The Sunday Oregonian., June 01, 1902, PART FOUR, Page 32, Image 32

32
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, JUNE 1, 1902,
Centennial of
the Beginnings at West Point; Its.
Early Struggles
A-Century's Growthby
Captain W. C Rivers, Adjutant, United
States Military Academy
WHERE THE NATION'S GREAT SQLDIERS ARE MADE
WEST POINT, the .eeat of the
United States Military Acad
emy, which celebrates this
month the completion nf Its 100 years of
work for the country, was a place of
great Interest for Americans even beforo
the thought of establishing a military
school had been suggested.
Situated in the beautiful highlands of
the Hudson, the dignity and beauty of the
landscape give It an almost unique place
In the varied and wonderful scenery of
the continent. Overlooking from a flat
trdaln, backed by high hills, a narrow turn
in tlie river, it became the key point In
the struggle for Its possession in the
Revolutionary War. and its ground .was
In that contest hallowed by the footsteps
of most of the great .leaders Washing
ton, whose headquarters were there In
1779; Hamilton, Greene, Putnam, Knox,
Pickering and others "having been familiar
with the rugged mountains and grand
views, which remain unchanged.
Went .Point in the Revolution.
From Its commanding position, it Is
etrange that not until three jears arter
the beginning of hostilities was West
Point occupied by the troops and fortified.
In the Summer of 1775 a committee, under
resolution of Congress, began the erection
of fortifications on the opposite shore
and on the island across the river since
lenow n from the name of the fort as Con
stitution Island, but then called Martel
aer's Rock, from an early settler. Vari
ous committees having charge of the work
on the island seem to have reported that
the est Point commanded the w orks un- I
der construction, as did Lord Stirling, in
his report in 177C, when he was sent by (
"Washington to inspect the fortifications '
In the Highlands. No attempt was made !
to remedy the defect, however, unfll after
disaster and defeat in October, 1777. when I
the British captured the works below' (
West Point, overran it, thus command- j
Jng and easily forcing the surrender of j
Fort Constitution. The surrender of Bur-
goyne's army compelled the British to re- j
tire to New York, after only 20 days' Oc
cupancy of the works, and Washington, I
in December, 1777, gave positive and full I
instructions for the obstruction of the
river and for the erection of batteries
that would hold the Highlands.
So, on January 20, 177S, General Parsons
crossed over from the east sideband thus
began the occupation of West Point as
a garrisoned post, which has continued ',
to the present time. , i ,'
Plans for the new works were begun J
under the French engineer Kadlere, on a
Kpnlp thnt wnc lmni-?nH.nVil .- 1
tenle, and he was succeeded, March 26,
377S, by the illustrious Thaddeus Koscius
ko, whose name will ever be associated
with the place and whose monument,
erected by the cadets in 1S2S, at a cost
of $5000, stands on Fort Clinton (called
then Fort Arnold), constructed by him on
the northeast 'corner of the plain.
Colonel Rufus Putnam, of a Massachu
setts regiment, began in the same year
the fort bearing his name, of which the
well-preserved ruins still remain on the
high hill, 500 feet above the water and
350 above the plain.
The great chain, some of the links ot
-which weighing 130 pounds each still re
main at west .point, was forged by hand
at the iron works a few miles to the j
southwest, and was stretched across the
river April 30, 1778. in order to aid in the
OD&trucuon or navigation,, In 1779 Wash
ington made his headquarters at West
Point from July 25 to the 28th of No
vember, when he removed to New burgh,
Just above.
The British at this period of low ebb
in the fortunes of the colonists were
bending every effort to secure control of
the river in order to senarato th tninntas
when, on August 3, 1780, General Benedict!
Arnold was assigned to command at West
Point. With the dramatic events follow
ing Arnold's attempt to deliver the for
tress, through treason, into their hands,
resulting in Arnold's escape and the exe
cution of the less blameworthy Major
Andre, of the British Army, all are fa
miliar. Generals Greene, Heath and Knox com
manded at West Point till the cessation
Of hostilities, when It- nnssnrt Intn thn
hands of Major George Fleming, and some !
oi me worits were dismantled and many i
of the guns sold.
