The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-27
Paris-41 Boulevard Haussmann; London-sa !
Spanish at that institution and substitute

| Spanish at that institution and substitute a
professorship on rhetoric and English lit
erature. Gen. John Coburn, of Indiana
| chairman Of the committee on military af-
| fairs moved to strike out this provision,
and in support of his motion said. in part:
The study of the Spanish language at
the Military Academy was adopted in 1857
after the experience of the Mexican war
1t was adopted because 1t was found that
our officers upon the Mexican frontier COM
ing in contact IN business with the people
| in Texas and elsewhere ought to have a
knowledge of the Spanish language. Our
neighbors on our southwestern border are
| all a Spanish-speaking people. Our neigh
bors on our southern coast and in South
America are Spanish-speaking people. and
If we make any annexation hereafter, which
l regret to say think we will do, it is more
likely that we shall annex Spanish-speak-
ing people than any other kind. We can
only annex people speaking two languages
those on the north, speaking English, and
those on the south, speaking Spanish. In
view of the fact that we may incorporate,
at no distant day, part of Mexico, San
Domingo, Cuba and the islands in the Carib-
bean sea, it seems to me we ought not to
dispense with the teaching of Spanish at
West Point. Our military officers are the
first who will come in contact with the
they should have an intimate knowledge of
their language. If / had the power would
require more thorough study of that Ian
guage than is now required of the students.
Spanish being a very important branch of
knowledge essential to our officers and
Spanish being classic language, giving as
much mental training as Latin or Greek, 1t
seems to me there is no good reason for dis
pensing with it. If had the power I would
enlarge the course of study at the Military
Academy. If higher standard of education
in English is required as this paragraph in
the bill implies, let that matter be looked to
at the academy; there are professors enough
for that purpose time enough during the
course, and ample opportunity for students
to perfect themselves in the use of the En-
glish language"
The debate that followed was participated
in very generally Mr.. Marshall Dem.), of
Illinois, was opposed to General Coburns
motion. Mr.. Sargent (Rep.), of California,
said that Spanish language is dying out
and that the race is no longer triumphant
and extending its conquests He thought
the English language had penetrated into
the Spanish-American countries sufficiently
| to serve our military officers.
| Mr.. Wood Dem.), of New York, thought
| the Spanish language an exceedingly i'm
| portant one for an American officer to I'M
| derstand. He said our relations with the
| Mexican country are entirely unsettled, and
we cannot tell how soon it may be neces-
| sary for us to resort to extreme measures
| to protect the rights and interests of our
| own territory against Mexican invasion.
| Hence gentlemen could see that it was es-
sential for an officer Of the United States
| army to be able to speak the Spanish lam
| guage. More than that he could conceive
| that in our relations with Spain complica-
tons might possibly arise with reference to
| the Islands of Cuba and Porto Rico that
might also make it necessary for the officers
OF our army to understand something about
| the Spanish tongue. He thought 1t too late
| to withdraw that branch of study from the
| course at West Point, because 1t had be-
come practically useful and necessary, in
| View of the present condition of our coun-
try.
General Butler (Rep.) of Massachusetts,
| said that when our army officers occupy
hAf Nfc f4.1x,
has passed by, he wanted them to know
enough of the Spanish language to be able
a fof gnow OF %ae Of or
to find out whether they were answered in
the Affirmative or in the negative; there
fore, he was opposed to striking out the
Spanish professorshp, and would stand by
the amendment of General Coburn.
Other speeches. followed. for and against
the amendment, in the course of which Mr..
Dunnell, Republican, of Minnesota, said
that the Spanish navy was then very nearly
the fact that we have the Spanish all about
u.s. as has been shown in the discussion,
was OF very great importance. He hoped
that the report of the committee on appro-
priations would not be adopted in that re-
spect.
General Coburn, in closing the debate,
again urged that the standard of admission
to West Point be raised so as to be equal
to that of the best colleges. 1t had been
Academy be taught French in order that
they might be able to study the best works
on military science; out ne was or opinion
that the German language was preferable,
since that nation had become the master
military power of modern Europe and its
works on military science were of a much
wider range and more valuable than those
Of France. The military prestige of France
had been destroyed. and it is believed that
since the days of Frederick the Great, the
Prussians have held the real advance in
military science. Let the standard of
Military Academy" said he, be made so
nigh that it's graduates will be proficient
scholars in English literature in German
literature, and in Spanish, as we'll as in the
sciences. The knowledge of this last lam
guage will be of greater and greater value
as time rolls on. The boy is born that will
live to the day when the general shall
mount his horse and lead the column, rid
ing from the Rio Grande to the Isthmus of
Panama, with the flag and the armed men
of the Union behind it; and that other boy
is alive who will issue general orders in the
Spanish language from MORO Castle to a
people there who will then be citizens of the
United States"
General Coburns amendment was adopted
by large vote, and the Spanish language
continues to be a part of the course taught
at West Point The debate, as we find it
in the Congressional Record, an outline of
which is given above, is most interesting at
this time and the utterances of several Of
the gentlemen engaged in it seem like
prophesy, in view of events that are
| transpiring l..