The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-09-05
TIE Scheme Ger RepsbIicssizisg q
Army.

Crary Of his Determination that no
more cadets shall BE sent 20 West
Point without subscribing 20 the dec
trine that this = . Nation Is Of less i'm
portance, in itself. than in what II
Implies II Is not II al likely that
there il. or ever will Be. any candidate
for admission 20 the Military Academy
who viii have any scruples about 90
cepting the doctrine that this i Ma
tion-with Just as big xn ~ as the
Secretary desires No one disputes
the doctrine. and no one doubts IL IN
less the inference Il 70 be drawn from
the constant iteration Of the :. s<al-
their minds about the matter and hope
70 convince themselves There may
be difference Of opinion IS 20 the
meaning and extent Of the doctrine
To some il probably means just what
McCrzry wants IL 70 mezn-that The
Federal Government has in some mex
plicable manner changed its character.
and that. being . Nation. II has or
may have il II sees IT 70 assume them.
al the governmental powers there are
in the country. including those hereto
fore exercised By the States To
others, that Is 10 AL intelligent Ameri-
cans familiar with the structure q the
Government and the theories upon
which IL Is founded. il means that this
il = Nation because il Is made 50 by
the Constitution. and that II has Just
such powers IS are conferred BY that
instrument. either expressly or Dy i'm
piication- The latter class can. how
ever. subscribe TO the doctrine that
s.this Is = Nation quite as cheer
fully. and will do il - readily. IS the
former class Indeed the whole truth
Of the matter can be put N : nutshell
by the statement that no youth who
has the requisite intelligence to pass
successful examination for admission
to West Point can possibly Be IDIOT
enough 10 suppose that calling the
country Nation. or subscribing 70 the
doctrine that il is one. makes any diff
ference whatever with the character Of
the Government or is powers
But when We consider what Is implied
in the Secretary's decision the case
really has some significance Where
the Secretary gets the idea b. his the
authority 10 determine what doctrines
cadets shall accept i zn untzrhoma-
bic mystery. but his claim thai he has
it i full Of danger The right 70 com
pei applicants for admission 10 West
Point 10 declare their belief that this i
Nation. or that the Capitol - Wash
ingt0a is : finer Building than 81
Peters II Rome implies the right 70
compel their acceptance Of any doc
trine, political. partisan social Or re-
ligious. II the Secretary may compel
the yorng man who seeks 10 enter the
Military Academy to soiemnly declare
his belief that this i Nation. he may
with lust As much authority or pro
priety compel him also TO declare MS
belief in the Trinity. in Transub-tan-
fiati0n Or in the right Of the Repubii-
can party to perpetual rule The
baselessncss and absurdify Of such :
claim Of authority scarcely need 10 Dc
pointed out Not the least among the
absurd results Of adopting such doc
trine would be the endless confusion
arising from PRONUNCIATION Of conflict
\ Ing doctrines BY successive Secretaries
OF War or perhaps BY the same Secre-
/ tsry NJ different times 1t requires nc
\ violent stretch Of the imagination "a
picture q Secretary az Var changing
his mind occasionally even as 70 ths
most weighty doctrines; and i i eve'
becomes the rule that the Secretary
J opinions shall form part Of the qualif'
! cations for admission 20 the Military
: Academy. il viii be necessary 10 hzy'
4 bulletins posted monthly or oftener il
1 the grounds Of the Academy showing
: what the Secrefary's current views are
I The dangerous side Of the doctrin'
!. l. more important than the absurd side
Ridiculous As the Secretary's claim
power Is. II j. high-handed - we'll
once ac4uiesced IN. - with the supper
!. which his party seems inclined % CIV
the Secretary. IL may BE- i Will tnrl
the Military Academy Of the c0untr
into An institution for the graduation
either Of part;szns or hyPccrites. Q
both. and there can he no question
that II Is the purpose Of the Secretsr
= 10 bring about this result % far - q
u partisans are concerned
This i apparent from the secon
part Of the Secretary's ANNOUNCEMENT
!. which requires the cadet 20 suhscrih
also to the doctrine that = citizens =
1egiance to the Federal Government
paramount 70 any claim Il his nstiv
u State upon him II this does not mez
/, an acceptance Of the RePublic2n -
a orv OF Capitalization IL i arrAnt MOI
sense A : citizen. the cadet or on
n Ger in the army i iust ike other Gil
zsns and owes IN : allegiance ii -
N word has any proper use in ; republi
II like ours equally 20 the State -
y Federal Governments In other word
he owes 20 each obedierce 10 it. law
n and there Is no question a -par'
. mount" about IL The obligation
v obey the State laws i inst - nlndir
n as the Obligation 70 obey the fefer'
-M r.Ex - no n,nr.a % AZ kn-1ler