The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-25
College Men
Form $4,000
Reserve Army
That Many Graduates of State
Schools With -Four Years
Military Training.

~ ness everybody seems to forget
that there are probably 1900
living graduates Of the State a~gricul.
tural colleges. most OF whom have
a four years training in military
tactics- Two-thirds of these men are
under 45 years Of age and 1t Is safe TO
say that almost forty thousand Of
them are physically At for military
service. Not a few OF them. indeed,
are already officers Of the United
States army. The best of them ara
nearer to the West Point standard
thar any other body of men in the
United states.
Senator Morrill, OF Vermont way
back in 1862 conceived the notion that
the proceeds from the sale of public
lands should go to maintaining in the
several States OF the Union colleges
wnere mould be taught agriculture,
the arts and military
tacucs. IN soine states colleges were
Iounueu 10 accept the penehts OF the
Morrlil act In others colleges already
IN existence were ueslgnated as beno-
nciaries under the act. The States
were a little SLOW about the matter
and some or the colleges were NJ first
rather negligent about the military
sid OF the business.
some states held onto their share
OF land originally appropriated FOR the
rounding OF the colleges and sold II al
a great others being in a
hurry LOT endowment Immediately
turheo their iano lhto cash. for years
inc coiesS iooheu or"hrd WIN dread
10 the tiihe "hen the sales or public
ANUS shouio cease an" lhere wour
DO no further revenue from that
source put When that time 'ane regI-
lar appropriations We're mad' Tor ne
coileses from the federal Treasury,
tnough payment was made through
the states NO" the revenue OF those
coiieses from the Federal Govern
ment is vastly larger than anybody
hau eNpecteu IL ever W'uIi o"'
When these colleges Uere NJ;
founded this country was pretty sex
of war ana many Of the colleges womb
have been glad to be rid ~ The r.
Quirement that they each military
tactics. For some years almost any
sort OF person was made professor Z
military tactics. Sometimes 1t was a
veteran OF the civil war, hims..i
without systematic military education
Sometimes 1t was a F@renchman ~
German who also gave instruction "A
his native Tho Federal
! Government had plenty Of OH nj
tary accoutrements, 50 there vi- rn
scarcity OF equipment, such as u N,.
The students were clad for .r.l o.
cadet pray somewhat sur.,.,..
the lust vanished C~onfedcrarv. E.,ry
student was required ~ "tak-' m".
tary tactics unless excused ppuY
doctors certiicate. In some of ,l.
colleges the whole military hlsr,
was a hi. OF a farce during III, ,a-.F
years of the colleges. but a,,or 4, "a, .
(, became popular. BY a rcsg.s,. u
of the Federal Governmen, WHOM ,.
squad numbered 100 mon an officer
Of the army was assigned 20 Tho u..
lego That regulation continues. n;
had a wonderful effoc, M. ta. .r..a
of the corps The dIs,!rlre d.. W.,
Point. wisely modified to nee. ...,
conditions was pplied 20 som. ...t
sands Of Young men the country ..,
Four wears of such d.s..p..,c u,.rs
with drill and systematic tu-,r.c. Hu
IN every branch Of military ,car.a
had a tremardnus .Cf,pr and .g.ry
yeor tho colleges send ON, into owl
life 1000 Ia 200 mon whom "a .t'.s
experience would fit for cowwa,!