The need for educated and trained offi
cers was keenly felt in the Revolutionary I
struggle, when dependence for scientific J
work had to -be placed on foreign officers.
Most of these were French, and some of j
them were soldiers of fortune without the
character necessary to make them useful.
When war with France was .threatened J
the weakness of depending on foreign j
talent was made apparent, and the les-'
GEORGE ADE'S
ONCE there was a Multl-Milllonalre
who felt jealous when he saw
Carnegie throwing $20 Gold Pieces
at the Squirrels, while Coal-Oil Johnny
Rockefeller was handing his pet Uni
versity another Million every time anew
Student came-in out of the Tall Grass
and Matriculated.
He saw that a very Rich Man who
wishes to be Respected must fill his
Clothes with Currency and go out and
slather It around and holler for every
body to have Something on him and keep
the Change. He decided to follow the
prevailing Fashion and spend his Money
before ho died, thereby giving the Ha
Ha to the Legal Profession.
But when this would-be Philanthropist
got ready to cut the Strings on his Bundle
he struck a Snag. Tho Philanthropy
Business had been overworked. Every
Town large enough to be indicated on
the Map had a Carnegie Library. He
found that the Orphans were receiving
more Care and Attention than the Chil
dren of Club Women. About the only
Little Ones who got Into the Country In
the Summer were the Homeless Waifs.
As for Colleges, they had multiplied so
rapidly that all through the Middle West
it was practically impossible to get Har
vest Hands. The Poor Worklngman
showed no Inclination to go against the
Free Reading Room and the Cheap Lec
tures on Astronomy, for ho had the Price
in his Pocket, and preferred to play
Seventy-Seven in some German Pla'ce
where they served Hot Lunch.
It began to look as though the benevo
lent Millionaire would have to burn his
Money or else leave It to the usual Neph-
ew, who lived on High Balls and Musical
Comedy.
"Surely there is Suffering somewhero
In this World," said the perplexed Mil
lionaire. "Some one is waltlns for a
Helping Hand. Now to find him."
He began a careful Study of Social Con
ditions and toon, discovered that the real
JTS GU&RD TENT5 OF CADETS ENCAMPMENT 4JR
sons thus 'learned were deeply engraved
on the minds of the patriots of the Revo
lution. As early as October 1. 1776, Congress
passed a resolution to appoint a commit
tee to prepare a plan for "a military
academy at the Army." John Adams,
president of the Committee of War and
Ordnance, no doubt was responsible for
the resolution, and he, with four other),
was on the commltte. The result was the
establishment the following year, by res
olution of .June 5. 1777, of the Corps of
Invalids, whioh was Intended for garri
son duty, and-to be composed of joung
gentlemen who, after Instruction, would
be appointed to the regiments in the
field.
As might be expected, the results fol
lowing the establishment of the "Military
Academy of the Army" were few, as from
the nature! of war the officers could not
be assembled, and even if It had been
practicable' to do this they had their duties
which were too onerous to spare the time
and energy for the prosecution of book
studies.
The idea-was a sound one, even If the
method of executing It was impracticable,
and showed the early conception of the
need for thorough and sound education
and training In order to have efficient
and disciplined officers. The Invalid
Corps was organized, however, and re
mained till the end of the war. In 17S1
It was marched from Philadelphia to form
part of the garrison at West Point, and
thus occupied by chance the very ground
on which afterward the Ideas of military
education were to be thoroughly carried
out.
In 17S3, after the cessation of hostilities,
Colonel Alexander Hamilton, as chairman
of the Committee on Peace Arrangements,
called on Washington for his views as
to the peace establishment. Washington
laid the matter before his officers at New
burgh. Generals Huntington, Pickering
and others mentioned the urgent need for
educated officers, and It was but natural
that West Point, In plain sight, should
be mentioned as a suitable place for a
school.
Nothing definite was done, however, at
that time, and when Washington became
the first President under the Constitution
he referred to it again in his message of
December 3. 1793. When the message was
discussed Jeffcrwn, afterward the firm
friend and loyal supporter of the acad
emy, whose portrait, painted by Sully, at
FABLE IN SLANG
OF THE MODERN BENEFACTOR WHO MADE A
SUCCESS IN A NEW LINE OF WORK- .
