Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1919-01-08
ROoSEVELT'S FUNERAL
Family Declines Military Escort Ten
dered by, Secretary Baker-Presi-
dents Observation-Disclosures Ser
vices ,ater.

Oyster Bay, N. Y, Jan. 8.-Thec
dore Roosevelt's own wish that he b
buried with only simple ceremony wa
fulfilled. There may be national m
morialservices at Washington or NeI
York in the near future, but ther
were no military honors paid to tn
dead ex-President at the funeral serv
ices here today. "
| Army aviators dropped flowers ant
wreaths at yYoung's Memorial Gene
terry just as they did yesterday upor
the Roosevelt home on Sycamore Hill
But, except for the presence of United
States Senators and Representative:
and perhaps small committees rep.
resenting the Governors of New York
and several other States only the
townspeople of Oyster Bay, the mem
bers of the Roosevelt family and a
limited number of close friends as
sembled in Christ Church to hear read
the simple Episcopal service.
There probably were less than 400
in all. No eulogy was. said by the of,
ficiating clergyman, the Rev. George
E. Talmadge, and there was no formal
music.
The announcement that it was the
Colonel's own desire that his. funeral
be a plain one was made yesterday
by Capt. Archie B. Roosevelt, Twenty
sixth Infantry, U. S. A, one of the
former Presidents sons, at the Saga
more Hill homestead: This statement.
indicated that at later date there may:
be held, perhaps in New York, per-
haps in Washington, national memo
rial services at which the people of
this country will have an oppor-
tunity to express their love and adj
miration.
Washington, Jan. 8.-The following
proclamation on the death of Theodore
Roosevelt was cabled from Paris to
day by President Wilson and issued
last night at the State Department:
Woodrow Wilson, President of the
United tates of America.
A Proclamation to the People OF
the United States.
1t becomes my sad duty to announce
officially the death of Theodore Roose-
welt, President of the United States
September ii, 1901, to March 4, 1909.
which occurred at his home at Saga
more Hill, Oyster Bay, New York, at
Ills O'Clock in the morning of Janu-
arv G, 1919. In his death the United
States has lost one of its most dis
tinguished and patriotic citizens, who
had endeared himself TO the people
.by his strenuous devotion TO their in
terests and to the public interests @
his country
AS President of the Police Board Of
his native city. as member of the
Legislature and Governor of his State,
as Civil Service Commissioner, as As
sistant Secretary of the Navy, as
Vice President and as President of
the United States, he displayed ad-
m:nistrative' powers of a signal order
and conducted the affairs of these
various Offices with concentration OF
effort and watchful care which per-
mitted no divergence from the line c.
duty he had definitely set for himself.
In the War with Spain he displayed
singular initiative and energy and
distinguished himself among the COM
manders of the army in the field. As
President he awoke the nation to the
dangers Of private control which
,urked in our financial and industrial
systems. 1t was by thus arrestlng
the attention and stimulating the pur-
nose of The country that he opened
the way for subsequent necessary and
benefcent reforms.
His private life was characterized
bv a simplicity. a virtue and an al
fection worthy of all admiration ane
emulation by the people of America
In testimony of the respect II
which. his memory is held by the Gov
eminent and people of the Unite'
States, | do hereby direct that tn
flags of the White House and the sev
Ieral departmental buildings be dis
l:nlaved at kalf-staff for period Of 3
ldays. and that suitable military an
NAVAL honors under orders of the Sec
Iretaries Of War and of the Navy b
rendered on the day of the funera
+ Done this seventh day of Januar!
in the year of Our Lord one thousan
nine hundred and nineteen, and: of;th
independence of the United States
America the one hundred and forty