Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-07
If WE NEED MORE OFFICERS.

If WE NEED MORE OFFICERS.
The annual report of the Board Of Nisi-
! tors Of the United States Military Acad-
envy at West Point, just made public,
| Tenews the old recommendation that the
number of cadets be increased. The board
urges that the President be permitted TO
appoint twenty cadets and each senator
In Congress one.
This is an old scheme revived at q time
most opportune for its adoption. Con-
gress is now ready 10 do almost anything
| that is suggested by military men. How
ever, we do not think it possible for any
| such bill TO pass at the present session
| Of Congress. 1t will doubtless be drafted,
presented, and referred. At the winters
| session it can be discussed much more in
! diligently than at present.
That the present law affords the means
OF furnishing all the officers the regular
army (as now constituted) needs, no one
can doubt. And when this war is over
| we trust it will be the pleasure of the
| President TO nominate for commissions in
| the regular army many young volunteer
| officers who have proved their fitness for
command by actual service in the field.
! But, OF course If ours is TO be a
shoulder-strapped republic, we shall have
/ to have an enormous regular army. The
more regiments and battalions We have,
the more need for officers there will be.
In that event, not even the boards re-
commentator viii furnish enough. Our
own idea is that we ought then not only
TO develop the capacity of West Point
as an officer-producing establishment, but
we ought so TO legislate as to make our
! volunteer service an avenue for reaching
commissions in the regular army at all
times.
If we hold out as an incentive 10 our
! volunteers that by studiousness, good
conduct, and display OF all soldier-like
| qualities they may possibly obtain COM
missions in the regular service, we shall
! give the National Guard the greatest
boom that IL ever has had. Many youth,
fired by ambition. would then enlist in his
! home company and enter heartily into
its work-yes. even If there were but
one chance in several hundred that he
might get a regular officers commission.
| The provisions of law that now exist
do not meet this question properly; they
do not hold out the hearty invitation that
they ought.
| The Dispatch has not the slightest pur-
pose of disparaging the training given
| at West Point. Far from it, We con-
| slider II an incomparably excellent mill
| tary school. And we would make it even
better than it is. At the same time, We
are Of the opinion that we can secure
valuable officers now and then outside
| Of the list OF its matriculates.
| Under proper law, and with a whole
, some public sentiment to support II, our
volunteer organizations could every year
turn out a considerable number of highly
| qualified army officers The volunteers
have done so when opportunity offered
| in the past: much better could they do so
| in the future under a law designed TO
! stimulate their young officers to prepare
| for reasonable examinations, preliminary
| to receiving. commissions.
! 1t is TO be hoped Congress will be very
| vigilant in examining all measures pro-
posed that look 10 changing our govern
ment into a shoulder-strapped republic.
If there is TO be such a change in the
character of our government, the Republic
( can party will have the formation of our
military establishment to a very large ex
tent. AS is well known, that party lis
not to be baked in any of its aims by the
teachings and traditions of the patriot
fathers. OF course, we would expect il
TO use its power to reward as many OF
| it's supporters as possible. Partisan as we
own TO being, we do not charge that no
| other consideration would guide the Re-
| publicans; bu< we do think we are jusu-
! fed i'm believing they would take care
OF their own in the future, as in the past.
| We dislike 10 think Of militarism and
| Imperialism in connection with our Fed
eral Government but events are rapidly
shaping themselves which compel US TO
consider a change not only as a posi-
bility, but as a probability. If come il
must; IL the passion for territorial ex-
pansion outweighs every other considera-
ton; If we are 10 have a big standing
army, let us at least provide that our
volunteer organizations shall be encour-
aged to furnish some OF the hundreds OF
new officers that will be required. This
they can do with credit to themselves
and with benefit 10 the country at large.
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Continental Europe is now coming over
10 our side and expressing disappoint-
ment In Spain. Bah! What does either
the approval or the condemnation OF such