-
Sufferer, the miite and patient Victim who
was getting the Hooks oftener than any
one else, was the- Gentleman who wore
the High Collar and carried In his Hip
Pocket a little Work on Etiquette and
Good Behavior.
The poor Reptile whose Wife got up' in
the Morning-and grabbed the Paper-to see
If the Family was mentioned, he was the
banner Patsy of all Creation and he was
the Boy that was praying for some one
to come ajong and throw him a Life
line. By further Investigation the Multi
Millionaire was horrified to learn that
here In this smiling Land of Plenty,
where the Roses bloom in June and the
Editorial Writer calla attention to the
prevalent Peace and Happiness, there
were thousands of sad-eyed Men and
Women ,who put on their Good Clothes
when they would rather not do so, who
went out when they would rather stay
at Home, who Ate when they were not
Hungry, Drank when they were not
Thirsty. Conversed by the hour with Peo
ple who bored them, listened to Speeches
they did ( not want to hear, ,Whooped it
up for Amateur. Performances 'that' were
absolutely punk, applauded Vocal Music
that was too fierce for w'ords, fondled the
Infants-that they-wantedLto .tbnjt tie. and
read Historical Romances that caused
them to have Charley-Horse Dreams.
"Oh, why should wc send Relief Ships
to Martinique when there Is so much Mis
ery right here In our own principal Resi
dence Streets?, asked the philanthropic
Millionaire.
So he founded and endowed a Society J
for the Relief of those who are "Invited
Out. The Purpose of this glorious Or
ganization was to prove that Entertain
ment should entertain
As a flrot Move, the Benefactor Invited
J all the well-known Citizens to a Formal
Dinner In honor of a Statesman who wore
Medals for talklng against Time. All
the Local Orators who were accustomed
to paying for their Plates by telling the
same Stories that used to go so well In
the Birch and Backus Days were up at
the Head Table. A feeling of Sadness
seemed to .brood.over the. large .Assem-
mm TT I . . I, i ,i,i """
the request of its officers, still adorns
the buildings, thought that the estab
lishment of such an academy was not
authorized by the Constitution. Washing
ton therefore referred to it In less definite
terms than he had probably intended to
emDlov. but so earnestly did he think on
the subject that he could, not bevlnduced
to omit the recommendation from his j
message. Again in his message or uc
cember, 1795, he remarked, that "the de
sirableness, of this Institution had con
stantly increased with every new view he
had taken of the subject."
The law of May 9. 1794, ad In the
meantime authorized the organization of
a corps of artillerists and engineers, of 16
companies, with two cadets to a com
pany, thus creating the new grade of
"cadet" in the American Army.
This was a compromise measure along
the lines of the old idea of "a Military
Academy at the Army," and produced re
sults equally scanty. A school for the
artillerists and engineers and -for the ca
rets was, however, established at West
Point in 17S4, and book? and instruments
were purchased for their instruction un
der their own officers. The building was
burned in T796, though, and the school sus
pendedt In 179S an additional .regiment
of artillerists and engineers was allowed,
and the number of cadets doubled and
four teachers were authorized but never
engaged., '
Washington, In Jils last message dealt
emphatically with the plan to establish
a military academy, and John Adams,
long an ardent student of the subject and
a warm supporter of the Idea, dealt
with It in a special mess-age on January
13, 1S00, and in a .supplemental message
January 31, 1S00. The matter was re
ferred to a committee, but was postponed
in the Spring of 1800 over the end'of the
session.
In December, 1S01, the Secretary of War
was called on by Congress for a state
ment of the military establishment, and
an act was finally passed, March 16, 1S02,
establishing the Military Academy. The
Idea was still prevalent that young men
should be educated as a part of the army
and not before they joined It, for the act
required the separation of the artillery
and engineers, authorising the President
to form a corps of the latter "stationed at
West Point, in the State of New York,"
and declared that- It -"shall constitute a
Military Academy."
