Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1896-05-05

MEXICO ~ uI1lANNtiN. one 81 DIE
sons Tor q cadoiship az Annapolis
and she other for a cadetship e
West Point md making each the
a~lternats Of the other, has drawn
attention to The p%tactice which
has been common for many years
Of providing life berths for sons Of
congressman 10 this way.
Catron was entitled 20 do what
he has done, as the law gives con-
gressmen the right and powor to
appoint whom they please, with or
without competitive examination
As a rule, they make the appoint
ments after an examination. open
to ali the eligible young men in
their respective districts, but there
are numerous precoslents for that
kind Of iavoritism Of which Cat
ron's action is such a conspicuous
example,. There have been ins-
tances Of congressman selling ca
detships. In the ffiieth congress-
there vase member Of the house
who,when he was q Statesman here.
before, who was the subject Of q
resolution brought from the CON-
mittee on military affairs TO expel
him for having sold a cadetship.
After several years his constitu-
ents evidently forgot this little m
cident OF his public career and re-
turned him to the house HIS en-
emies, however, did not forget it,
and when he was q candidate I'M
der the Harrison administration
for appointment as FIRST auditor Of
the treasury the facts we're laid
before the President and the con-
gressnan on the expiration Of his
term became a private citizen.
Catron's action in designating
both his cons at the same time and
arranging that each would get a
a second chance for q cadetship il
he failed TO pass the frst examina-
ton, is so unusual as to attract at
tention. The President usually
has before him In the neighbor-
hood of 400 or 500 applications
for cadetships at large, the major
ity of which are backed up by In
huence which would be sufi-
cient TO secure q foreign mission.
This is also the case with mem.
bers Of congress who find great
difficulty In dispOsing Of this sort
of patronage. This spring Mr.
Cleveland had one appointment Il
Annapolis and when he came Il
consider it he found upwards ol
500 applications on file. It was 4
hard job 10 make q choice, FOL
most Of the candidates we're equal.
" deserving Of consideration snc
the majority were sons Of army
and navy officers. In pursuance Of
his policy Mr.. Cleveland selectet
tho son Of an ex-naval officer
When he has any appointments L
West Point he generally takes th'
son Of q distinguished army Of
Reer.
congressman as q rule make lit
tie discrimination in their ap
pointments, aud generally nomi
nate the son Of some man in thei.
district who has been useful Il
them. This custom works vel
sometime for the boy, but fre
quentIy the selections are poor
and about 50 per cent of the can
] didates are found deficient men
tally and physically. For year
but few members have dared h
nominate their sons either 70 An
napOlis or West Point
/, Many years ago q member 0
congress from Maryland appointeI
! one of his sons 70 Annapolis an
another to West Point Bot
e graduated and entered the servicl
The one in Che navy isnow q CON
mander. while the army Office
died some time ago. For maxim
these appointments the congress
man was beaten Tor reelection.
Catron Is especially favore,
and on May 18th his two sons wi
appear at Annapolis for examinl
tion, one as principal and the oil
I or az alternate. Should ono "a
then the other win enter. and
both fail be proposes 70 give thel
IS e chance a. the examination Il
i West Point next March. If, hoV
ever, one gets into Annapolis q
. other son will atill have min
Q months 70 study for the We.
r Point examination. and with d