New-York tribune., 1906-07-15

Not losg ago prominent politician was quoted.
o. misenoleissS IS saying that the training which
Uncle ssaTn gives 20 his army cadets IS the k7d-
that takes oat af them az sative capacity. all
pOWeFsos srstisssHe. ana he added that IL he~Ohe
speaksI1 wanted to make fne preacher out OF a
man ~ gsoel5 surely send him to West Point.
sSovs Is matter OF fact the United States Mill
tary Academy at West Point really has produced
some rnlsters. twenty-five Of them. 10 be exact
ana se6.,i 'caes a. That One OF them rose TO the
6ignst5s Of bishbp's robe. another became the
superor eeneralo Of powerful religious order and'
while they and a4alr associates were not exactly
the kind of ducklings the institution was intended
90 hatch stlI telTTecOrds are source OF no snall
pride to their alma mater.
On the other hand the charge that West Point
training destroys initiative is best answered by
glance al the records OF the graduates In the nrst
place. many persons accustomed to think OF
West Pointers only military men, losing sight
oS the 5act that many graduates have not con-
tinued 81 the military service. but have gone out
into civi life and hsVe almost invariably dstin-
guished themselves By rising 70 the front in every
hono-SSa profession Among others. a President
OF the United States President Of the Confed-
erscy five Presidential and Vice-Presidential can
si6afes. twenty-f0ur Senators and Representatives
s Congress- tpenty-nine diplomatic representatives
ard the Governors OF seventeen states are in the
list Of graduates. Nobody in this country needs
70 be told the characteristics which a man must
osssss ia these days IN order 20 rise politically or
20 undergo successfully the limelight of political
career. Everywhere in every walk Of life. West
Pointers have marched IN the and by their
force Of character, initiative and energy have
proved their right the positions they have taken
AN EARLY INSTANCE.
AS FAR back as 1901 West Pointers began to dis
play that originality Of thought and independence
OF action which have distinguished them ever since.
In that year Cadet Joseph Gardiner Swift, OF
Massachusetts, became convinced Of the utter
ropa esu Afr F2aF hon Of
mathematics at the Military Academy, for the posi-
ton he occupied. AS preliminary to his cam
paign Of removal. Cadet Swift engaged this pro-
fessor IN discussion OF delicate point~of mill
fary etiquette. Finding that their views on the
subject were irreconcnable and being OF the opin-
Son that the professors views were not Of proper
courtesy, he CHASED him across the plain and forced
him TO take refuge IN the academic building. from
upper window OF which the professor after
having secured himself from further intrusion,
ordered his palrsaer into arrest. at the time
addressing him F'dlseourteously and applying 20
him opproBious epirlets.'
Though not so stated. It is TO be presumed that
Cadet Swift made dIgnifed and fitting reply. At
any rate he pursued the, matter with character
fstic veor BY communicating with General
Dearborn the Secretary Of War. and making it
clear TO that kindly that the Military Academy
was entirely too,small for the occupancy Of both
the professor ana the undergraduate. After some
correspondence and official investigation. II was
found expedient to the professor, his con-
duct and previous life having been proved 10 be
FAR from desirable. Cadet Swift remained TO be-
come the first graduate Of the Military Academy,
and his subsequent career to have established
the secretarys reputation as a man Of judgment
and discrimination. for the history Of the few sue
cesses which fell the lot OF this struggling nation
IN the War of ]sl2 IS filled with tributes 70 the ser
vices OF this graduate
Among other things. he planned the defences of
New York Harbor and Of Long Island. and at the
age OF thirty Chief OF Engineers OF the United
States Army with the rank OF Brigader General.
SCOTT VALUED THEM.
The hrst war Of any consequences in which West
Pointers had opportunity TO show their mettle
was that with Mexico. At its outbreak there
about five hundred graduates IN the army, and
they numbered more than two-thirds OF all its
officers. The history OF that war IS one OF a sue
cesson Of victories, in which thirty pitched battles
were fought and against almost overwhelming
ODDS. At ifs conclusion General Scott himself a
non-graduateS voiced his appreciation OF West
Pointers in the following words: ''I give It as my
fixed opinion that, but for graduated cadets,
the war between the United States and Mexico
might and probably would. have lasted some four