Though 50 cfldots' were authorized for
j hlage until It was discovered that in,
front of each Plato was a Card .saying
that any one - attempting1 to -make a
Speech would be -thrown out on his Neck.
Three or four of fthe Spell-Binders were
temporarily stunned, but the Main Bunch
laid their Faces down amonc the Cut
I Flowers nnd wept for Joy. The Dinner
proceeded with tremendous Enthusiasm
There were no Dark Clouds on the "Hori
zon, 'threatening a' Wlnd-"Btorm. No one
was wondering how long the Mayor or
the Congressman was going to Spout, or
whether they had Manuscripts concealed
on their Persons. The Orchestra played
Coon Songs without any interruption
from the Chairman. No one said anything
about the Feast of Reason and the Flow
of Soul. The Man with the Megaphone
Voice cut no Ice whatsoever, for they
had hrm sewed up Every one went home
feeling good.
Next day no less than 40 grateful Per
sons stopped the Reformer on the Street
and bade him Godspeed in his Noble
Work.
The next Thing the Society did was to
offer a Cash Bonus to any one giving a
Reception 'at which there would 'be no
standing in Line and shaking Hands.
Also It offered annual Salaries to all
Celebrities -who refrained from reading
long-winded Papers to helpless Clubs. -
A rpeclal Fund was -set aside 'for the
purpose of having Children In the Public
Schools taught, by means'of Charts, the
Deadly Effects of the Lap Supper.
Then the -Society offered a Bounty of
$2 'for the Scalp of. any Person guilty of
Amateur Theatricals and a Reward of
J $100 for the Body, dead or alive, of any
one proposing, a Lady Minstrel Show.
A diamond-encrusted Brooch was of
fered to every Young Woman who would
J pledge herself never to sing anything
J that she learned at the Conservatory.
SDccial Endowments were offeree: to
Colleges on condition that Graduates
should not be permitted to arise on a
Hot Day and quote from Emerson.
A large Sum was set aside to secured
the passage of a Law prohibiting the
sale of Flutes to any one except a Ger
man employed In an ..Orchestra, ...
the engineers and the artillery, no provis
ion was made for them, and the early ex
istence of the academy was one of con
stant trial and struggle. It opened, how
ever, with 10 cadets, July 4, 1802. Major
Jonathan Williams, an officer of wide ex
perience, who had traveled and resided in
France, wa the .first superintendent, and
to his energy and capacity much of the
success of the academy in Its early trials
Is due.
The cadets lived In the old Revolution
ary barracks, which was without stove3
or conveniences of any kind. They cut
their own firewood and sawed It for the
fireplaces in the barracks. Many had
difficulty In securing food, there being no
common mess, and the cadets boarded
here and there. Of discipline there was
little or none, and the uniform was woj-n
or not, at pleasure. The uniform was
blue, Aintll the adoption of the present
gray uniform, September 4, 1S16. Cadets
were admitted at all ages and at any time,
regardless of th,elr qualifications, and,
due to the rigor of the climate, there was
a vacation from December to March each
Winter.
Various laws changed the number of
cadets, until the eminently wise custom of
appointing one from each Congressional
district was mhde law, March 1. 1S43. The
law of June 6, 1500, gave each Senator one
appointment and the President 30, so that
the total authorized will be (under the new
apportionment of Congress) In 1903 511.
The Academy may be said to have ben
in a struggling and chaotic condition un
til the appointment of Major Sylvanus
Thayer as superintendent, in 1S17. He en
forced the law- as to the qualifications of
cadets, drafted rules on the organization
and discipline of the corps, organized them
Into companies and classes and system
atized the Academy on the same general
plan that exists today.
At one period before the Mexican War
.there was in some states much opposition
to the Academy, on the erroneous ground
that its students were supposed" to be rich
men's sons, and that they would form an
aristocracy. The success of Its graduates
in the Mexican War showed the fallacy of
the grounds of the opposition, and the
Civil War demonstrated the fact that no
institution created by the patriots of the
Revolution had more fully Justified the
wisdom and foresight of Its founders.
