Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-09-11
'SHAFT IS UNVEILED
. IN HONOR OF PERRY
FORMER PRESIDENT TAFT rs
SPEAKER At CENTENNIAL
CELEBRATION.

Il Cedar Point, Ohio, Sept. 10.-A
towering shaft of white marble, erected
in commemoration of Commodore
Oliver Hazard Perry's victory in the
battle of Lake Erie and the one hun
dred years of peace between the
j United States and Great Britain was
President William Fl. Taft.
1naugurating the dedication cere-
monies, cannon doomed at the hour OF
the firing of the opening gun of the
famous battle, fought one hundred
years ago today, within view of, the
Put-in-Bay shores.
! "A century ago today this bay was
made famous by BATTLE" said Mr..
Taft "and today We meet to dedicate
a great and beautiful monument to
those who took part.
I'm the retrospection of one hundred
years we can weigh it's significance.
(, Nothing has developed in these years
to diminish the courage, patriotism
and skill of the commander and his
men as they appeared to their con-
Temperatures. But the consequence OF
| the battle and the war of which 1t was
one of the few bright spots in a field OF
gloom, were strikingly benefcent and
promise to grow even more so in the
second century on which we are now
entering
Sketches Biography.
Mr.. Taft then sketched the biogra-
ply of Commodore Perry, from his
birth in Rhode Island on the 23rd Of
August, 1855, to the supreme moment
of his career--the naval engagement
off West Sister Island one hundred
years ago-and to his sudden death
in Venezuela on his thirty-fourth
birthday. His youth, the difficulties
encountered in building and manning
his fleet, and his courage in the crisis
which turned the tide of victory were
made the subjects Of eulogy.
The feat in the light of the diff
culties encountered in building, crm-
ing and manning his feet served to
show the greatness of the man." the
speaker said, but when We note the
almost hand to hand fight in which he
was engaged. the slaughter on the deck
of his flagship his passage frc-n one
vessel to another in an open boat, ex-
posed to the, direct fire of the enemy
and then note how he took second !
flagship and bore down on his two |
assailants and made them
strike their colors in ten minutes we
see one worthy to rank with Lord Mel
son and all the great naval command
ers in history When he fought the
battle he was not yet % years of age.
The age of Napoleon at Lodi and Of
Nelson at Cape Vincent.
Has Place Amonu Heroes
1--WE lay down the record of his life
and drop tear on it's tragic end and
We can place him among the great
heroes of our history and thank God
or the beneficence of his great ex-
lmple. Throughout his short and
brilliant career he maintained thei
highest level Of equanimity, patriotism
Ind devote" to duty.
1--WE celebrate the centennial Of this
,attle. not in the spirit of triumphali
-ictory of arms. but in the deep graft
ude that one hundred years has not
een its repetition. No historical re-
'ieW can give as much satisfaction toll
lin that hopes for permanent inter-
rational peace. as the contrast be-
ween the attitude of the two people
hen and now.
"And 50 we are here today to mark
he rearing Of this beacon light of
perpetual peace. Little could Perry
AVE thought in the struggle that he
lad in building his puny fleet, in the
tress he was under in the height Of
,attle, in the victory that he an
in his famous words to Gen
raj Harrison, that his work would
e remembered for one hundred years
S the harbinger of perpetual peace;
nd while we venerate the energy the
the patriotism, the self
acrifice, that brought him and his
nen their great triumph, today we
herish net so much it's evidence Of
american manhood ard love Of coun-
nv as the teaching that its memory
rings to the world of the practical
disability of amending love and neace
utween international neighbors. y aI