The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-10
WEST POINTS
 CENTENNIAL Anniversary of Govern ment Military School. MANY OFFICERS PRESENT Gen. Alexander Paid Tribute to Confederate Soldiers. Major Mcclernand, Class of TO, De- Hvered Stirring Address-oen- eral Schofeld Reelected
 President of Association.
MANY OFFICERS PRESENT

eral SchoAeld Reelected
 President of Association. West Point, N. Y., June 9.-The Gen.
 tennial Anniversary exercises of the cs-
 ta blishment of the United States military
 academy began today and will continue
 until Thursday when the present first
 class of cadets. fifty-one members. will
 be graduated. The committee of officers
 to receive the visiting graduates is kept
 busy. Among the early arrivals were | Generals Joseph c. Breckinridge, Henry c. Corbin, James Longstreet. Captain Chadwick of the Naval War College. Gen. eral Bates commanding department 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 making pontoon and span bridges.
 Lieutenant General Nelson A. Miles ar rived at o'clock and was honored by a
 salute: The graduates met in the assem- bly hall and at o'clock marched to Thsyer hall. preceded by the Superinten-
 dent and President of the Association of Graduates.
 The meeting was called to order by General John s. McColmont. a graduate of the class of 1S42. General John M Schofield of the class of 1S4S, president of the Association of Graduates delivered an address.
 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. veteran of the
 Mexican War. delivered an address. Then followed addresses by General T. 1T. Rugcr. class of '54 OUnion) and Gem eral E. P. Alexander, class of '57 Con- federate.)
 Eulogized Confederate Soldiers. General Alexanders topic was ''The Confederate Veteran He said in part: "The Confederate Veteran! With these words does there not arise in every mind the thought of q meteor army which over
 forty years ago sprang into existence, as 1t would seem, out of space and nothing ness and after a career of four years, un- sustained by treasury or arsenal. but un- surpassed for brilliant fighting and lavish outpour of blood. vanished from earth as utterly as if 1t had been phantom of imagination?
 And now 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 it's vast resources, in successful rivalry with the greatest na- tiC ms of the earth.
 Whose vision is now SO dull that he does not recognize the blessing 1t is to l.t ar,l ta hia altildren n live in undivided country? Who would today reIegste his own State to the position 1t would hold in the world were 1t declared q sovereign as are the States of Central and South America? To ask these ques- liens is to answer them. And answer Is the acknowledgement that it was best for the South that the cause was lost The right to secede. the stake for which we fought SO desperately, were it now of- fercd us as a gift. we would reject as we would d proposition of suicide"
 During his address. General Alexander casually mentioned the name of General Longstreet and the large audience went wild with enthusiasm the cheering last ing nearly a minute.
 Address of Maj. McClernand.
 The next speaker was Major F. J. Me Clernand, class of 70. a veteran of the Spdnish-American war. "Mr President and Fellow Graduates:
 Since the close of the civil war. the country had enjoyed thirty-three years of peace. The end of that great struggle found the people tired of war, and in the mad race for wealth that followed, the military profession and preparation no longer interested them. Appropriations for the army were grudglngly given, leg islation for the desired reorganization could not be had. But the years imme- diately preceding the Spanish-American war were replete with study, and as far as circumstances would permit with prac- lice, assimilated to the conditions of war. It was because of these preparations per sIstently pursued in the face of obstacles welI-nigh insurmountable and often dis heartening. that the little army we sent to Santiago de Cuba Was able to render so good an account of itself and to justly claim. and to receive from the country an acknowledgement of the constancy of purpose, and gallantry under hardship. that merited and achieved success.
 ITO permit country to drift into war in such d way Is a crime. What are the facts as regards needed supplies? Even the most important-rifles, ammunition and ocean transportation-were lacking. l On March 9th Congress appropriated $50.- | GOO GOO for national defense Observe this | was for defense. It was decided the War | Department could not purchase or even | for any material outside of that l for national defense.' Thus no accumu- | Iaticn of material was permissible for | that army Of volunteers, upon which Con- gress and the people have repeatedly said | this country must rely. in the event of war. Here is food for serious reflection. Are we likely to have longer notice of the outbreak of hostilities on another occasion. and will the sentiment of the ever be more united in demand ing war? All can recall how the people as well as the press insisted on the hb- eration of Cuba. and those of us who travelled with troops from the heart of the continent to the selected camps of will never forget the wild of men and women, whose faces showed that our forward movement had their ardent approval; and that the men behind the guns had the hearts of the people behind them. Every soldier going to the front felt in pronounced degree this remarkable heartbeat of the nation. It was the apotheosis of patriot Ism, the magnificent spectacle of nation aroused not given to all men to see, but once witnessed never forgotten. The |