There have been three epochs In building
construction. The old Revolutionary
structures were replaced by substantial
Soclcty Leaders were quietly bribed to
circulate the Report that Party Calls
were no longer fashionable.
A Hall of Fame was established for
Bridal Couples that refused to take Pres
ents and cut out .the Reception at the
Home" of her Parents.
Then thcMultl-MHllonalre .Inaugurated
a Grand Movement for the final Emanci
pation of those who wear Drefo Clothes.
He worked on the Legislature to set
aside three days In every Week for the
private use of those who want to do as j
iney please, without .being pulled nnd
hauled. Any one who broke In, on these
days with Invitations was liable to Prose
cution, the Penalty being a Fine or Im
prisonment, or both. ,
By the time this practical Reformer had
spent a couple of Millions helping the
unfortunate Upper Clafes'to throw oft
the bnnckles, he was the most popular
Character In the Country.
His heroic Example Induced many weak
and faltering Souls to swear off on the
Entertainments tnat had been slowly but
surely leading them toward the Foolish
House.
After he passed away his Statue was
set up In every Park and his Birthday
L was observed in the Public Schools with
a Half-Holiday instead of a Programme
of Recitations and Speeches.
Moral: Some People ore too Polite to
cail for Help.
' (Copyright, 1502.)
. Onr Ovrn.
If I bad known In the inornlns
How warllr all the day
The words unwind "Would trouble my mind ''
That I a,ld, when you went-away,
I Imd been more careful, darling,'
Nor Rlen ou pcedleis palnr
But vre -vex our own- with look and ton
We niay never take back again.
I
For though In the quiet evening
Tou marlVd, mer theAklssof peace,
Tet It well might be that never foi me
The pain of" the -heart should cease!
How many go 'forth at morning.
Who neer come home at,plchtl
And hearts have broken for harsh words
spoken.
That sorrow can ne'er set right.
" nBve " wiougni tor tne stranger.
1 T,A,nd )neVer the T1.ltlI?..f,e".t;
rr '"' r ""-' r: ",.", L","
Though we love our own. the best.
Ah! lips with the curve impatfent.
Ah! brow with the shade of scorn.
"Twerea cruel fate, were, the night top late
To undo the work of the morn! V.
.p..... ailrgaret E. Songster.
stone barracks and an academic build
ing about 1S15, and these In turn gave'way
to the present barracks and mess hall and
library. In 1850.
Plans recently npproved by the House
of Representatives call for an expendi
ture of $5,000,000 in order to replace many
old and worn-out structures, and to re
build the post on modern lines, In keep
ing with the traditions of the place, pre
serving all the 'old buildings that can be
used, as the barracks, mess hall, acad
emic building, library, gymnasium and
others. One small frame cottage, still in
use. is said to be the only Revolutionary
building that remains.
Curriculum.
The course of study covers four years,
and the subjects are largely mathematics
and the exact sciences. Of the languages,
French, Spunlsh and English are taught,
with general history, military history
and the art and science of war. The, ca
dets of each class are divided into groups
of about 10, for each of which there is
an instructor. This principal of small
sections, with every man reciting every
day, coupled with the extensive us-e made
of the blackboard In recitations, differen
tiates the methods at West Point from
those In use at colleges, and makes for
thoroughness in preparation and recita
tion. Each cadet is marked on a &cale
of three each day, and his masks are
posted up where he can see them at the
end of the week. The lowest mark to j
oDtam pronciency is two-tnirtts ot tne
maximum for the day or for the term.
A cadet who does not come up to the
proficient mark has, however, an oppor
tunity to savo himself at the examina
tions held each January and June. These
ordeals must be passed by all, and a fail
ure results In the young man's going
home, or being, if he has, been sick or for
similar reason unable to study, put back
into the next lower class, and spendlns I
five years at the Academy, Instead of four.
Academic duties consume the time from
September 1 to June 15, the Summer
months being spent In camp, at West
Point. The camp, life Is largely devoted to
out-of-door drills and practical training
In the duties of soldiers; guard duty is j
Kept up in wc strictest iasnion, anu most
of each day is taken up with drills and
parades.
