The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-17
THE v. M. I. CRISIS.

THE ". M. I. CRISIS.
INSTRUMENTATION Must Not Be
Tolerated, Say Editors.
When closely analysed. 1t will be seen
that the notification" of the third class
to the superintendent Of the Virginia
Military Institute distinctly partakes OF
threatening tone and nature: and a threat
OF such sort from q subordinate body to
It's superior officers cannot possibly be /
construed In other light than as mu-
tinous proceeding. Especially Is this so
In military school, whose first lesson
is that Of obedience Of cadet to officers,
and whose whole scheme depends for
1t ssuccess upon the recognition and en-
forcenrent of THAI principle. The right,
Of course, lies with tho student body
TO petition-but not to threaten-and 10
petition only upon the hypothesis that
the request Is respectfully framed and
is utterly foreign in intent or purpose
to drastic demand. Under no circum-
stances should the petition servo the
purpose of yelling the spirit or menace OF
any sort of retaliation. If 1t be assumed,
and that a student body In II military
school should be accorded the privilege
OF so far stretching their rights as TO say
in effect to the principal: You do thus
and SO, or else we will as a retalatory
measure. take this Or that action" then
we ask, where and what are the lnrlta-
tons to be placed upon such rights or
privilege attaching to n subordinate nil
itary body. Once establish the prece-
dent how far will that precedent lead?
TO what extent is its application to be
circumscribcd? If one class of cadets can
properly say to the superintendent: I'VE
demand Improvement in table fare or we
will quit? why cannot another class say,
1--WE demand shorter hours for guard
duty, or else we will cease to perform
guard duty. entirely in order. Is it. for
relief TO be asked by the student body,
! where relief Is believed to be due. and
| to be thus sought. time and again II
| necessary, but always ought this TO be
| done in respectful tone and In recognl-
| ton Of duly constituted authority. me
Times repeats, therefore, that apology
| Is duo the authorizes Of the V. NJ. l.
| from cadets of the third class for the
disrespectful and nsubordlnate tone of
its demands for a better grade of food
! than now Embellishments Times.
| or course, the class may produce some
| Temporary annoyance, but everybody who
Is taking any part in the consideration
| of the situation had as we'll recognize the
| fact that it can do nothing more without
| inhicting n serious blow upon the instl-
tute 1t is military school, ana the
Importance Of maintaining authority and
! enforcing discipline is probably not APP
| precintcd by some as fully us It should
be. we would not be understood as in
timating that the cadets should submit to
| wrong. or habitually suffer from hunger,
| but there Is no reason TO believe that
| they are called upon to do anything of
i the sort. Nobody is interested In seeking
TO impose such conditions upon them.
1 IT is certain that the authorities must
be sustained, or the institute Will suffer
| Danyille Register.
IT will be source Of qualification to
/ the friends of the Virginia Military In
| stitute and to the public generally to
I know that there was no foundation for
the charges brought against the COM
/ n1issary department OF that institution
by the cadets. The Board OF Visitors has
made thorough examination and has
SO declared, and that action Is approved
and endorsed by the parents of many
il OF the complaining cadets, who We're
, present at the examination, We are
y glad the institution Is eEoncrated ana
get right before the public. The cadets
must now withdraw their charges IN
writing or be dismissed, which Is, con-
sidering the whole subject, light pun
4 ishment,- MISUNDERSTANDING Star.
There has been far more agitation Of
the subject than the matter demanded,
and, naturally in so much publicity there
has been mssiatcment and exhgsGration
II nv some of the newspapers, This news
Il naper agitation has emboldened the ca-
diets TO degree of INSTRUMENTATION re-
4 uuring action by the authorities, some
i thing like nfutiny, but they must keep
within the bounds of discipline The au-
Il thorities of the institutions, after inquiry
I into the charges of insubordlnationi by
one of the classes, has determined that
the men guilty of such breach Of dis
cipline must retract their language on
main az dismissal Already the maJorl-
~, we are informed, have agreed to
meet the requirements of the board and
only minority refuse to accept the con-
ditons prescribed These will come UNI
der If let alone, Otherwise their dis
missal Will follow. Discipline must be
\ maintained at military school above al