The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-17

Years. OF West Point" in the Outlook
magazine for July 5, the illustrations
alone being of great value. One para
graph however, closes with a mislead-
ing statement: since the beginning
Of the institution +<21 graduates have
gone out of the Academy to follow
theS< calling as soldiers or 10 take up
civil life after their period of service"
Now, as to this last statement; in pre-
vicus letters I have shown that this
period service" is not exacted of AL
cadets, as Mr.. Barnes would have the
reader believe. A former Savannah
man once took issue with me on this
point, and yet I clearly proved from
the official records that I was correct.
The period OF service" is thus set
forth in the contract signed by the
cadet: I viii serve in the army of the
United States for eight years, unless
sooner discharged by competent au-
thOrity." This term covers the four or
five years at the Academy. and leaves
three or four years of service in the
army, provided the contract is fully
carried out. That it is not, in a great
many cases, l have previously shown.
Perhaps l had better give a few ex-
amples in this connection. Take Lieut..
Gen. Leonidas Polk, Q. S. A, he grad
uated on July l, 1927, and was on leave
of absence until Dec. l, same year,
when he resigned. not having served a
single day in the army. The case of
President Lyman Hall of the Georgia
School of Technology is the same. as
he graduated in 1881 and did not serve
day in the army. Henry Waller of
Kentucky, graduated in July, 1888, and
resigned while on leave of absence,
Oct 9, same year, having seen not an
hours service. The same is true of
Thomas Hunton of Kentucky, who
graduated in 1889. Harry T. HAM
mond of California graduated in 1877,
but resigned the year following. Fred
E. Smith of Illinois graduated in 1876
and served only one year in the army.
Edward G. Stevens of Massachusetts
graduated in 1870, but resigned the
next year. These are only a few sam
pie cases, picked up at random, to
show that the Service contract" at
West Point has never been fully and
inpartially enforced in the United
States army. And that is why hun
dreds of cadets have gone into useful
positions in civil life without becom-
ing army officers.
Reading all the glowing accounts of
the great preparations for the first
proposed crowning of King Edward,
as well as the less showing ones of
the final event, my mind dwelt upon
our better, and simpler, and stronger
form of government, viewed from a
similar standpoint. in our own coun-
try. | recalled that quiet sad day
my wife and l spent at the Milburn
House in Buffalo. In the room above
us were lying the remains of our be-
loved President Gathered in the
mourning group below, in the parlCr
and on the side Verandah We're mem
bers of the family, the cabinet and
the Senate. A quiet hush brooded over
the place. Outside all was deserted in
every direction until the ropes and
military Gordon was reached at the
corners of the street and there only
soldiers and newspaper correspondents
were gathered A funeral stiffness
was all about the place until, nearly
clock, when a great stir was heard
near the ropes, and in a few minutes
carriage drove up rapidly, a gen
tleman alighted and walked slowly
and calmly up the long passage to the
front door of the residence, unattended
by any person.
Now, strange as it might seem to
native of a monarchial government,
that plain but neatly dressed gentle
man was Theodore Roosevelt, Vice
President of the United States, and
the legal successor to the murdered
President lying cold in death in the
upper chamber of that mansion. His
reception by all present was calm and
transformations, and after a short con-
ference with the members of the cab
met he returned to his waiting carriage
and was driven to the house of a friend
near at hand. Within an hour in that
private residence, surrounded by a few
chosen officials and friends, Theodore
Roosevelt took the oath of office that
made him supreme ruler of this great
nation. How unlike the events con-
nected with the death of Great Brit
aims honored and noble Queen and the
coronation of the Prince of Wales as
Edward VII. One event covered
single day, while the other event, with
many ovations and ceremonies, lasted
nearly two years. / do not refer TO
this subject in a critical manner, but
merely to show how quietly and with
what simplicity a change of rulers can
he made in this republic when death
suddenly removes a President.
Sidney Herbert.