A good deal could be said of the disci
pline at West Point, which may be called
Inflexible rather than severe. Each and
WHAT THE COURTS DECIDE
WHERE a telegraph company re
ceived and contracted to deliver
a message with reasonable dili
gence to the address at a certain hour and
charges were not paid or guaranteed for
delivering it clsewnere. tne supreme uourt
of Texas. In the -case of Western Union
Telegraph Company vs. Swearingen (67 S.
W.'Rep., 767), hold that the company was
under no obligations to deliver the mes
sage at 'his home several miles from such
town.
" Contributory Xesrllfirence.
Where a man discovered his child on a
railroad track a short distance In front of
an approaching train, the Supreme Court
of ToxaSj In the case of San Antonio Ac
Corpus Christie Railway Company vs.
Gray (67 S. W. Rep , 763), hold that the
fact that ho ran back along the -track
toward the train In an effort to save his
child , doeb not render him liable to a
charge of contributory negligence.
ZVot Fnlse Representation.
,An assertion by the seller of a business
In. the purchaser's presence that the busl-'1
ncss would make a ousnei or money ana
similar statements were not false repre
rcntatlons, such as would avoid, the pur
chaser's note given for the business, hold
the Court of Appeals of St. Louis, Mo., i
in the case of black vs. Epstein (67 b. W.
Rep., 736).
Xo Direct Interest.
The Interest of the judges or jurors as
taxpayers and citizens of a county In a
prosecution wherein the fine, if Imposed,
would go to the county. Is held hy the
Court of General Seasons of Delaware, in
the case of State vs. Lynn (5i At. Rep.
S7S), not to be such direct, tangible and
substantial interest as to constitute
ground for change of venue.
Unauthorised Police Power,
Under laws relating to cruelty to a4il
mals. In New Hampshire It Is provided
that "Whenever an officer shall take any
such animal into his possession which ap
pears? by Teason of age, injury or other
cause to bo disabled for use, said officer
shall call upon three disinterested citi
CAPEfaRAgffS J
every act of emission or commission that
Is observed by vigilant Army officers
or cadet officers is noted" down, and each
day all such offenses are publicly post
ed where cadets may see them. Such a
report might read. "Dust on mantel, 10:30
A. M." or "Floor not properly swept,"
or some slight dereliction at drill or pa
rade might bring a report of not going
through some movement correctly.
With reference to all such reports, ca
dets have the right to write an explana
tion of the circumstances, and if this is
satisfactory the report will be removed.
Otherwise, he receives demerit for It,
with possible punishment also. Punish
ments usually consist in the offender be
ing confined to his room when the others
have recreation hours, nnd may Include
"tours" of two hours' walking equipped as
a sentry.
The principle Is that each and every
offense has a corresponding punishment,
which, while small or nominal In many
cases. Is as sure as can be to follow.
Cadets enter at all ages from 17 to 22,
and from all parts of the country. On
arriving at West Point the newcomer, or
"plebe," is in a strange land, amid
strange faces, but he soon comes to
know his own classmates, among whom
strong and lifelong ties are formed.
Life in the Corps of Cadets is absolutely
democratic. Cadets being allowed no
money and being allowed to receive noth
ing from home for their rooms, or In the
way of clothes. It Is Indeed hardly ever
knowp by them whether the parents ol
other cadets are millionaires or farmers.
N,or do they care nor want to know, as
each cadet is taken cpmpletely on his
character, and his standing among his
fellows depends absolutely upon himself.
No amount of money nor could number
less "grandfathers" affect this or the
manner In which he Is treated by his fel
lows at all. The most exacting Ideas of
truth, honor and courage prevail In the
Corps of Cadets, and religion .Is highly
rcspected. No boy who is sincerely re
ligious need ever expect a look or a sneer
reflecting on him for his beliefs, but, on
the contrary, the sincerely religious man
Is genuinely respected and liked.
