Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-19
oldiers upon the experience gained in

soldiers upon the experience gained in
the Spanish war.
The actual strength of the army at
MONDAY. October IS. 1909, was 1896 Off
GERS and TAP enlisted men, making a
total of 81. 1N. This includes 17s Off
GERS and 5,731 men composing the Philip
pine scouts. body of natives, which is
used as far as possible In the place of
the regular army In those islands. The
authorized strength Of the army is 1909
of11cers and S4,419 enlisted men, which
make total of 3d. or 5000 more than
the actual number in the service The
numerical strength OF the army varies
thousand or more from month to month
during the fiscal year ending June
3O, 1863, there were added to the army
no second lieutenants, of whom four
teen were promoted from among the nom
commissioned officers and enlisted men
OF the army, and 1876 were appointed from
civil life. Since that date 1Oi have been
graduated from the Military Academy,
ana non-commissioned officers and thir
ty-four civilians, three of whom were
graduated from the Naval Academy,
have been appointed second lieutenants.
These appointments leave seventy-seven
vacancies in the line, eight IN the
Field Artillery fifty-one in the Coast Ar
tillery and eighteen In the Infantry,
which may be filled by the President at
his pleasure, by appointments from civil
life. but the candidates are required to
pass severe examination to ascertain
their fitness.
Unable to Fill Vacancies.
The Military Academy, under the pres
ent regulations. cannot furnish men
enough to fill the ordinary vacancies that
occur in the army. and in recent letter
explained the reasons why. The author
ized strength of the corps of cadets at
West Point is 329 and there are accom-
m I,,s1
croWding for more than GOO That num-
Der can be comfortably taken care of
without increasing the ordinary expense
Of the institution
But at the beginning of the current
academic year, September / 1900 there
were only 4O6 cadets on the rolls not
including four foreigners, who are being
educated there by consent of Coneress
ana ~ vacancies have been caused by
.ne neglect of senator's and representa-
yves 10 make appointments, the failure
Oh young men who have been appointed
TO appear to claim thes advantages which
are oHered them in one Of the finest for
Tree education. schools i'm the world. and
the INABILITY of others to pass the mental
and physical examinations.
There are six less cadets at tba .oo,
envy this year than there were yaar
ago. during the recent year forty-ona
CADETS were discharged for deficiencies in
thelr studies or for physical disability
winch ue'eoped AFTER their admission.
TOUR resigned, seven were dismissed for.
vlolatlhg the rules of the academy and
iVl We're graduated last June and received
commissions in the regular army.
Durlng the last ten years the number
OF graduates has averaged less per wear
tnan the vacancies caused by casuaifias
alone. without considering the increa go Go
the numerical strength Of the army Tho
number of principals and alternates dos.
lsnated. who fail to report for examine
ton Is increasing every year Secratary
Dickinson called attention to a Hill No.,
pending in Congress to correct this con-
| dition. which IL passed, will keen The
quarters at the academy full of cadets
This bill provides that "Whenever anw
cadet shall have finished three wears ~
his course at the Military Academy tho
succeeding appointment may be msde
from his congressional district or ar
large. In order that the appointments mo =,
be made in time to permit the candida tas
| to prepare themselves for the entrance
examinations, and to enter the neyt yaar
Education Of o@cers.
The Military Academy was established
and is maintained for the purpose of edu-
eating officers for the military service
but according to this statement of the
Secretary of War. 1t does not more than
half fulfill that purpose.
An examination of the records OF the
commissioned officers in the regular army
shows that only 1915 per cent were edIi.
Gated at West Point 1857 per cent were
appointed from civil life. and 1897 ner
cent were promoted from the ranks.
The following table shows a compari-
cor of hn nfT7- Il;