Show OUR ILLUSTRIOUS GUEST Welcome to Rear Admiral Schley the hero of Santiago bay Heis our distinguished guest today and the people of Utah like those 01 every other state in the Union delight to do him honor He is a noble type of the naval hero whose exploits from the days of Pau Jones to the present form the brightest pages of American history and his name is entitled to a place with those of Farragut Dewey and Decatur For more than forty years this man has followed the fortunes and bravec the dangers of the United States navy and discharged every duty devolving upon him in every capacity in which he served At the age of 16 he was a midshipman mid-shipman he took part in all the navai battles of the civil war leading up tc the capture of Port Hudson He wa placed in command of the Greely relie expedition in 1SS4 and in the face 01 countless dangers and drawbacks he made a success of the venture At Valparaiso Val-paraiso he was in charge of the Baltimore Balti-more when the Chilian fleet threatened him with annihilation and he cleared his ship for action and told them tc blaze away infield S Schley represents the spirit of tiie American navy Whether threading his way among the icebergs of the polar seas or cruising among the treacherous bays and islands of the southland whether following Farragut through the mineplanted waters of the Mississippi or leading the furious chase after the Spanish armada he was always al-ways cool courageous irresistable but unassuming and willing to share his II honors with his men And after all the destruction of Cer veras fleet was what humbled the pride and broke the power of Spain It was a victory which brought fewer complications compli-cations but more definite and immediate immedi-ate results than did the battle of Ma nila bay Dewey takes precedence asa as-a hero not more because he won a signal triumph than because it was the first of the war and lie was out o reach of rivals and out of communication communica-tion with the board of strategy But Dewey is hailed as a diplomat besides and his firmness with the Germans has added a luster to his genius Both victories were complete Xot z Spanish ship escaped the raking fire 01 the American gunners in either case But Dewey was not brushed aside by a newcomer after the smoke had clearer aw ay who cabled the government that he made them a Mayday present of a I Spanish squadron Schleys victory over Cervera wa more than a battle won More than I the Cape Verde fleet went down that day More than the hope and power 01 Spain were destroyed when the Brooklyn Brook-lyn beached the Colon as the last act in one of the fiercest tragedies eel enacted upon the high sea The European Euro-pean idea of American lack of skill and want of discipline was forever dissipated dissi-pated It is hard to estimate the value of this understanding for no one knows what it might have cost in blood and treasure to teach some power in the school of experience what they have learned looking through the windows of observation Dewey gave them their first lessons at Manila and they graduated under Schley off Santiago |