Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-03

HAZING.
The announcement that Cadet Philip .
Smith. OF Nebraska. has been dlsnlisseu
from the West Point Military Academy
for hazing will be received with delight
by many who have long protested against
this practice at that institution. And III
the case # Sr<th the punishment VIII
be considered peculiarly just, as he had
lust returned 10 the Academy after
wears suspension FOR the same offence
Indeed. he had hardly been at the Point
an hour before he resumed his reprehen-
sible tricks. An officer caught him red
handed. and twenty-four hours later the
young man was shipped"
In q memorandum of the case given out
bv the War Department. it is stated that
eft is the intention OF the Secretary OF
war TO innict the most summary anu
exemplary punishment upon all cade's at
the academy detected in hazing new
cadets" Verify this is good news, and
we hope the rule will be literally en-
forced For years past West Point has
borne a notorious reputation for the cru
city Of the cadets to one another or
rather to those below them in class rank
and therefore less able 10 defend them
selves Worst OF all. the victims OF THESE
cruel pranks were in honor bound not TO
reveal the names Of their torturers TO the
officials OF the institution. They were
supposed to suffer in silence and TO await
the time when they, in turn, could DC
equally brutal and cruel to the next set
~ lads who entered the institution. TO
tbe discredit Of West Point it may be
said that the "plebes" of one session
were always willing. when their period
of probation was over, to initiate those
who had worried and degraded them. In
deed we do not believe we 90 too far
when we say that the cadets, as a whole
heartily approved Of hazing and regarded
it as part Of the schooling at the Point
Certainly all the accounts Of the custom
which we have seen lead us TO this be-
lief The old adage. "The bravest are the
teudercst." has found but little recogni-
ton at this rigorous military school
though we doubt not there have been
hundreds Of truly brave cadets, men who
countenanced hazing merely because 1t
was one Of the recognized incidents of
life at the institution.
The philosophy which justifes hazing-
if anything possible could justify it's
that il inures the young men TO hard
ships. teaches them to bear the yoke OF
authority. and culuvates an equanimity
which is most desirable in time OF war.
Good provided it accomplishes these re-
suits. But according TO this reasoning
Admiral Dewey should have stuck pins in
his sailors and marines, or made them
sing songs while standing on their heads,
before entering Manila harbor, so that
when the final test of courage came they
would display that well-ordered compo-
sure which somehow they managed TO
find without these required preparations.
And So also, Roosevelt twho by the
way. lacks the West Point training
should have made his troopers eat soap
or toss one another i'm blankets before
they stormed the Cuban heights. 1t does
not appear, however, that American his
tory has suffered by these omissions on
the part of Dewey and Roosevelt.
We want the handsome West Point lads
TO be brave. we want them TO learn TO
bow 90 authority. and we would ever en-
courage them to cultivate equanimity.
but we believe all these things can be
accomplished without hazng.
1t may be of interest in this connec-
ton. TO know that the victim Of Cadet
Smiths pranks was Ulysses ;. Grant,
Jr., son Of Colonel Fred. Grant and
grandson Of General Grant. The north
ern newspapers print the name Ulysses :.
Grant III, but we have not followed that
monarchical style. Young Grant does not
appear TO have complained Of the hazing'
but Smith had the misfortune TO get
caught.