Cadets lccelve $45 a month, which Is
credit-id to them on the books, and against
which their board, clothes, books and all
expenses are charged. Any surplus Is
given to them only at the one furlough at
the end of the first two years, or at
graduation. No money being allowed,
their uniforms do not even have pockets
RECENT FINDINGS OF INTEREST ALIKE TO
LAWYERS AND THE LAITY.
zens, who, under oath, shall examine such
animal, and if they shall find such ani
mal to be disabled for use, said officer
shall at once cause such animal to be
killed." In passing upon this statute, the
Supreme Court" of New Hampshire held
that such statute. Inasmuch as It author
ized the destruction of a person's property
without notIceT or an opportunity to be
heard, was an unauthorized exercise of
the police jower, as a violation of the
constitutional guaranty against depriving
a person of property without due process
of law.
Only a. Trespasser.
One who, knowing that a,cqnductor ha3
no authority to grant free transportation,
enters and rides upon his train with delib
erate Intent not to pay his fare, under an
agreement or under a tacit understanding
with the conductor that he shall ride free,
is held by the United States Circuit Court
of Appeals, In the case of Purple vs.
Union Pacific Railroad Company (114
Fed. Rep., 123), to commit a fraud upon
the railroad company, and Is not a passen
ger, but Is a mere trespasser, to whom
the only duty of the company Is to abstain
from wilful or reckless Injury.
Disclosing? Private Business.
A wholesale mercantile firm. In answer
to a general Inquiry from another house
for Information "regarding the credit,
promptness and financial standing" of a
customer, is held by the United States Cir
cuit Court of Appeals, In the case of
Foster vs. McAlestcf(lH Fed Red.. 145),
not to be bound to disclose Its own busi
ness relations or the state of Its account
with such customer.
School Board's Liability.
Where a Board of Education contracts
for improvements for a school building,
the Supreme Court of California, In the
case of Morgan vs. Board of Education
(6S Pac Rep. 703) hold that it" cannot es
cape lla-blllty for breach of Its contract
by clamllng the public funds could not be
used to pay damages.
Validity of a Governor's Act,
Though the process of the courts can
not be directed against the Governor oO-
to contain It or to feel the want of It!
With the constant round of drills',
studies and parades, a cadet's life is In
deed a strenuous one, and. he has little
time for other things.
Rising at half-past 5 in the Summer and
at 6 m Winter, his studies begin at S.
and he either is confined to his room
studying or Is reciting till 4. except when
he goes to dinner at 1. At a quarter past
4 he goes to drill for an hour and a quar
ter, and after that and parade to sup
per, only to return to begin In the even
ing the next day's work. He must remain
in his room all evening, and must be in
bed at 10 o'clock. He may go to bed at
or after half -past 9. No cadet is allowed
to have a servant, horse, dog. bicycle or
any similar luxury which all cannot have,
nor to ride in a carriage. .
Th work of caring for the rooms is
dona by the occupants, there being two
cadets to a room, and this task falling to
each one wee-k at a tlme-
Save for one hour after breakfast and
a halt hdur after dinner and supper, hi
is at work all the day and evening. Dur
ing his short periods of recreation on
Saturd and Sunday afternoons he may
walk aro-jnd the grounds or roam over
th3 rclghboring hills. In these rambles
he often succeeds In finding a girl to ac
comrary him. especially in Summer, when
many vifltors are attracted to the post.
Th presence of the -visitors affords tin
cadet oppoi tunltles for social pleasure,
and the frequent short dances In Sum
mer are much enjoyed and well attended.
The cadets have In recent years taken,
under encouragement of the authorities
great Interest in athletics, and. consider
ing the limited time for practice, hae
achieved remarkable results. Their foot
ball team last year took high rank among
the four leading university, teams, and
much timt is devoted to baseball, polo,
t"w!s and to fencing. In which they won
the intercollegiate championship this year.
Results of "West Pcini Training.
The training at West Point-is Intended
to develop character first of all to make
honorable, straightforward and truthful
men and then to train the mind for clear
thinking and the body for hard work.
In addition comes the practical and
technical military instruction, combined
with discipline and subordination. West
Point has to take the material furnished
it bv the people all over the land, and
mold U as best It can. The resulting
product Is best seen by looking to tho
careers of its graduates.
