The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-08
TIE NATIONAL DISGRACE.

The c~ommandant at West Point,
Colonel Mills, will, it is to be hoped, be
requested or ordered to "step down
and OUT, and let another soldier of
better grip and more be plac-
ed in charge of West Point and it's
soldiers. He at first secuted the idea
Of "hazing' being used and abused in
the government military school. After
wards he admitted there were outrages
committed. But he does not believe in
the power to suppress or extirpate
such Infamous outrages. In his evil
dence he said:
Il don't think hazing can be effectu-
ally stamped out as long as human ma
ture remains as it is. Ever in colleges
and in schools and business centerS it
is carried on. For instance, the initia-
ton f a member of the stock exchange
is marked by rough usage of the new
conner"
He has no suggestions to make and
is cneris,a.ng no vain hopes as TO more
improvement. Let him be ordered else
where for he is confessidly incapable.
The Atlanta Constitution says:
I'm view of the disclosures at West
Point, n the surrender of Colonel
Mills to the spirit of mob law, it must
be evident that he has lost his power
for usefulness there, and that he should
be replaced by a man who has a better
understanding of the scope of his au-
thority."
That vile brute force shall be allowed
to continue in public schools, national
or state, military or private, and be a
menace to the peace, safety and lives of
the newcomers is too monstrous to be
tolerated for a moment. 1t should be
stamped out as fire is stamped out,
and the unworthy fellows engaging in
the deviltry and cruelties should be
punished by the civil law or tried by a
military court. The strange thing
about this arbaric hazing is, hat it
is the old fel1ows-the students Or ca
last course in the studies who do the
hazing. Think of this and e what
the Baltimore Sun we'll puts:
THE class composed of the cadets
who have been longest at the school
and who may be expected to show in
their conduct the ripe results of their
are CndFSCu Will uldilty
They are the oldest, strongest, most
mature and b~est-educated men there,
yet they are accused of causing the
death of a boy much younger than
they. Superior in age, training, expe-
rience and position, they provoke by in
Sulting remarks in violation Of the rules
Of the academy an offensive rejoinder
and then select one of their number to
challenge and fight a mere youngster of
the lowest class. The boy was, Of
course, knocked out speedily by his
senior with a blow in the stomach, re-
ceiying at the same time severe bruises
and cuts about the face and eyes. His
inability to face his antagonist after
the blow under the belt is made the
basis of a charge of cowardice, which
occaSioned further insults and further
ordeals calculated to injure his health
and render him incapable OF keeping up
with his classes"
Such cruelties would be ~disgraceful
to a band of Comanche Indians or to
a gang of wild negroes in the swamps
of Africa. And all this happening at
the close of a century that is being
celebrated with strong and song, with
celebrated with strong and song. with
rifications all around. Savagery in the
great military school of the supposed
great republic one hundred years after
George Washington fell on sleep at
Mount Vernon in Virginia. Is all this
a sign of genuine decay in manhood,
and that thi country is gradually so
losing it's character as to be on the
downward grade that ends in barbar-