The midland journal., 1905-12-08
WASHINGTON LETTER,


Midshipman James R. Branch is conclud-
ed, except for the announcement of the
verdict after it shall have been passed
upon by the Secretary of the Navy. 1t is
expected that the verdict will be not
guilty in favor. of the survivor of the fight
but it is probable that he will be dismissed
from the Academy on the charge of dis
order and thus be made vicarious sacri-
fee for system that has existed for
generations and which is almost diabol-
ical. 1t is developed by the testimony
that the older cadets have it in their
power to "bilge" the younger classmen,
that is to effect their dismissal from the
Academy in case of a personal prejudice
against one of them. The running"
which takes the place of hazing is a
system of petty persecution which if re-
sented is repaid by reports that bring
reprimands from higher officers and re-
suits finally in dismissal. 1t is known,
though this was not brought out in the
testimony, that the fend began when
young Branch forced his way into Meri-
wether's room and in the presence of the
latter went through the private papers he
found there. Coming upon letter that
had been written by the Grandmother OF
the boy he read it aloud to his comrades,
making derisive comments on the Hit
eracy of the writer. From this succeeded
a system of persecution and an openly
avowed determination to effect Meri
wether's dismissal. The fight which
finally resulted appeared to re the only
course open to the cadet. If he had
refused to fight or to challenge fight
Meriwether would have been "bilged" by
his own classmen, who would have pro-
nounced him a coward and unfit for an
officers career. The fighting has been
not only permitted but tacitly approved
by the officers at Annapolis, and has even
been pronounced an effective part of the
training of men who are to be fighters by
profession. 1t were certainly better if
boys, girls, husbands, wives and nations
could get along without scrapping but
until the law millinium scrapping will go
on in the home, the school and between
nations.
~
In two great war colleges of this coun-
try-West Point and Annapolis-it ap
pears to be necessary to make hell Of
peace in order to be prepared for the hell
of war, and it certainly were as well to
expect that eight hundred boys thrown
together will not fight as to expect that
eight hundred dogs would live together
in the peace and harmony of plaster
saints. If Meriwether is dismissed from
Annapolis it will not mean the end Of
fighting, or even a very positive rednc
tion in it, and if the Government is TO
make reforms at the Naval Academy it is
in the suppression of the fiendish run
ming" system than by offering up OF
Meriwether as sacrifice.
~
The President and Mrs Roosevelt and
several of their children spent Thanks
giving day at Mrs. Roosevelt's new
country home, Plain Dealing,' about
one hundred and thirty miles from
Washington. They left the Capital
Thursday morning, giving the slip to all
the reporters who had predicted that the
President would spend quiet day at the
White House, and the first that was
known of their departure was when Sec
retary Loeb, the official spokesman of the
had fed. The farm is one which was
purchased by Mrs. Roosevelt last spring,
and her object in buying it was to have
just such retreat where holidays and
short vacations might be spent in a quiet
family reunion. The place comprises
about fifteen acres of woodland and a
modest cottage of six or seven rooms. 1t
has been remodeled by Mrs. Roosevelt so
thatthe lower floor is made into one big
living room, with kitchen in the rear
There is wide porch half way round the
house, and at the end where great oak
grows the porch has been neatly built
around to include it. Two cooks went
with the party to prepare the dinner, and
the thirty pound turkey was the most
important part of the baggage they took
Miss Alice Roosevelt, who was advised
by the physicians not to take the trip,
which included horse back ride of IF
teen miles, spent the day in Washington
with her auut, Mrs. Cowles, going in the
afternoon, notwithstanding the intense
cold, to the horse races at Bennings.
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