Arizona republican., 1907-02-11

are all n-cOmmissiOned offices. they are of much responsibility and require men of considerable capacity.
 Theoretically. the private soldier may become a commissioned officer. and may even rise to the position Of captain, major, colonel. or to be gen eral in charge of the entire army; but in reality his opportunities of being promoted to the ranks of commissioned officers, except in time of war. are very small indeed. In any year, after all the cadets graduating from the West Point Military Academy have been appoint ed second leiutenants. which is the low est commissioned office, the vacancies left, if there be any, may be filled by private soldiers. provided they are able , to pass the examination. When they once obtain a commissioned office, their opportunities are on par with those of the graduates of West Point.
 Nearly all of our United States army officers are graduates of West Point. If they were not sound in body and strong in mind, they could not have been graduated. The fact that they have been West Point graduates is a guarantee of physical strength and mental attainment. They have been educated in the hardest school of learn ing which the world can produce and successfully maintain. They have suc- cessfully met educational difficulties; they have fought Against themselves, and have become masters of them selves; they have something more than book educations: they possess actual, practical and substantial knowledge of things in general and of army af- fairs in particular.
 The cadets education after he en- ters West Point, costs him nothing in money: in fact, he is paid a salary while being educated. He enters the army as a commissioned officer. lives in officers quarters. and associates with officers. From the West Point Acad- emy he begins to command men. With all these advantages, however, he is at one great disadvantage. for he cannot choose a location for q home, nor is he ever suIs of a permanent home. He may be stationed at once place for a year or for ten years. and then moved to another or to several others. But this constant moving, or the liability of constant moving, need not interfere with his having a family. for the gov ernment provides for such eXigencies and in many of the stations suitable living quarters for its married officers are maintained.
 I would not advise any boy of only ordinary ability to attempt to enter the West Point Military Academy first, be- cause there is little chance that he can pass the competitive examination; and second. because it is doubtful if he can pass the regular West Point eXamina tion; and third, because the chances are few that he can keep up with his class and be graduated into the army even if he is able to enter the Academy.
 If the boy is sound of body. of good mental capacity. and is willing to work hard and be faithful under army dis cipline. which is to some very obnOx- ious. there is no reason why he should not consider enlistment in the army. To become a soldier by enlisting as a private is an entirely different matter from entering the army as an officer. Rightly or wrongly. the lines of army yuaftA are fInAly drawn between the West Pointer and those who have risen from the ranks; and the commissioned officer, who has not graduated from the