The evening times., 1902-06-11

that nations prosperity depends upon
public tranquility. He knows full we'll
that a people can be military without be-
ing wariike: that a government can be
progressive without being aggressive.
1t was one Of our nest ccmbative COM
manders in the field who uttered the
famous aphorism, Let US have peace.
and whose distaste for war WIS so pro
ncunced that in after life ne never at
tended q review Of troops. even when
rendered in his special honor BY the
great military powers Of Europe Wash
ington, after having exrerienced the
horrors of war. fully appreciated the
piping times Of peace, when soldiers
may turn their battleaxes into bill
hooks and their helmets into beehives:
and yet he never faiEed to pat himself
on record in favor CT the maintenance
Of an adequate army For example
when IN convention, a delegate moved
that the size of the army should never
be allowed to exceed :. 600 men. the great
founder Of the Republic with display
OF ready wit which surprised his col
leagues, killed the motion By Offering
an amendment providing that no foreign
power should ever be allowed to invade
| the country with more than 3 3.000 men
An army may be dangerous when wieid-
! ed by an arbitrary sovereign. but never
when directed by a sovereign people
The true soldier regards an army as
serving the same purpose to the country
as the lightning rod to the house. which
reaches out, rot TO attract the light
ming. but to meet it when it strikes,
disperse its forces. and stay the ruin
it would work. Upon our national arms
the American eagle is represented as
holding in one talon the olive branch Of
| peace, in the other the shafts Of war.
| He leaves to his adversaries which TO
| choose.
mo scholar can claim a monopoly of
! knowledge or perfection in learning.
| That would be mere pedantry. and Ad-
olson tells Us that 'Pedantry in learn
/ ing is like hypocrisy in religion form
| of knowledge, without the power Of it
/ There are two means of acquiring an
| education-in the schools and IN the
/ great university OF experience Fortu-
rateiy for the prosperity Of nations and
| the peace Of the world We do not have
continual wars in which to instruct our
| officers, and 50 We give those destined
/ for the regular army a theoretical edu-
| cation in the school, making it as pTac-
teal as possible.
The Patriotic Volunteer.
In future. as in past, wars, the great
bulk Of our army viii always be COM
posed of volunteers - those patriotic
types of American manhood who, at the
call to arms, quit their peaceful! ayoca-
tions. sacrifice their material interests
and rally TO the defense OF thei- eoun-
| try's standard. They receive Their vaIu-
able but hard learned lessons in the
field. and even in the presence of the
enemy; the graduates from their ranks
have furnished to the army some of its
most distinguished officers. The cor
dial and efficient cooperation Of these
two great branches Of the service has
everywhere brought success to our
arms. have no patience with occa-
sional writer's who would make it ap-
pear that there are dissensions and dis
cord between these two bodies battling
in the same cause. II is a common
practice for volunteer organizations to
apply to regular officers to Command
them. while the regulars have. constant
" sought commissions in the volun
teers. IN the field inseparable ties OF
true comradeship have been formed
among them. for as iron is welded in
the heat Of the forge. so are friendships
welded in the heat OF battle. Anyone
in either Of these two honorable
branches Of the army who would be
guilty Of petty Jealousy or haIf-hearted
cooperation would be Unfit for the
service TO which he belonged and IN
worthy Of the name Of soldier.
The Academy had its birth and grew
to manhood in the most marvellous cen
tury G! recorded time. an age OF which
the advance OF civilization and the
triumphs in useful inventions and sc;en-
tific discoveries inspire rs with the
grandeur Of events and thrill us with
the majesty OF achievements. During
this eventful period there we're gradu-
ated 4,067 cadets. They have displayed
their devotion upon countless battle
fields and attested their usefulness in ali
the civil walks Of life, in science and
art. in trade, and commerce. in Iitera-
ture and oratory, in law. medicine. the
ology. diplomacy and craftsmanship.
from the modest engineer to the Presi-
dent OF the Republic Nearly all who
entered the army have been disbursIng
officers. in some capacity or other. from
post treasurer TO paymasteT general.
and with such scrupuloUs fidelity have
the hundreds or millions inTrusied to
them been accounted for that those who
have been charged with pecuiation can
be numbered on the fingers of one IaEd.
Time does not Permit Is to recount their
services. To select for special comment
even the most illustricus would be to
make tnvidtous distinction: 70 mention
all who have efficiently served the State
would be TO call the roll OF graduates
They need no eulogist: their services at
test their worth. They did their duty
an6 trusted to history fer their need
Of praise
West Points Heroic Dead
"Of the total OF 4asT graduates, 235
have fallen killed or mortally wounded
on the field CT battle. In the trials Of
the seIf-sacriGcing profession il which
they cast their lot. they had TO learn
that ali hours wound-the last one
kills The record Of West Points heroic
dead is inexpressibly sad; 1t IS incom-
-,.r,b1,y glorious The story Of their