The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-13
mn HANDS OUT DIPLOMAS.
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I,,s f. ,baNee. retitrd. caus forward,
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s.s,.,sry II War and pave " Ia Adna n
t1.aes. Ir accompanying N with . mill
nv salu'H
Tho kft,1ed veteran of wars In many
shmes op4 taken nv Hirpriee ny Secretary
T,h's thoughtful attention and was visibly
.Hecrd hv the incident ~ course the
graduation crowd wna delighted.
secretary Taft arrived by train at half
ras v and vas met NJ the station by Gen.
Wn. and Lieut.. Gen. Corbin and the West
Pair, dcta chment Of regular cavalry. COM
- .t-.. I.I(,s. N AE,..Il
A. ths escort wound its way mp the hill the
sn,irp CORPS Of cadets fell in. in front Of their
barracks. under command Of Lieut.. Col.
HOWE, commandment Of Cadets. Secre-
tar Taft stood up in his carriage az IL came
IN front Of the young soldiers and barred his
head. Every cadet presented arms, the
hand played and a couple Of field pieces
roired out the S%ecretary's salute.
After that Secretary Taft me the board
Of visitors at Gen. Mills's home and then
nme out on the grass plain to review the
cadet corps formally. The cadets then
pssed in review and we're dismissed to
prepare for the graduation ceremonies.
These we're held, according to old West
Point custom, in the open air in front Of
the chapel and the library. A cool breeze
nlfW ACROSS lnt pdTduc BIouuui DuJ Jig
sun was warm enough to temper IL to the
storn spectators and everybody agreed
that it was Just about ideal commence
ment weather. About 1000 persons as
sembled for the ceremonies, most of them
friends or relatives Of the graduating
cadets.
Secretary Taft. Gen Mills. Lieut.. Gene.
Corbin and Chaffee, Gen. Horace Porter
and other members of the board Of visitors,
who ha We spent the last two weeks here,
together with the brilliantly uniformed
members of the West Point faculty and
several retired army officers, some in uni
form and others in civilian dress, took
seats on a platform that was covered with
q canopy and draped with the national
colors.
The band announced the appearance Of
the cadets, who marched out to the. rear of
the platform by companies the graduating
class carrying no rifles. They had. done
that for the last time. The graduates took
seats reserved for them and the other three
classes grouped themselves at the rear of
the assembly. Then the band played
Aud Lang Syne." Chaplain Travers offered
prayer and Gen Mills introduced Gen.
Horace Porter.
Gen. Porter told the graduates that they
we're at one Of the most important crises Of
their lives. He spoke Of the glorious record
oithe academy founded at the suggestion Of
Washington: About IT,. ne sad, cluster
borhood hostile armies were stopped. hos
tile fleets were barred n treason was
checked. This institution is one Of the most
democratic in the Republic. Here your
names don't count. Your fathers names
don't count. It's what you do here that
brave days of old when none was for a party
and all we're for the State
Gen. Porter warned the future officers
to beware of pedantry. ped antry," he
told them, lis like hypocrisy in religion.
form of knowledge without the power of
IT, He urged them to show their value to
the country in peace as we'll a s in war, and
cited the fine records made by the army at
Charleston Galveston, San Francisco and
other places of emergency.
He warned them not to be theoretioa at
tbeexpense Of practically. Some people
BE- said. ARE 80 economical in theory that
they smoke five cent cigars to save money,
when they nave to burn 10 cents worth of
matches to keep one Of the things going"
He further illustrated what he meant by
practicality by telling Of the young soldier
Who said to his commanding officer:
Isn't engineering performed by means
OF logarithms. Colonel?"
No, sir, said the Colonel, "by means Of
picks and shovels,"
Gen. Porter assured the graduates that
be believed their class would become known
tsthe distinguished class OF 1905
Gen, Corbin read his speech. In 1t he
took a whack at the low salaries the Gov.
trrment pays its young officers. He told
the graduating cadets that for the next
hve years they would receive, as foot
Officers, 1855 a day, the mounted officers
getting al7. This was about 81 a day
es than the average bricklayer received.
Are you willing to make the sacrifce?"
heasked them.
The pay of army officers" said Gen.
sorbin, was fixed thirty-fve years ago.
me cost of living has greatly increased
and other salaries nave been proportion
ttely raised, but not in the service. Nor
y there any sign Of an increase in the i'm
mediate future
Gen, Corbin wound up by calling Gen.
Porter the most distinguished living gradu-
Me OF West Point and recommending. his
Sndvlce, given on the occasion OF the West
rolnt anniversary exercises:
Never Underrate yourself in action.
reports
Ten. Mills then congratulated the MEM
ees OF tho graduating class on the COM,
Se'ol Of their course n
secretary Taft. The Secretary has appar-
enhtly been taking some a~nti-fat treatment.
Tyne man who knows him well expressed
me opinion that the unfortunate horse
whose duty IL in to carry the Secretary