In civil life many have been distin
guished. In the early part of the cen
tury most all of the railroads, canals,
bridges. National Improvements and ex
plorations were made or carried out by
Wist Point graduates. Among Its grad
uates were one President of the United
States, the President of the Confederacy,
four Cabinet Ministers, 14 Ambassadors
and MlnistersN22 Senajtors and Represen
tatives li Congress, 15 State Governors, 4I
college presidents, one bishop and 20 other
clergymen, 12, physicians and any number
of men holding honorable and prominent
positions under the Government or the
states
In war its graduates took prominent
parts In that in Mexico, and came into
pre-eminent prominence in the Civil War.
In thf United States Army 280 of them
have been Generals. Including the great
army and corps commanders of the Union
armies Grant, Sherman, Sheridan,
Thomas, Hooker, Sedgwick. Hancock,
Reynolds, Schofleld, Custer, Merrltt and
many others whose names are household
words.
One hundred and fifty-one of the Con
federate Generals were West Point grad
uates, and among- them were the com
manders of all their great armies, as well
as the President of the Confederacy Lee,
Jackson, both Johnsons. Longstreet, Polk.
Bragg, ' Pemberton, Beauregard, both
Hills, Pickett, Stuart and numbers of
others whose names were made famous
by the great contest.
The following list of great battles ot
the war Is taken at random and could be
made much longer. The commanders of
both armies In all these battles were
graduates of West Point: Bull Run,
Shlloh, Seven Days, Fredericksburg,
Chancellorsvllle. VIcksburg, Gettysburg.
Chickamauga. Wilderness, and so. on
through the war to Appomattox, to the
victorious Union forces commanded by a
brother graduate of the alma mater.
The whole number of cadets admitted
In the century was S504. of whom 121 will
have graduated w 1th the class of 1902. and
373 still remain cadets. Of the graduates,
1900 are living, of whom 1400 are Army
officers (about one-third of the total num
ber of officers in the Army) in active
service, 200 being on the retired list of
the Army, and 300 In civil pursuits. The
graduates of West Point have ever re
sponded to the call of the people In tho
crises In the National life, 243 in all ha
lng yielded up their lives on the field of
battle, and ttyey have ever been found
true to the motto of their alma mater
"Duty, honor, country."
GEORGE B. GOODWIN.
(Copyright, 1902.)
clally. Judge Taxnor, of the New TorS
Supreme Court, special term. In the case
of Guden vs: Dike (75 N. Y., Supp. 786)
holds that the validity of his actt when
affecting the rights of individuals by re
moving an officer from a public office,
may be passed upon judicially In civil of
criminal proceedings to which he Is not
a party.
Damages to Grain Crop.
A party contracted to harvest grain,
agreeing to commence not later than
July 5, but failed to commence until July
15. In the meantime a large amount of
the grain shelled out before the harvest
ing was completed, and It was contended
that damages were recoverable for this
loss, on account of the failure of the first
party to perform his contract, and the
jury so found. On appeal the Supreme
Court (California In the case of H. Holt
Manufacturing Company vs. Thornton, 68
Pac. Rep. 703) affirmed the verdict of
the Jury, hlodlng that the damages were
not too remote or speculative.
Estopped From Enforcing: Indebted
ness. Where the sole stockholder of a corpo
ration by his statement as to Its re
sources and by his silence as to any lia
bility of the corporation to him, induced
a purchase ot his stock in the belief that
It was not so indebted, the United States
Circuit. Court of Appeals. Eighth Circuit,
In the case ot Given vs. Times-Republican
Printing Company (114" Fed. Rep., 92), hold
that such stockholder Is estopped from en
forcing any Indebtedness as against the
purchaser of the stw-k.
Charge of the Judge.
It is not erroneous for the Judge, In
the trial of a civil case, to call the at
tention of the Jury to the fact that they
have taken an oath to try the case ac
cording tew the evidence ai the law, as
given them In charge by the court, and
that they cannot set up any Ideas of their
own In reference to the law of the caso.
In opposition to what Is contained In the
charge of the court. There Is nothing In
such a charge calculated to embarrass a
conscientious Juror In the discharge of his
duty. (Akrldge vs. Noble, 41 S. E., Rep.
78). .