Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-03-01

THE MILITARY AND SAVALACAD.
EMIEs,

until p. m.
THE MILITARY AND SAVALACAD-
EMIEs.
The adoption without debate by the United
States Senate of the resolution introduced
into that body by Mr.. Spencer, Of Alabama,
on the 22d Of February, directing the Com
mittees on Military and Naval Affairs to In
quirc Into and report upon the eIpediency Of
abollshing the Military Academy at West
Point and the Naval Academy at Annapolis,
and substituting therefor assignments of
officers 10 colleges throughout the Union to
educate the youth OF the country in military
and naval service, or some other system
whereby all who desire Il may at their own
expense secure q military or naval eduea.
ton, indicates widespread feeling Of dis.
trust Of the present exclusive, unrcpublican
and expensive system Of army and navy APP
polntmonts, and 10 the beginning Of q ro-
action against the domination Of Academy
men In these branches Of the public service.
Senator Spencer has evidently touched the
keynote Of popular sympathy on this ques-
tlonj but rs general rule the regular Com
mittees on Military aud Naval AGairS have
been 30 drawn within the influence Of those
whose ambition 1t lie their duty to curb that
we should have suggested n special commit.
toe for tho reference. No man eau deny
that great abuses exist In army and navy
organization, and that these branches OF
public service arc anomalous In our republl-
can system Of government. Their tendency
is aristocratlcal and has developed into a
perpetual Safeguarding policy, which
makes Of the army and navy a distinct class,
separated from and lacking sympathy with
the people. The superiority OF the military
over the civil tenure Of office Is a great ad-
vantage to the beneaclarles Of the former in
any conflict for power with the representa-.
tives OF the peoplej for while one holds for
life the other but begins to correct abuses
before he Is compelled to retire aud make
way for new man. Besides the life tenure,
the army and navy have schools to educate
them and their sons and successors at Gov
eminent expense, separate courts, exalted
titles, dlsproportlonately high pay, prizes
and retiromsnts and pensions. The aggro-
gate compensation Of General Is about
$2l,O00-that Of Chief Justice or Cabinet
officer ss,0O0i and II Is said every cadet who
graduates has cost the Republic $4,000.
The people do not fo-gat that the ma.
uon's greatest difficulties on the breaking
out OF the rebellion was the reasonable de.
fectlon Of large number Of regularly edu.
Gated officers, and we then learned that
West Point and Annapolis failed to teach
patriotism. Hundreds Of men who owed
their education 10 the mistaken liberallty Of
the Republic, and who had, during their
whole lives, eaten no bread that was not
furnished from her Golfers, when the hour
OF trial came, Joined with the enemies OF
the Union. Where was then the binding
force Of a soldiers oath or the self-sacrincng
spirit OF a soldiers honori West Point and
Annapolis differed tho enemy as well as
as ourselves In great measure. This was
because by the partial and absurd system OF
oiheerlng our army and navy they were 10
possession, and through the culpable ne
glect Of Congress TO provide other means
OF educating officers, and the rideule thrown
by the academlclAns on al volunteer eys!
tens, there were but few educated officers \
-6SSsttside q themselves. This ought not 10
have been so, but 1t was so, aud the argu-
ment which should be strongest against
their system told most In their Individual
favor, because the time was pressing and
educated ofhcers were needed. Tho Republic
should hayo learned a lesson by this time
which will prevent 1t from ever being caught
In a similar plight again.
Tho Academy system, by substituting the
idea Of force rs n governing power In lieu
Of public opinion, had produced before the
war n non-politlcal army and navy which
were taught to revere themselves and do.
spise politicians, including under that head
the civil officials ofalI ranks. But the social
tendency Of these organizations was towards
the old slaye-holdlng element Of the South,
where the labor system was based upon
force, and developed a sort of military dlscl-
pllne. In spite Of this, however, patriotism
still survived, to some extent, among the
regulars, but 1t was noticeable feature OF
the war that the officers who had retired
from army life and mingled for come years
with the people, like Grant and Sherman,
were most successful.
There were many academy graduates
Joined the Union side, some of whom were
heroes, some failures. But they all had
great advantages over the volunteer officers,
In the precedence which public opinion, ed
heated In their Interest for several genera.
lions, gave them over confessedly unedu-
Gated officers. Hence they wero at once
placed In Important commands, and had
thousands or hundreds Of thousands Of men
working out the scroll Of their fame. The
people-a million and a half Of the people
came forth from the farm, the anvil and the
workshop to conquer the rebellion, and they
did conquer II. Thousands Of them laid
down their lives, and the rest have gone
back to their private pursuits, but few
prominent officers reap the glory and re.
ward Of their achievements. These yolun-
teer soldiers Of the republic were often OIL.
cered by men Of their own election, the
brave and capable volunteer officers Of the
army, whose fame suffers blight In the
Self-assertlng presence Of the educated
officer"
Soon afler the organization Of West Point,
under the act OF 1919, 1t began to attract at
tenrlon, 90 Benton says, "aS an establish.
nsai u4tSisadiy 70 th rights qr Ms people, Of
Questionable eoasiiiuiiOHaiiiy, as being for The
bsnCu Of ns rieA dAd h.aUa.tial, aud as
costing an enormous sum for each Oble'r OBJ
iaIHsd from for actual SpVies." 1t still
attracts attention for the same reasons.
PInRRn BoNArARrr, when he settles up his
NH. atU.rat,ras 9Th tha Htgh Courl of