The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-24
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER "a. 1906.
"A Patriotic Service.

"A Patriotic Service.
In, maintaining the dignifled position
first assumed towards the rebellious ca
diets, the Board OF Visitors Of tho Vir-
GINA Military Institute has performed It's
plain duty and done q patriotic service,
ana 1t should be. and We believe 1t win
be- supported by public sentiment.
The Virginia Military Institute is dis
tinctly and distinctvelya military school.
ana its prime object Is to teach military
discipline In this respect It Is different
from all other institutions OF learning In
tho State Obedience to orders and strict
observance OF regulations arc essential
feature. Of the cur 1sN,lum, and II the
integrity Of the institution Is to- be pre-
served, no breach Of discipline must be
tolerated In all military organizations
"a regulation prohibiting soldiers to conr-
bine for the purpose Of enforcing de-
#1nands or redressing grievances is funda-i
mental. The wisdom and necessity Of
such regulation in dealing with armed
soldiers are obvious. There Is such a
regulation at the Virginia Military In
stitute, and tho third class men not only.
violated st, but the demand which they
made as a body in violation Of this regu-
slation was accompanied with threat.
The written notice which they served
UPON the aGjutant was In disregard OF
discipline in general, and Of this funda-
HEeatal regulation in particular, and the
&5pption OF such a paper and the send
sg OF { to the officer were acts of de-
laace and rank INSTRUMENTATION. The
wrong of it consisted. not In protesting
against the food, but In the manner of
making their protest. 1t was not a sim
pie protest; 1t was demand. an "uti-
matuin,' coupled with a threat against
the institution in case Of noncompliance
II is not denied that they had the right
TO resign as an original proposition, but
they could not employ that right as
lfnns Of enforcing demand
IN pursuing this course the third class
Hen subjected themselves to summary
Ing with tmaetuous. boys. It dealt lenl-
emily, and:save then, time for reflection
and an opportunity TO withdraw the pa
per and express regret for hasty action
with the understanding that If they youlu
comply with these terms they would be
reinstated. All the members of the class,
with the exception OF thirteen readily
compiled. but the thirteen refused to
sign any paper containing an expression
OF regret. on the ground that they had
taken an oath not to do so, and 1t was
* argued by them and by SOME OF their
champions that tho board should respect
The oath. which they had taken, ''yxcld
point and recognize tho standard of
ethics which the boys had established.
That IS strange argument to US, The
first obligation OF these cadets was TO
obey the rules. and they confess that
Trey dIsobeyed II Fundamental rule They
had no moral right, therefore, to take
TN oath that they would express no
regret for their disobedlence. IL they
have erected any such standard of eth
ics," It IL a false standard ana on tina,
score alone Tie board would be untath.
mi to duty to recognize It. If such q
standard Of ethics" should be rccog.
rized hy the authorities Of the instItu.
ton, the cadets might al any momen,
3,Ittnka, an ootb IL, ,,ir1-,. 49, ~ =,
boari would be compelled 10 recognize
1.-The oath and let thenr have their way
The argument carried to its logical con
euslon reduces Itself TO an aTsurdlty
The board does not propose to take tbcs,
lads BY the throat put Them to torture
and compel them To violate their oatI
and their Standard of ethics but
does say and Insist that, IL they hav,
taken an oath of Standardization M,
cannot see their way clear 90 absoly,
themselves, they must leave The !nstltu
ton. So far from palliating the offence
the oath which they have taken an,
by which they have stood 50 deflantl
aggravates IT. AS this paper mas said
the fam that tho boys refused to "a
aress regret Indicated the continuance Z
q defiant and inRubprdnate spirit. an
sl;ef Y spiiit IN any institution must /
* destructive of all discipline and cspr
Dc eorIat. tbs hoard could non IN dpt
feGpsntz@ such spirit. or I'll any dogf,
# splnDreiniss w!.h Il. II Is The srlri.