The Washington times., 1911-04-19
UNITED STATES AND
FRANCE FRATERN|ZE
At SHAF 7 UNWILLING
Taft Pays Tribute to Friends
of America in Days
of Need.

ANNAPOLIS. Nd, April 1s-The
naval cadets and the town generally
are rejoicing today that at last there
stands in the ancient capital of Mary
land monument erected to the memory
Of the French troops who came to the
aid Of the colonies In the War of the
President Taft, for the first time in his
Administration, visited the town yes
terday to attend the unveiling. Ambas-
sador Jusserand, representing the
French Republic, and chief officers of
army and navy, had part in the exer-
cises. The party returned to Washing
ton again at o'clock last night.
The actual unveiling Of the monument
was done by Miss Amelie De Pau Fow-
Ter, a descendant Of Count de Grasse
and the Count de Chambrun, Of the
French embassy, who is a descendant OF
the Marquis de Lafayette.
Following the dedication Of the monu-
mert the President and party went to
the Academy. He was greeted with a
salute of twent-one guns as he entered
the grounds, and all the Government
craft at anchor ran the Presidents flag
to the masthead.
At the dedication, NJ Jusserand, the
French ambassador, spoke of the happy
relations that were formed in the days
of Americas adversely. but continue
now in the days Of this nations pros
perity. He said that the prominence
given in Washington to the statues of
the French officers who took part in the
Revolution is evidence of the continued
friendship and close relation between
the two nations.
The Presidents Speech.
The President spoke but briefly as
follows:
'It is true, as the ambassador has
said, that in Washington there are
many evidences Of the grateful memory
that we cherish toward the leaders OF
the French troops and the French navy
that came here. Lafayette was with us
so much in that struggle that, as we
pay our debt of gratitude to him, we
almost forget that he was a Frenchman,
and believe that he was one of US. And
80 In the monuments to Rochambeau
and others, the element OF the personal
manifests itself, and we feel the graft
men whose memory we celebrate are
unknown to us by name, the very inn
personality o. the occasion makes ii
distinctly the gratitude of naSon to
I'VE have attempted in our country to
learn a lesson from France in those
days, and in our own history we have
attempted to help other people onto
their feet in their struggle for inde-
pendence and liberty.
Congratulates Sons of Revolution.
THE island of Cuba testifles to our
willingness to give a people independ-
ence. and. though she stumbled again,
TO put our arms under her arms and
place her on her feet. And who can
say that the lesson which France
taught us in those days. more than 100
years ago. did not lead US to the self
denying ordinance which was passed as
we began the Spanish war, and to the
policy which was pursued thereafter in
insisting that Cuba should remain inde-
pendent. and not become a part of our
dominion?
Now, my friends, / congratulate the
Sons OF the Revolution in having erect
ed this most appropriate monument on
academic ground to celebrate the
warmth of feeling that we entertain
both for the individuals who sacrificed
their lives for us and for the nation
with whom we are delighted to recollect
our period of amity in the past and to
welcome closer union and bond of
friendship in the future"