The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-09-20
WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 20. 1888
OUR RIFLEMEN.

Z Among the minor incidental adj
vantages arising from our Hawai-
ian revolution and the resulting
state of public feeling may be noted
a marked revival Of interest in the
subject of craftsmanship, and a
growing taste for friendly contests
of skill with modern weapons of
precision. We regard this tendency
as a matter for congratulation-
something to be commended and
encouraged. Rife shooting is en-
phatically a manly sport. 1t re-
quires steadiness of nerve, firmness
of muscle, good judgment and no
small degree of self-control. A man
who is apt to lose his head for
slight cause and get ratified" is
not likely to be a success, either on
the rife range or in the possible
contingency where important re-
suits, perhaps even his own life,
might depend upon his GOODNESS
and nerve.
Moreover, rifle shooting is not
only a manly, but pre-emineatly a
gentlemanly pastime. Of all the
forms of out-of-door competition
which come under the general head
of sport, experience seems to show
that this is the one which is most
free from Objectionable associations
and accomplishments - the one
which has the least tendency to
degenerate into mere professional
ism and money making, or to
gather about itself that atmo-
sphere of jockeying, gambling and
dissipation which has become the
bane and the curse of so many
sports otherwise useful and COM
mendable. The essential nature
of this pastime, allowing no place
for substitutes or proxies has prob
ably something to do with the
clean moral and social atmosphere
which attends it. A millionaire
may employ sllillful mariner to
sail his yacht, the owner of race
horse must, almost of necessity,
hire a jockey to train and ride
him, but the riheman must do his
own work with his own hand and
eye, and lose or win, by the result
of his own nerve and skill.
That this statement is not based
on mere theory, but is fully borne
out by facts will be evident to any
one who will take the trouble to ex-
anime the membership roll of our
rifle association, or look over the
names of those taking part in the
frequent matches and meetings for
practice. They will be found to
be fairly representative Of the best
elements in our community, taken
almost entirely from the most res
pectable and substantial class of
our younger and middle-aged citi-
zens. Take for instance, as fair
illustration, the ten members who
the Sharpshooter Co.
in last Saturdays match. They
were not chosen for their dress
or their address, their social
standing or anything else ex-
cept their supposed ability to
make good scores, and yet they
were gentleman that no one might
not be glad to meet in any relation
of life or business-official or So
cial.
Another thing which commends
this announcement to the sensible,
and to persons of moderate means
and the great majority OF every
community are such-is its COM
parative cheapness. A fast horse
is an expensive luxury, a yacht is
still more so, but a good rifle cost
ing from a dozen TO twenty dollars
will, with proper care, last unim-
paired for years, and the ammuni-
ton for a good afternoons sport
will not cost more than few shil-
ings.
We hope the Rife Association, |