The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-06-23

tpeckS Srn-t

iPecks Snn-l
| Recent events IN counecsion with or
GERS OF the army have made the officers
laughing stock for the whole country.
Ofhcers who had nothing to back them
but the fact that they were . gen,iemen. !"
have gone wrong b. becoming defanlters,
selling their pay three or four times over
TO get money to play pokes and skipping
out in disgracefcl manner. The afsen-
ton OF the whole country has been called
to the frequency with which an oficer
and gentleman becomes guilty OF
: condnc, unbecomins an officer and a
gentleman. and the country IS sick OF L.
The trouble is easily accounted for.
Young men have. in time past. been APP
pointed 70 West Pom; because their pa
rents were rich. or stood high in society
or politics. or because the young men
were wild and needed tanning down The
appearance Of young man q, IVES, Pom,
VAS sure indication that he MAS mem.
Der OF good society. and splendid dan
Ger. and smart at flirting. Eastern So
oiesy petted the young cadets. and adored
them when they became officers and the
lighting tina; they learned to do, mixed
with the dancing they could accomplish.
made people forget the bad habits. the
gambling and drinking. and IVES,
Pointers have been looked upon as assis-
tan, gods. until they 90, into active ser
vice and didn't amour, to anything. Late
years competitive examinations have
been held in congressional districts. and
the boy ~ho stood the best esainina-
ton. whether democrat. republican. or
>anythlng else. 60, the place. and this way
the rich young men who are dudes IN So
cie;y. and dwanee" divinely. are let;
OUT. and the son Of blacksmith or no.
tel porter. OF farmer. may go to Wes.
Pom, ans become An oftieer This Is 4
grea, BLOW - the society of the east.
which has been ;oad,ing for years 10 bite
blood cadets. bu, i, will be better for the
army. The son of q blacksmith may no;
mash the daughter ct an old family on
the Hudson. and he may no, "dawnee .
so divlne.y. drink benrine so gracefully
or play poker So nonehaiantly. but he
will make SCI i.eI who will nigh, when
nghtlng IS the thing 20 do. and who will
no, be SO ap, 10 steal government funds
10 play poker with. These examinations
BY competent boards. 10 pick OF, the
mos, level headed and intelligent boy to
make soldier Of regardless II birth
politics, or serpsichorean accomplish
uen.s. may seem hard blow 10 those 4.
the east. who have always looked upon
West Point as ho,-house to tram up
husbands for silk s,ockinged fresh youns
women from Nassar college. bu, the
country viii gain by the change There
IS no sense in the government taking tich
men S sons that are gong wrong. to re-
form them. and make bean poles OF them
+ for green female bean-s,alks to cling 70
on commencement, day. Let the country
have few generations of army or et,
appointed from the people. on then
merits, without regard To the fae, thu
their fathers were uoh and acquainted
with presidents. OF power on the stump
for congressman. and the officers OF the
army will always be true II then trusts.
The best officers IN the army to-day are
those who were appointed on aeeogn; OF
being poor. BIZ: honest. and the wor>. are
those appointed because the, belonged 10
/ good families VINO wanted to get r,d oi
them