New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-10
UHO KULES IT VENT POINTR

TO the Edftor or The Tribunc
SIR: Several journals have noticed with
apparent appreciation recent decision of the Attorney
General making the Academic Board at West Point the
final authority in all matters relating the scholarshp
or conduct OF the cadets at that institution and depy
ing the President of the United states and the
OF war oil any power to Interfere with their decisions ia
any way ms decision L., IT seems to me, uneonstu
uonnl, because the cadets are sworn into the service If
the United states, and receive their warrants from the
President, who alone has final authority IA all ,nottr
rcIah% 10 the Army, to which they belong This decis
ION ~ ais" opposed TO the spirit of all republican inst-
tons The Military Academy West Point WINS created
by the people OF the United States for the education Of
Young men In the profession arms These voun man
pass under the control OF the Academic Board which il
composed q" officers of the Army. Most are men
who werc graduated at the institution hob
III mathematics, the standard of excellence There
OF the cadets who enter, each year show the sat,o
tastes ~ their prcceptors and find favor in their
teachers eyes as capable OF developing into the same
sort OF men as the teachers themselves But more de
Velop into fine and manly young soldiers with ood co
pabiltes Tor their profession as regards drill
and all that martial proves and enthusasn,
which led 80 many of them during the lota
war TO honorable distinction or glorious DEATH But
they have usually only the mathematical ability Of bc
average educated young American. They sometime
fail on problem in geometry particularly If tits no. IN
the book ana they are required to know it by intuition
vi his CLASS the Academy annually turns out many
who have in not few instances been there two or hrco
SN''''
no more to do with their capablity of becoming good
soldiers than II knowledge of the Chinese lanouaoe
Iheso young men, mortified and huuiljated
return TO their friends who are paying taxcs
to support the institution of whose benefits they are s
SUMMARY deprlVcd Hitherto they have bad fbe rioht
OF appear rem thc Second Lieutenant who may hayr
caused their ischarsc the President and tbe ret
OF " ar Ihs recent decision has from, mi
ma cuuceo an institution supported the pcoDle tn n
military dcspotisln, whose rules are s I'm M
power under Heaven but their own arbitrary will IF
ma h'1atlcs RAD The power to make the only perfeci
soidl%fs lhcre might be excuse for MAXIM hon
people ana president subject Professor of
geometry inc history of IKE late war however
demonstrates the leycrse. Those officers who v,crs
graduated WIN hlSh mathenat honoIs sho wed eb
hoWieuse Oh the iheory Of war but in many instances
were ialnehtaely deficient III its practice hey knew
now 90 construct Qualifications, but too oen rrr. en-
proud OF iher own work that they remained ioinnd ~
their Idols and left the urbfin, to to
done by the brave fellows outsiic who
slower at building hiding places, did wlthovf
heh' anu marching TO the field drove the enemy To- MA
uelences The Officers who the sicatrst
In The war were men who could light better imam tbcr
could cipher The Etmcnted Custer il ia said was r
fused his certificate by the Professor of MatLenotics t
tee tie OF MS gfaouail ION, but those were DAVIS when
men were more needed than calculating machines they
gave hnn liH commission; and when "A years
returned to West Poist with the stars OF a
nothing more ole ed him the once valued ccrfidcnt
he replied AMPLY that lie thought did not need H. n
the recent decision II 10 remain Point NAV,
as won ne turned at once into school TO & ach siny
me construction ol military dcicnce- behind which ib
pulGcrH, III sAIety Themselves the
fought. 1850 t,Tr,,,S, Nv
he1o- York, July 8. 1881 ''iNi-''