The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-07-06
NO POST FOR CADETS.
NOT A VACANCY IN THE ARMY FOR
WEST POINT GRADUATES.

The Promotion of Private Soldiers to Com.
missioned Officers Said to he Response.
BILE For This State Of Anairs-The Pop.
ularity of West Point.
General Ruggles recently carried back
10 Washington from West Point an aston
ishing piece Of Information. There is not
today single vacancy in the official corps
! OF the United States army. Lately "a
I young men graduated at the West Point
Military academy. all of whom would nat
| urally become second lieutenants in the
army without delay. There seems 20 be
not post for any one of them at present.
and half a dozen of last years graduating
class are yet without stations. The reason
for this scarcity of vacancies is said 10 be
the fact that private soldiers can now be
promoted 10 commissioned officers. This
Is due 10 recent act of congress. 1t was
urged that the private soldier needed the
stimulus of possible promotion in order to
secure good class of men in the ranks of
the army.
While there may be truth in that arqu-
ment, it seems unfortunate that the gov
eminent cannot utilize the magnifcently
equipped young officers that are turned
out of West Point. They are thoroughly
educated at the expense OF the government.
They are splendidly drilled in every branch
of modern military science, and receive
besides an academic education equal TO
that of an ordinary college. 30 complete
is this training that other countries send
young men 10 West Point 10 receive the
benefits Of that school OF warfare a mem
Der Of the graduating class this year was
sent by the government Of a South Amer
lean republic. Even the emperor Of Ger
many has considered the proposition of
sending one of his sons there.
1t Is not possible for any private soldier
IN time of peace 20 acquire such complete
knowledge Of military science as that given I
at West Point. The training schools are /
GOOD, but their standard is not nearly so 1
high. Since the government expends /
great many thousands Of dollars every year
to maintain this academy, il seems like
poor investment to keep the young men
whom IL educates in idleness.
In time of war promotion from the ranks
Is inevitable but during the long periods
If peace West Point is easily CAPABLE of
turning out all the officers that are re-
luired for. the army. Experts say that the
nited states army is most efficiently off
'ered. This is due to the fact that for
ears West Point has been the only door
way TO the commissioned ranks General
Miles is not graduate OF the academy.
)ut he learned warfare on the fighting
ield, an opportunity which the priyates in
line of peace do not possess.
No corporation or private business firm
would educate men for certain duties at
arge expense and then put Others who
we're uneducated in their places. Preach
RS, lawyers, doctors and teachers must all
ave technical training. SO should the
rmy officer. And since the government
lready pays for the thorough West Point
quipment it ought to employ its men,
therwise the expenditure is useless. Sec.
etary of the Navy Long recognized this
rinciple when he recently refused to ac-
ept the designations of three men who had
raduated at the United States Naval acad
my.-Philadelphia Press.