The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-07-12
EARLY HEROES LAUDED.
Secretary Dansls Spoke at Erie, Pa,
Celebration.

Erie, Pa, July ll,-Exploits Of Amer
ica's early naval heroes were lauded as
splendid examples proving that The
man is greater than the ship" here yes,
terday by Josephus Daniels, secretary
Of the navy, in an address at the Perry
victory centennial celebration. The Sec
rotary told again the wonderful story OF
Oliver Hazard Perry's little improyised
feet and its triumph over the great
British men.of war under veteran off
GERS; he recalled the inspiring death OF
Lawrence with the words "'Dont give
up the ship but recently off his lips
and still in his health and he dwelt
upon the magnificent daring of John
Paul Jones,
ut is not always the highest train
ing and skill which wins the battle. al
though we must not for moment I'm
der-rate the value of these" Mr. Dan
iels said. st was this marvellous mi.
tiative, this unconqucrable will power
which saved the day for the young re-
public at the battle of Lake Erie and
gave Perry immortal fame. The man Is
greater than the ship, | am afraid there
IS danger in this day Of technical things,
this day of methods and models, and
mechanisms, that we may get too far
away from the idea that readiness and
aptitude and initiative, alertness to
change the line Of battle with changing
circumstances in the fate of the fray,
are vital TO success.
HI1opry- tt+rnfa ~ tba saarafaPy pf the
navy before the battle, during his agon
lied efforts to get ready, Give me men,
sir, and | will acquire both for you and
myself honor and glory on this lake or
perish in the attempt Men who mean
to die If they don't succeed, usually
win God gives us the Jones and Perry
spirit to-day.
II am lifted up in admiration as
contemplate the results Perry achieved
when the difficulties doomed up before
him so large, so discouraging. He not
only had his fleet TO build but the big
vessels to get across the bar from the
bay into the lake. and that in the face
of blockade by the enemy; he had to
go about getting his armament and sup
plies; he was not supplied with men
enough for his fleet by his superior or
hy Congress until the last minute, when
there was hardly enough time to train
them in their duties, and when the bat
tie did begin he found himself i'll sup
ported by his inexperienced little fotilla
and was left to bear the brunt of the
conflict with veteran OF Nelson OPP
posing him. None of these things moved
him. He rose superior to every diff
Guilty.
There is a tremendously important
lesson involved in this example that
Oliver Hazard Perry has set us. In
every avenue of life it applies. God
pity the man who gives mp. Life is too
full OF opportunities to throw up the
sponge" Despair is the knife that stabs
success to the heart.
"The people of Erie have done well
to raise the old hull of the Niagara and
restore her TO the form in which she
appeared in the day of her glory, when
she came into the great sea battle in
the time of crisis, and snatched victory
from defeat. | know that she was criti-
,ised for not getting into the battle at
the first, but who can say that the I'm
seen Pilot of human destinies was not
IN this, so that she was kept fresh and
ready to come in as the reserve force
md win the day. have been greatly
Interested in the splendid work you peo-
pie have done in raising her As she
yoes up the lake this summer and fall,
carrying the famous flag, with the inn
Mortal motto, and reminding the youth
If the day of the glorious episode in
which she played so important part
nay fortune sit upon her prosperous
lelm.'