New-York tribune., 1906-06-13
CADETS GET DIPLOMAS.
Secretary TAFT and General Corbm
Uelcome Neso Officers.
TIsy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

a-i-N
az ,he West Point Military Academy was gradu-
ated with hoaors. receiving the diplomas signed by
the President Of The United States ana ire 0e0io
tary of War. They become second he1'ehAhNs i
The regular service. The ioith commencement al
West Point was possibly. one OF the most I'M
r,ressive ever held this historic lnsutGuoi MOI
,,l,, owing to the exceptional weather, but to The
NUMBER Of distinguished officers present ana 10 te
penersl ,oersounel OF the graduating class
William III Taft Secretary OF War, arrived early
An the morning and made the presentations OF the
s,nlonos Lieutenant General Henry {. Corbin
was present and made an address. ana rehei ai
Horace Porter. president OF the Board OF VS.
iors also made address. Lieutenant HeAei<t
aana r Chance (retircd) also present. ana
TOOK part in most impressive event OF lie Gay
when he presented his son, Adna H. Chaliee, Ji'
with his diploma at the request or secre'hS A
General (-orbin In his address, complained s0iie
.h.+ b,t+e,lv that commissioned officers IN the
limited States army should receive about y ies'
each day at the beginning OF their Terms Vi -
vice than brickaysrs do Secretary AaiN
IN emphatic terms, although good natureois' ~
S,7i-1, fbs Governments attitude and. taxing
General Corbins statements piecemeal, tore pieih
10 pieces. A., .aa.s
r1osnite the graduation ball last night, the cauets
were I'D as usual this morning, ana were " -
TALON formation along the paraoe sioOi s -
secre+arv Taft arrived The Secretary was eS
corted to the parade ground by saUa. % -,
cavalry and General Corbn ana UeHei -
stIuerintendent OF the academy, acteo az 'i
marched in review before the Secretary Inc - -
,ooncer,ent exercises were held iIumdiately aI'eF-
ward. -.
The exercises were held at the easteriy enc u
the narade ground. directly across the sueet -
"a. library Both cadets and guests sat unoet lAe
,ra c,,,e on the academy campus The speakers
and hoard Of visitors were seated on Temporary
platform. The graduating class IN theH sIa'
dress uniforms and stfiy starched DUCK tIOuse4S'
sal in front As the honor men, the hVe 4eaueIS'
honor man of the class OF 'O6 is Harold ;. hel-
rick OF Connecticut. out Of a possible general
mark of 25S5 points Cadet Hetrick received lhe
remarkable total Of 244.S3. His aged father was
one Of the proudest men at the commencement
Tho other honor men were William A Johnson
James J. Leving, Frederick B. Downing Aio Eo-
ward L. Daley. These five young men, Win .he
four next in rank, may select any line OF service
they doslre and. It goes without saying VIII al
take the engineers the most coveted detai4 IN uie
United States army.
Among the board OF visitors present were Oeleial
Porter Colonel Charles T. Homer, Nonkers; CORONER
William s Church, Benjamin s. Johnson ProlessOr
Persons Of Alabama: Colonel A 4. Wiley. RepTe-
sentative Holiday and Representative Samuel w
Smith Brigadier General Mills acted as presiding
officer and following the playing Of patriouc airs
by the United States Military Academy band ana
rraNer by Chaplain Trayers, called on General
Horace Porter TO the address 10 the gradual
ing class General Porter. in addressing the class
said I'm part
This day marks important crisis-almost the
most important OF your life. You go from youth 70
manhood from student TO instructor. from cadet
10 officer. This institution is of the most demo
gIray democratid institution in our Republic.
here names do count; your fathers names do
not count: only your lessons count. You have now
entered one of the Oldest and nohlest of all learned
entidc 1t is now necessary TO teach men not only
how TO stop bullets but how 70 make the then o me
the sword. Never fail 10 cultivate an active initi-
Sou can't be 100 conservative Never forget 70
maintain the american system Of cultiyatng am an
10 take command when the officers fall;
General Porter spoke of the of the army in
times Of peace in civil conflicts. and said:
We haze seen an 3 army suppress 5 the I dangers Of Of
feared than an opposing army. Recently at that
appalling catastrophe. the most appalling Of this
mouium into almost a paradise.
General Porter closed his address by urging the
graduates 10 be practical. and illustrated his
marks with several humorous stories.
Lieutenant General Henry c. Corbn read a
carefully prepared address, and it stirred up a
hornets nest when he spoke Of the pay for Off
GERS
General Corbin said. in part:
To-day you cease 10 he cadets and becoms off,
GERS II is my pleasing duty present you to the
an army worthy the great Republic love
50 Wcu cali own. You can consider your
selves fortunate IN becoming companions and COM
races OF me orhceTs and soldiers Of that army.
Dnoei ne l4W ana articles OF war you are the
sixty thousand of your cOuntrymen.
While the law hNes your rank. you. by your con-
Academy has equipped you for the race 1t is for
yog to 90 III, he running To be superiors in rank
appeal neither you nor the service. You must
or superior 5he routine and details Of the SER
vice, in barracks well as in battle in morals as
wei as T. manners. in patience well in
cleanliness, in song and IN good hunor. song
story and humor are most becoming. Intelligence
good morals and good manners make the gentle
mani tie eenueman makes the best officer.
aei, @ m, @ lTSS & upon you the imP9raace ian t of
VII and friendship Of tho companions OF your
have no home" ] have always accepted such state
nlenis as those OF msfortunes for which
Was 10 blaln" but the officer himself. When YOU
go on leave 90 10 your OLD home. and let your first
Sq9ScT1Iu uon be tor your home paper.
yourselves Of you should take pains 10 determine
whether the. service appeals TO you so fully that
hsse; IA my }qaginent a perfect right 10 consider
desires ambition and careful Judgment may sug-
S, - pshh' you nave rlsht 70 have II DO 50
Aour training here, If properly applied, makes you
tary point Of view, Of the army as in IT.
AS compared with the broad and inviting field
Ter and 1rainng The service, calls for many
+, IllStS , ana h'1rasflps. In the matter OF com
10 come than now paid skilled mechanics. Those
entering Tho foot service viii receive 81 50 day.
While mounted officers VIII receive 81 Il day.
lne Hesen5 pay "A day OF bricklayers is s6; Of
that al skilled labor has a better Der diem rhan
tng s9,eII,len' 1e & EIes ne graduates Of the Mill
nlents OF far greater material advantage than YOU
ert pay WAS fixed by act of Congress more than
@ ~ yeais ago A. Compared with the sal
liberal since then the cost Of living has greatly
increased. and salaries IN other vocations ana
wages have advanced accordingly but this has
not been done for the army. A careful surrey OF
IN The very near future So those Of YOU accept
.ig @ FI 81 |loe sAouiG 90 SO with this understanding
by those conditions cheerfuly-