The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-07


in the school Of service. whose qualifications
no one wonlh question, and whose wcs sarnou
n"nors the country is forward to aeknowle'ge pus
me periods for the existence OF training schools oil
-. LIS INSCRIPTION have, happily Tor the coun'
u!, neen infreauent and brief. anu no
one can but desire that they should be
otherwise. There can be no reason then. why.
upon peace establishment the country should
not return to its original theory and continue 70
supply its skeleton army with officers who
trained ut IFS ONE military acaacly. Tue elevationof
officers to higher positions without tue
preliminary scientic mastery the stinies which ara
deemed essential to success by ali mtar,, nien. can.
no. DC possin,e or desirable except within yry mar
number OF young men from civil lite into the cofSpi
OF officers without any special military education and
and agility in the school OF the soldier and no sccn
thc culture in the school OF officer must lowe,
the tone OF the profession and be rauent with other
evils. 1t viii inevitably tend to divide those who
should be animated by ono spirit into two rival
bodies which will be alienstod in their feeinrs az
they become competitors for the honors that shonid
DO reserved for exceptional These
will DO likely to be most active at those critical mo-
mcnrs which are most important in the history Of
the nation.
POLITICAL FEELING.
They have been sometimes severely criticised be.
cause they have seemed TO be so indifferent to the
movements of the great wave OF political feel,na
which periodically ngitates the nations litc Per.
haps it will be discovered that that one of the
least salutary OF the traditions OF West Point which
has trained them to the principle of abstinencs
and reserve. The evil il 1t be will rather DO OK.
asperacd than cured by the introduction into the
army OF a considerable number OF young with
those OF an institution which must be strong in ts
own traditions aud prejudccs, even il 1t is to be
sturdy in its honor and its courage its patriotism
and its self-sacrifce.
CADETS AT LARGE
The small and insufficient number Of trained off,
that is at furnished by the Academy viii
be still further diminished by tho reduction
from forty to ten of tho number OF cadets who may
be appointed at large by tho President. 1t is obvi-
Gus. also. that II appointments are made in largo
numbers from mon i'll civil life there Is to
fear that they will be made for special political ser.
a nd nf mart
party allegiance. Should this be the case
it would inevitably follow that political ieel.
ing would become moro active and more distinctly
recognized among the officers, and that promotion
and appointments would be solicited and given ON
the ground OF political sympathies. Nothing could
be disastrous to the esprit de c0yps which has
character zed our army hitherto, than tho introduce
ton OF such division influences by which the officers
would be arraycd against one another two oppos-
ing factions that would grow and gather strength by
the abundant material on which they would feed
from within and by active stimulants from without.
1t has hitherto been u point OF honor and of eti.
quette with the most OF officers to abstain from
the active expression of political feelings prefer
ences."
TRIBUTE TO THE ACADEMY
In conclusion the report says:-
In presenting this report OF tho duties which they
have performed and the conclusions which they hayo
adopted the members OF the Board desire add that
they have been entirely agreed in their appre-
citation OF the Importance Of the Military Academy
to our national peace and honor, and also the
excellence of Its system Of education and training,
and OF the desirablcness that its efficiency should
culture be extended to all the officers OF the army
which the country should decide ought per-
manently to DO maintained. In this way, and Ia
this way only, can tho country DO assured that in
any exgency which threatens it from without
within it will have at hand tho organic force which
promptly and theoretically animate aud direct
whatever numbers OF patriotic men tho nation shall
summon to its service.
All of which is respectfully submitted for the
Signed by NOAH PORTER. President.
DoRMAN d. EATON. Vice President.
v.sy App.N