The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-10
WEST POINT HAS
 ON GALA ATTIRE Commencement Exercises Begin With Prominent Men Present GEN. MILES GIVEN SALUTE Gen. John M. Schofield of the Glass of 1s43 Mede Address and the Band
 Played "Tentlns on the Old
 Camp Ground"
GEN. MILES GIVEN SALUTE

West Point, N. Y, June s.-The centen- nial anniversary exercises of the estao- lishment of the United States military academy began today and will continue until Thursday, when the present first class cadets 54 in number will be gradu- ated. The committee of officers to re- csive the visiting graduates is kept busy. Among the early arrivals were Generals Joseph c. Breckinridge, Henry c. Cor bin, James Longstreet, s. M. B. Young, Captain Chadwick of the naval war col Iege, General Bates, commanding the de- partment of Missouri, General Greeley, chief signal officer, and General Leonard Wood
 The first and second classes of cadets demonstrated to the board of visitors to- day the manner of using pontoon and spar bridge building.
 Lieut. Gen. Miles arrived at Il o'clock and was honored by a salute The gradu- ates met in the assembly hall and at o'clock marched to Thayer Hall preceded by the president and association of grad uates. The meeting was called to order by General John c. McColmont, a gradu- ate of the oiass of 1S42 General John l M. Schoheld. of the class of 1863, presi- dent of the Association of Graduates. de- livered an address.
 "Tenting on the Old Camp Ground"
 At the conclusion of General Schofield's address the band played ''Tenting on the Old Camp Ground" after which General T. J. Wood, class of 45, a veteran of the Mexican war, delivered an address. Then followed addresses by General T. M. Ru- ger class of '54 (Union), and General D. P. Alexander, class of '57 (Confederate). General Alexanders topic was '"rhe Con- federate Soldier" He said in part; "The Confederate veteran! With these words does not there arise In every mind the thought of a meteoric army which over forty years ago sprang into exls- tence. as it would seem, out of space and nothingness, and after a career of four years, unsustained by treasury or ar senal, but unsurpassed by brilliant fight ing and lavish outpour of blood, van ished from earth as utterly as if 1t had been a phantom of imagination
 And now a generation has passed away. The smoke of civil conflict has vanished from the sky, and the whole country, under the new conditions evolved in it's four years struggle, finds itself united in developing Its vast re- sources in successful rivalry of the greatest nations of the earth. A United Country. 4/
 "whose vision is now so Gdll that he 1 does not recognize 't' tiie blessing it Is tC
 himself and to his children td live in al undivided country? Who would toda! relegate his own state to the position | would hold in the world were 1t declared a sovereign, as are the states of Centra and South America? To ask these ques tions I answer them. It is the South'' acknowledgment that it was the best fol
 the South that the cause was lost. Th'
 right to secede, the stake for which W, fought so desperately, were 1t now of ) fered us now as a gift, we would rejec !, as we would a proposition of suicide" During his address General Alexander
 casually mentioned the name of Genera
 Longstreet and the large audience wen
 wild with enthusiasm, the cheering last ing nearly a minute.
 Tonight there was grand illumination followed by a reception at Memoria Hall by General and Mrs. Schofield an( General and Mrs. Miles. The officer.
 elected tonight were the same as las
 year, with General Schofield president.