Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-02-07
West Point Charity" School.

west fOlnt "Charlty' School.
Senator Dubois OF Idaho, like Cusk.
man of this State, although certainly
not born great, seems likely to have
greatness thrust upon him, in rather
an unpleasant shape, if he is not more
careful Of hi statements Of assumed
facts. when horatIng a man OF the
who for iorty-one years has been in the
volunteer and regular army service
OF this government.
Senator Dubois said in the Senate
chamber, last week, " / don't know who
Gen. Wheaton is, but he is probably
some charity boy appointed to West
Point by Senator or Representative,
and has since been supported by the
government"
Now let us dissect this remarkable
statement: If Mr.. Dubois first declar-
alton be true, why does he make him.
self ridiculous by slur upon the an
tecedeuts of one he declares he docs
not know? If the Senator does not
know what he is talking about, why
does he assume that Gen. Wheaton
was a" charity boy" when he was not,
or that he was the protege of some
Senator or Representative. and sent to
West Point for charity's sake. when
he waa not sent to the Military Acad-
envy at all, by anybody in or out of
Congress? II Gen. Wheaton has spent
Al years in defense OF his government,
and received merited promotion for
gallantry ON the battlefield, where is
an opportunity for the slur that he has
since been supported by the govern
ment?"
Since when? Since his graduation
in the Union volunteer army. Since
his enlistment in an Illinois regiment,
in 1861 aud fighting four years for the
Union, with distinguished gsllantry,
for which he wears a medal of honor
and has received several promotions,
ending with Lieutenant Colonelcy,
at the close Of the war. And it seems
he has not since been forgotten. He
was made Major General in the
regular army in 1901.
The slur has failed of its object from
a total absence of any semblance of
truth to speed the shaft of venom;
but the implication that West Point
is charity school, will probably meet
with considerable protest from the
many eminent statesmen that
have graduated from it. 1t is not
that to be a graduate under such
auspices would be disgraceful, but that
the author of the statement intended
it as an envenomed tip to his arrow OF
malice, that makes it worthy of some
attention.
It would be far better for Senator
Dubois to employ some literary hack
to compile his facts and some wreck
of genius to write his speeches, to be
reasonably sure hereafter OF his facts
and safe in rounding his stilted per-
iods.
In view of the many scandals that
have attached to the American House
OF Lords, q member of that body
should be the last person to hurl
stone against questionable methods OF
attaining anything of profit or honor.
Though poor boy may be appointed
TO our military schools, by favor OF
the peoples representatives, it is safe
to say that nobody has bribed his
way through the portals of West
Point or Annapolis. All have entered
honorably, and many by sturdy ap-
plication have qualified themselves
later on to persue pathways to honor
and fame. Among them may be found
such honored patriots as Lee, Grant,
Hooker, Hancock, Stevens, Johnston,
Sherman, Mcclellan, Sheridan, and
many others, who Dubois would
doubtless classify as charity boys"
should occasion appear to warrant q
blast from the Idaho rams. thorn.