Waterbury Democrat., 1901-01-21
CADETS WILL GIVE II UP.
No More HaZing to Be Practiced
 at West Point.

Cadets Vote to Stop It and Send q Let
 ter to the Investigating Committee
 Labors of Committee Ended and
 They Have Returned to Washing
 ton.
 West Point, Jan 21.-The voluntary pledge of the cadets to refrain from hazing, physical exercising and class lighting in the future has been the talk of the post to-day. Their action is re sarded with the utmost admiratio in every quarter. The scene Saturday night when the stalwart young men, in full dress uniform. each represent ing his particular class, filed into the room and stood at attention facing the congress investigating committee, was peculiarly impressive one. During the reading by Colonel Mills of the resolution. unanimously adopted by the corps of cadets, almost breathless silence prevailed, and q tremor of sup pressed emotion Was discernibie in the superintendent voice as he read the parag graphs which mean so much for the future of the military academy.
 Colonel Mills says that nothing has occurred at West Point during his ad- ministration Ahat has gratified him so much as this concerted action of the cadets. It is q measure he had earn estly and consistently been striving to bring about during the two years or more of his incumbency. It has re- lieved him of . perplexing question, and he is correSpondinSly gratifieu over the happy turn of events.
 Swordmaster Koehler says it is the best thing that could have happened, and it came just at the proper time, as the congress committee will now return to Washington with a much better impression and higher regard of the cadets than they would have had had the conditions been other wise.
 Cadet Bettison. president of the first class, says he had always diSapproved of hazing. but did it just because it was fashionable. He says if people think he did it for pleasure or amuse- ment they are mistaken, for the direct opposite is the truth and he is glad it is at an end.
 The following is the letter the ca- dets sent to show that they intended to quit haZing:
 West Point. N Y, Jan 19, 1901. To the Superintendent of the United
 States Military Academy:
 Sir: Having become cOgnizant of the manner in which the system of haZing as practiced at the Military academy is regarded by the people of the United States, we; the cadets of the United States Military academy, while maintaining that We have pur- sued our system from the best mo- tives. yet realizing that the deliberate judgment of the people should, in country like ours, be above all other considera tions. do reaftirm our former action abolishing the exercising of fourth class men, and do further agree to discontinue haZing. the requiring of fourth class men to eat anything against their desire, and the practice of .!calling out fourth class men by class action. and that We will not de- wise other similar practices to replace these abandoned. Respectfully Sub- mitted,
 For the first class. W. F. BettisOn, president, class 1901.
 For the second class. E. o. Mahaf- fey. president. class 1902.
 For the third class, Quinn Gray, president, class 1905.
 For the fourth class, Joseph A. At kins. representing class 1904.
 The committee expects to make it's report in about ten days and it is said on good authority. It VIII recOln- mend that the number of tactical off carS at 1l;e West Point academy be ln- creascd It is also reported that 1t will say that the deaths of former Cadet RoCz and Bre;h Were not caused by hazinS they received at West Point. Tn the c.Se of BOoZ the testimony showed that he was not very strong at any time and. 1t is said, the mem- herS of the committee believe that his health had been injured by his treat nent at the hands of his fellow cadets in thc academy. At the same time. it is claimed that the committee has failed to discover any connection be tween the swallowing of tobasco sauce and the subsequent death of Booz from tuberculosis.