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who can in time of war or stress be called upon for service of this kind, and I 
wish to point out to ymi the fact that since is»;'_ > there lias been an entire revo- 
lution in our system of national militia. At that time it was wholly and totally 
Inefficient; to-day we have a very efflclenl National Guard, [f we were able to 
Inquire In detail Into the tacts, i believe we would ascertain thai the introduc- 
tion of military instruction into the land -granl colleges is chiefly responsible 
for that result. This fact became quite apparent particularly at the time Of em- 
late war with Spain. .Many commissions were issued in the United States Army 
at that time to persons who had had their training in these institutions. So that 
not only through the direct participation in military affairs hy the Students 
who had been graduated at these institutions, hut hy their participation in the 
legislatures of the States, and hy their influence in molding public sentiment 
throughout the States, they have aided in establishing a system of national 
defense far superior to that of forty years ago. Notwithstanding that fact 
there are many things in our system that need amendment, and it is possible 
for this association to do much that would lead to a better state of affairs. I 
would call attention to the fact that while for forty-two years we have had this 
law upon our statute books, there has been very little done by the Government 
to provide for adequate instruction within the colleges. We have been supplied 
with a portion of the equipment necessary — guns and ammunition chiefly. 
There are many things needed for proper instruction which are not supplied. 
While the National Guard, drilling less than one-twentieth of the time that the 
students do in our colleges, are supplied with uniforms, the students of the sev- 
eral colleges are not supplied with uniforms. I believe this association should 
urge upon the War Department the more adequate equipment of the military 
departments of the several institutions. While I have this high appreciation 
of the value to our nation of this instruction, and while I believe it would be 
possible and very desirable indeed to be better equipped for it, yet I certainly 
feel that the present attitude of the War Department is by no means a for- 
tunate one. You will remember that for many years the officer who was 
detailed as commandant in any institution was directed to report to the presi- 
dent of that institution for orders, and that the War Department did not give 
direct orders to the commandant. I think you are also aware of the fact that 
to all intents and purposes they now ignore the institution and its officials and 
give direct crders to the officers of the Department as to their duties. I think 
you will ad concede that it is utterly impossible to administer any institution 
properly where some other authority may come in and direct or modify or con- 
trol by order the programme of work. I quite sympathize with the suggestion 
which has been made that steps should be taken, perhaps through the Secretary 
of War or by calling the attention of the President of the United States to the 
question, to improve the present situation. It seems to me the time is ripe for 
doing something in this direction, and I believe it will not be to the injury, but 
to the benefit, of the great system of national military education. 
I believe this association should also solicit or attempt to secure some further 
recognition of the work done by the land-grant colleges in the direction of 
the military instruction. Lately we s aw with approval an order for the ap- 
pointment to commissions certain graduates or' schools where military instruc- 
tion is given. Of the six schools chosen last spring I think not one was a 
land-grant college; all were private military schools where young boys attend 
and where the leading feature is military drill. It is true that the older, more 
experienced men in the land-grant colleges have perhaps not given so much 
time and attention to military drill as the younger boys in certain military 
schools which make their military departments a specially attractive and 
