The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-24

of the wise use it will make of the
opportunities afforded by the erection
of this very building" cloud and
continuous applause.)
Secretary Root followed the presi-
dent after another selection by the
band He spoke as follows:
Founded to Preserve Peace.
Not to promote war; but to pre-
serve peace by intelligent and ade-
quate preparation to repel aggression
this morning this institution is found
ed. 1t is growth and not a new de-
parture. 1t is natural and neces-
sary development of the views with
which General Grant established the
infantry and cavalry shool at Fort
Leavenworth and General Sheridan
established the school of application
for cavalry and light artillery at Fort
Riley. Following the same policy, an
engineers school of application, a
school of submarine defense and an
army medical school were afterwards
established.
"It is the design of the board, al
ready provided by general orders,
that the best men from the post
schools shall be graduated up to the
Leavenworth college and the special
service schools shall be graduated up
to the post graduate course of the
war college, there to study and confer
upon the great problems of national
| defense, of military science and of
responsible command.
instruction Is Practical.
''The course of instructions in all
of the schools in all the stages are
in the highest degree practical as
we'll as theoretical and military apti-
tude tested by the exercise of actual
command will hold a leading place
in the determination of merit. To
the men sifted out from the great
mass of officers by the demonstration
of superior intelligence and devotion
| to the profession, the commander-ln
chief will naturally turn for details
to important service and promotion
to higher rank. Membership in the
war college will mean honor and op-
portunity In it's confidential archives
will be garnered the results of the
best thought of the army and in the
continuous existence of the institu-
ton always changing in its element
as men come and go, but remaining
inself unchanged will be found con-
tinuity of knowledge, of thought and
of military policy always available
for practical use.
"It is common observation and a
true one that practical qualities in
soldier are more important than
a knowledge of theory, but this truth
has often been made the excuse for
incidence and indifference, which ex-
cept in rare and gifted individuals
destroys practical efficiency.
1 Praise Of General Upton.
"It is also true that, other things
being equal, the officer who keeps his
mind alert by intellectual exercise
and who Systematically studies the
reasons of action and the materials
and conditions and difficulties with
which he may have to deal will be
the stronger practical man and the
better soldier. The same conditions
which have led individual enterprise
to build up the great universities and
technical schools to which the grad.
resort to perfect themselves in every
profession and in every branch OF
applied science, apply with equal
force to education in the science OF
war. 1t is fitting that our government
should profit by the lesson which all
citizens have learned, that for sue
cess in any business the evolution
from the simple to- the complex must
be accompanied by more perfect
system, more careful selection of
the men upon whom fall the RESPONSE
bility of control"
Secretary Root then spoke in warm
praise of the late Breyet Major Gen
eral Emory Upton, colonel of the
Fourth artillery, whose recommends
tions for the reorganization of the
army, made more than a quarter of
a century ago, and whose report was
never even printed by the government,
have now practically every one been
adopted.
| ''Were Upton living today" contin-
ued Secretary Root, "still upon the