The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-07
MORE CADETS WANTED.
The Proposal to Increase the APP
pointments to West Point Mill
tary Academy.
Members of Congress Are Over
looking AN Important Piece
of Patronage.
Of this Hoard Of visit
ors, With n Wow of Filling Out
tho Corps.

WASHINGTON, March 9Th 9 house, in its
recent confederation of this military nuad-
smy appropriation bill. confined itaalf, "a
usual. to items OF routine supply. But the
senate, which ia next to take up the meas
ure, may perhaps find All opportunity for
discussing some Of the more general pro-
posals made by the last board Of visitors.
This, board, of which Senator Henderson
was president and Maj. Corson secretary,
made q special study Of ths possibilities of
increasing the number of cadets at West
Point without greatly incrssaing the cost
of educating them. Within the last twelve
months more than twenty second lieuten-
ants OF tho line have been appointed from
civil life. whereas the same places would
have boon filled by lads equipped with
four years training at West Point had the
graduating class OF last June been sufici.
emily large.
The strength Of the corps as fixed by law,
giving one cadet to each congressional dis
trlct, one to each territory. one to the Dis
trlot Of Columbia, and ten to the United
States at large, would nov be SAT. But at
tho time spoken of III the boards report,
which has recently been printed in full for
shs nse Of congress, this strength was &C
tually only 2S6. and deducting the cadet
from Nicaragua and the one from Switzer-
land it was but 2S4. How such 4 deficiency
happens can best DO explained BY the illus
tration used BY the board. Upon the grad
untion of last yeas class there were l55
slonal districts made no appointment what
war FIJI rphIfnE"re ~ I 100 H..L.#-.1.1 -L---.
thirty min could nos pass the e1amina-
tlons, 50 that ninety only were admitted.
Again. only sixty-four altsrnates had been
appointed. and Of these only thirty re-
ported, and not ono il three secu ed ad-
mission after examination, SO that ninety
seven cadets entered the class in place Of
the 1876 allowed hv the law.
Tins sort OF deficiency is repeated wear
after year, and it is very remarkable tint
ure to use the patronage enjoyed BY mem
bers OF congress in this particular, even
apart from the considerations of tie public
good. Were the full number Of fairly COM
petent alternates appointed, and should a
falr proportion present themselves for ex-
the maximum nu1nbe of ca
diets could be relied upon. sayo for the cas-
occurring during any given year of
the course. The opportunity afforded to
nm bilious lads of a free education at West
Point, with maintenance and pocket
and then q life career as an officer
thereafter, or else a very advantageous
start in civil life, should induce them to
up their congressman to use their op-
portunitie".
However, ths hoard decided, in view Of
past experience, that it was useless merely
70 to congressman q closer
instead y proposal to increase the legal
Of tho corps by fully ons-third. +,
20 that with the present rate of net def
cheney there might still be from $50 to $40
cadets at the academy instead of 284. as
'ecently. The new aDportionment in con s
Then it 10 proposed to give each state two =
'adets, ono for each senator, making =
lightweight more. Finally, the presidents "
night be doubled, giving him +
Tho total number would be 1853, .
md this is what, the board recommends. =
lol. Wilson, the superintendent, reports =
hat the academy could easily care for 4O2 !,
cadets, with the detail of Il few more off =
as instructors and the erection of a few -
quarters for their accommoda- -
ION. As to tbs barracks, they contain POS 4
.ooms, which will accommodate 416 cadets. +,
umber with q maximum Of 1853 would not a
xceec 4l6 and might be fifty less. q
Since TINS project of increase affects the !,
enate, TINS body may take the occasion of Il
he pending bill to provide for carrying 1t Il
nto effect. Still, the board of visitors. whose n
Verk OF inspection was most noticeable, b
no whose report contains eloquent as q,
az instructive pages, is perhaps too Il
IN this portion Of it's plans. AS q
0 the expense. the chief part of that is in =
OWED IN the maintenance OF the cadets, SO Il
the addition proposed in their num- II
ers must involve a consider able increase y
the annual appropriation bill. The an ..
ointment OF civilians to second lieutan- II
ncles last year was the exceptional result !,
I an exceptional series of r~etlrements. Gre :
ted by special legislation, and will not be
epeated. The next graduating class, to-
ether With tho promoted non-commis-
loned officers, may fill the vacancies for A
MI do so in 1888, and there should always
some vacancies to encourage men of the
est stamp to enlist in the hope Of promo ..
ION to a commission. nj
should tending projects, however, for the tn
acreass IN tho numier of army officers be II
arrled out, the full plan of the board -
lleht very well CONS lutu play. AS the -
ase stands. the coming increase OF an m
olntments under tho new apportioument OF
representatives, with the Increase of the III
appointments to twenty, would !.
1rnlsh a considerable addition to the ~
uAbsr or cadets, particularly should tho -
oard>s recommendations as to seosonahle eo
ppointments and examinations in various y
hfts OF the country be carried out. An ~
eher mebtod of ha:eatter securing a ~
featsr approximation to the number of ~
aaets winch the existing law ca w
lhe moderate one recommended by the =. ~
eauemlc board, which is that of HAVING az
10 president nominate ten cadets aach 10
gar, instead Of ten during four wears. "
nat would BIO 81 restoration of the practjca ~
vogue ny to 1878. ~