The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-17

said he was tired he was made to do it an
other way. And you think that's fair and hon
orable and gentemanyT asked Nr. briggs.
-" i have gone through the same course Of
sprouts myself, replied the witness.
- There are degrees Of exhaustion. and | think
the discretion lies with the third class men as
to the endurance of a fresh cadet l realized that
] was violating the rules for engaging in it and
the fourth class also for submitting TO IT,
hut | think the ends justify the means ="
This candid statement is worth the at
tention of the country Here is a boy of
nineteen or twenty. who frankly admits
that he considers the students of the Uni
ted States Military Academy superior in
authority to the officers thereof. They,
and not the officers. are to be the judges
of the discipline required in that insti-
tuition, both as to quality and quantity.
The idea seems to be that successive gen.
erations of cadets, ranging in age from
sixteen to twenty-one. have evolved sys-
: tenn of soldier making which is so far
ahead of that which has received the at
tention of the military authorities OF
the country, and of the experienced army
officers, who have from time to time,
managed matters at West Point, that
the latter system is to be disresarded
without question when it conflicts with
the former. That is the only deduction
which can possibly be drawn from the
statement OF Cadet Russell, that though
he knew he was violating the rules by
hazing. and that he was compelling the
fourth class men to violate them by sub
hitting to his treatment, he believes that
1.-The end justified the means" 1t may be
pertinent to enquire what the end is sup
posed to be, which justities universal, and
clandestine. and unpublished, violation of
the rules of the Academy. 1t has hitherto
been supposed that West Point regula-
lions were established for the good
of the cadets who attended the school,
and that the breaking of them was not an
act likely to conduce to the development
of the cadet. 1t appears, however, that
the innocent country which has gone
on for generations peacefully believing
that, has been utterly deluded and mis-
taken. West Point is governed by third
class cadets, when they choose to
exercise their authority. The rules are
not to be allowed to stand in the way, be-
cause there is some higher law which will
be obeyed by breaking them.
The youths who consider themselves
authority on the amount of punishment
which their fellow students require and
can endure, need to be very wise and
prudent. To be sure, they are at an age
when the average man would not trust
one of them to buy a horse; when the
school committeeman of a country dis
trict, after one look at their youthful
faces. would not give them a district
school to keep in order; when nobody
would think of appointing them guardians
of any child; and they are not of voting
age. Yet it is they, and they alone, who
are to judge whether or not a young.
green. and ignorant ''plebe' can be safely
made to endure another quarter of an
hour of severe exercise, and according
to previous testimony, they do not con-
slider that his fainting or going into fits
under punishment is any proof of their
lack of judgment.
1t is for the Superintendent of the
Academy to say whether he is ready to
admit that these youngsters are super
Tor to himself IN wisdom. prudence. and
insight into human nature. He appears
to be undecided on the subject. The
Judgment Of the average American fathe-
would be rendered without much hesita-
ton. The young man who. under pre-
.ence of adding a valuable course of dis
,ipllne to the curriculum. does wantonly
torture, pound, and prosecute an inof-
'ensive schooImate into a condition |
which warrants his going TO the hos
,ital, and who, in doing this. breaks a |
solemn pledge connected with his per- |
mission to receive an education at the |
expense of the country, should be stop |
BED in his mad career suddenly and |
He should be placed in the |
middle of hollow square composed of |
lis fellow cadets, and there fiogged; and |
hen. because be has been fogged. he |
should be dishonorably dismissed from |
he service