Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-13
West Points Centennial.

WCSt EOIft
1t is the week of a hundred years at
beautiful West Point on the Hudson,
and the exercises in commemoration of
the close of a century of usefulness to
the nation have been most successfully
carried out. The presence of President
Roosevelt and his stirring address to
the gathered alumni and the cadets,
Wednesday. was the feature of the
week What proud and happy mo-
ment it must have been in the life of
Cadet Titus, 'plebe,'' when he was
called from the ranks and presented by
the President with medal for bravery
at Pekin when he was a volunteer with
our army. One can hardly help won
dering if his fellow cadets will ever
nave the opportunity to win medals by
distinguished gallantry in battle. But
in war or in peace, we know that they
will serve their flag well and be
worthy of the proud uniform they
ioi SuCI ido beVii iiie iEt'iu Va
West Points sons for century.
Since it was established the academy
has admitted 1904 cadets and of these
4121 have graduated. The difference is
indicative of the high standard of the
institution. which dull or puny boy
cannot enter, much less remain IN. AS
to it's service to the nation, We have
only to mention some of those who
were leading commanders in the war
for the Union, as Grant. Sheridan.
Sherman, Mcclellan, Halleck, Meade,
Hooper, Buel, Thomas, schofield,
Rosecrans, Mcpherson, Ord, Candy,
Howard, Hancock, Lyon, Slocum, Mer-
rift and many others, not to mention
those who lead our troops i'll Mexico
and on the plains of the West and in
recent years in Cuba. the Philippines
and China. Tine South depended l3r2e-
~ for it's leaders on West Point gradu-
ates whose love of home and state was
greater than that for the flag of the
Union. Jefferson Davis and Robert L.
Lee were both graduates of the school
and scores of the general officers of the
Confederate army. General Long
street who served in the army of the
South from Bull Run to Appomattox
was the oldest graduate at this week 5
exercises. AS we'll indicating the feel
ing of the surviving West Pointers who
fought fer the South We will quote
Cen. Edward Porter Alexander of the
class Of 1857, who entered the Con-
federate service as captain, and fought
in tie army of Northern Virginia un-
til Appomattox. This week he came
back to West Point to say: 1T was
best for the South that its cause was
lost. The right to secede. the stake for
which We fought 50 desperately, were
reject as we would reject a proposition
Of suicide" Such declaration is more
important than the circumstance Of
the rounded century of years.
West Point. more than any other
educational institution, i. truly ma
tiona! and its student body repre-
sents the country geographically as
does none other. 1t is of interest.
therefore. to note where the scholar
ship honors fall. OF the Ave honor men
of this years graduating class. one,
the first. is native of Alabama, one of
Illinois and three of Pennsylvania. No
state ever before had as many as three
Of the five honor men, so Pennsyl-
vania may we'll be proud of the dis
tinction The centennial marks an i'm
portant epoch in West Points history
as Congress has made liberal appropria-
tons for new buildings which are
much needed.