIPS FIRE SALUTES
State and Nation Join in Paying
Tribute to Folks Who Made an
Asylum for Liberty.

Asylum for Liberty.
PROVINCETOWN. Mass, August o
No greater duty ever devoved ON Prov
incetown's two criers, George Washburn
Ready and Walter Smith, than their an
nouncement today of the coming OF Pres
ident Taft and the dedication Of the gran
lite shaft on Town Hill, erected to the
memory Of the Pilgrim Fathers. This old
custom of crying important events
through the streets of the town remains
intact in Provincetown.
The corner stone of the monument was
laid August Z, 1907. by President Roose-
velt It's dedication by President Taft
attracted a crowd that taxed to their linn
its the narrow streets Of this old fishing
town. A fine nor'wester Vas blowing
straight across the bay from Beverly to
Cape Cod, and running before the wind
the Presidents yacht Mayflower came hy
ing across the water to be welcomed by a
mighty array of the nations naval power.
Saluted by Battleships.
The town clock was striking 9 when
the Mayflower came around the little
white beacon at the end of Long point
and passed in between the lines of bat
tleships. Eight of the great war vessels
were here to greet the President-the
Connecticut, Michigan. Mississippi. Ida
no, South Carolina, Louisiana. Kansas
and New Hampshire. AS the Mayflower
headed in the first gun doomed from the
flagship Connecticut. followed by twenty
one guns from all the ships. The sailors
manned the rails and the entire ships
companies stood at attention.
H. A~S
head Of the line at $3.50, and President
Taft Immediately went on board the
Connecticut. where he received the COM
handing officers of the feet.
The reception on the Connecticut lasted
for about half ar hour and then the
President started for shore.
Talks of the Pilgrims.
Preparations for receiving the crowd
and the distinguished guests were COM
pleted last night. and before the exer
cises today the fleet sent ashore several
thousand sailors who formed along the
streets from the wharf. where the Presi-
dent landed, to the grandstand.
The principal act of the dedication of
the monument was the unveiling of
bronze tablet over the door facing the har-
Dor. 1t was given by President Emeritus
Charles w. Eliot of Harvard.
President Taft's> opening words were
descriptive Of the landing of the Pilgrims
at Provincetown and the causes which
drove them from England. He said:
Here, 100 years ago, band of 100
Pilgrims, In a small. crowded and leaking
vessel, first saw their new home. Other
efforts had been made on the New Eng
land coast to found colonies for profit.
but this was the first attempt made by
men seeking political and religious in
dependence to secure an asylum in
America, where. they might escape the
fussy, naeddling, narrow and tyrannical
restraints imposed by the first of the
Stuarts. They were of the yeomanry OF
the farmer class. Their ministers were
university bred men. but the rest were
humble, God-fearing persons. who were
avowed non-conformists and had been
prosecuted as such in their homes In the
eastern part OF England
First Asylum in Holland.
"They fled to Amsterdam and then to
Leyden to enjoy the freedom of religious
worship. for which Holland then was dis
tinguished among the countries of the
world.
THE wish to remain English finally in
duced this venturesome quest for another
tain a theocracy based on a human de-
mocracy. Other colonies attempted in
New England and elsewhere failed for
lack Of courage in the colonists. The diff
ference between all these and the pilgrims
was the motive which inspired them to
come
President Taft referred in some detail
to the exposure and privations suffered by
the settlers, and said:
1.-The spirit which prompted them to
brave the sea, to land on this forbid.
ding coast in winter. and to live here.
has made the history Of this country
what it Is. 1t prompted and fought the
revolutionary war. 1t welcomed and
fnr Oh tho civil and has fnrniSho ed
the United States the highest ideals of
moral life and political citizenship. We
need not defend the lack OF liberality |
which in their early history the Pill
ing with them in religious belief and
creed.
"Out Of the logic Of their processes
there came religious
religious faith they uncomplainingly
met the hardships that were inevitable
in search Of liberty.
Monument Is Fitting.
TT is meet, therefore," said the Presi-
dent, that the United States as we'll as
the state of Massachusetts, should unite |
in placing here memorial to the Pill
grims. The warships that are here with |
their cannon to testify to its national
character typifies the strength of that
much from the spirit and example of the
heroic band.
Gov. Bradford, Elder Brewster, Capt |
Miles Standsh are the types of men in
whom, as ancestors either by blood or by |
education and example as citizens, the |
American people may we'll take pride. |
This magnificent monument will fittingly |
remind the traveller by sea of the begin |
ming of New England, and note the fact |
that those whose spirit of liberty was to
for centuries to the fOundl- |