The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-07-11
PRESIDENT TALKS
AT GETTYSBURG
His Address Is Chief Feature OF
National Day at the
Celebration.
IS HEARD BY GREAT THRONG
Mr.. Wilson DwelIs on Present Duty
Of the People In Finishing the
Nation Now Beloved
by All.

Gettysburg, Pa, July MANY thou
sands OF veterans from north and
south and OF other visitors faced Pres
ident Wilson today as he delivered the
address which was the main feature OF
National day In the celebration OF the
nttieth anniversary OF the Battle OF
Gettysburg.
The presidents address follows:
Friends and Fellow Citizens: need
not tell you what the battle OF Gettys-
burg meant. These gallant men In
blue and gray sit all about US here.
Many OF them met here upon this
ground in grim and deadly struggle.
Upon these famous fields and hillsides
their comrades died about them. In
their presence II were an impertinence
70 discourse upon how the battle went,
how II ended, what II signihed! But
90 years have gone by since then and
| crave the privilege OF speaking to
you for a few minutes OF what those
30 years have meant
What have they meant7 They have
meant peace and union and vigor, and
the maturity and might OF great ma,
ton. How wholesome and healing the
peace has beenl We have found one
another again as brothers and com
rades in arms. enemies no longer. gen
erous friends rather, our battles long
past, the quarrel forgotten-except
that we shall not forget the splendid
valor, the manly devotion OF the men
then arrayed against one another, now
grasping hands and smiling into each
others eyes. How complete the union
has become and how dear TO all Of US,
how unquestioned, how benign and
majestic, as state after state has been
added TO this great family OF free
menl How handsome the vigor. the
maturity, the might OF the great ma
ton we love with undivided hearts;
how full OF large and confident prom
ise that life will be wrought out
that will crown It's strength with gra-
cious justice and n happy welfare that
will touch all alike with deep content
ment! We are debtors TO those 90
crowded years; they have made us
heirs TO a mighty heritage.
Nation Not Finished.
But do we deem the nation com
plete and finished7 These venerable
men crowding here to this famous
field have set us a great example OF
devotion and utter sacrifice. They
were willing TO die that the people
might live. But their task Is done.
Their day Ia turned into evening. They
look to us TO perfect what they estab-
lished Their work Is handed on to
US, TO be done In another way but not
In another spirit. Our day Is not over;
II IL upon us in full tide.
Have affairs paused7 Does the
nation stand still? Is IL what the 80
years have wrought since those days
completed? Here Is great people.
great with every force that has ever
beaten In the lifeblood of mankind.
And II is secure. There Is no one
within its borders, there Is no
power among the nations of the earth,
TO make IL afraid But has II yet
squared itself with its own great
standards set up at It's birth, when II
made that first noble, naive appeal to
the moral Judgment OF mankind TO
take notice that government had
now at last been established which
was U serve men, not masters? 1t is
secure In everything except the salts.
faction that its life is right, adjusted
10 the uttermost TO the standards Of
righteousness and humanity. The
days OF sacrifice and cleansing are
not closed We have harder things
10 DO than were done in the heroic
days OF war. because harder TO see
clearly, requiring more vision. more
calm balance OF Judgment, a more
candid searching OF the very springs
OF right.
Tribute TO Their Valor.
Look around you upon the field OF
Gettysburg! Picture the array, the
fierce heats and agony of battle. col
ump hurled against column. battery
believing to battery! Valor? Yes!
Greater no man shall see in war; and
self-sacrifce. and loss 10 the utter.
most: the high recklessness OF exalt.
I'D devotion which does not count the
cost. We are made by these tragic
epic things TO know what II costs 70
make a nation-the blood and sacri
Zee OF multitudes OF unknown men
li.ted TO a great stature In the view
OF all generations by knowing no limit
Tn their manly willingness To serve
In armies thus marshaled from the
ranks of free men you will see, as Il
we're, a nation embattled, the leaders
and the led. and may know, II you