Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-08-05
IMPORTANCE OF
ABILITY TO SHOOT
Recommendation That to All
National Guard ArmOries
be Added Range
Facilities.

Under the authority of the war de-
partment the national board for the.
promotion of rifle practice has an
nonueed the plan adopted for the for
nation of a. national reserve of quail,
fled riflemen. No step in military
circles within the past decade, at
least, has been fraught with the sig.
nificanee that attaches TO this effort
to induce all male citizens of the
United States capable of bearing arms
to familiarize themselves with the use
of firearms, and especially the govern.
ment weapon which viii be employed
in time Of war. It is estimated that
there are at least ten million Ameri-
cans who would be eligible to d draft,
of which only a small percentage know
anything about rifle practice,
Skill with the best weapon has al
ways turned the scale in favor OF the
nation Employing the same even with
Inferior numbers. The victories OF
the English with their broad-cloth ar.
rows at Poicters and A~gincourt, OF the
Americans under Jackson at New Or
leans, and the more recent ones OF
Santiago and Manila are directly as
cribable to the craftsmanship of the
victors. Consequently, the effort to
arouse the interest Of the great mass
of citizens of the republic in rifle and
pistol practice and to equip them with
the knowledge Of the use of firearms
that is absolutely essential to the sol.
dier-regular, volunteer or conseript
-is one which should and will com
mand the respectful attention of every
one who has his country's interest AT
heart.
The national board has prepared a
plan for the national reserve, the main
points of which are as follows:
All members of the national rifle
association and of affiliated organiza-
lions are eligible to compete; they
must be citizens between the ages Of
eighteen and forty-fiye; the United
States magazine rifle or a rifle viewed
and stamped by the National Rifle
Association must be used, together
with the United States service ammu'
milton or private makes that come
within the rules; all those who quail
fly will receive a National Marks
mans button.
In introducing this subject the board
points out that as our permanent mill
tary establishment or regular army
must be small. In event of a war will
one or more of the first.class powers
OF the world. we must depend very
largely p the militia and the yolun
teers for our fighting force. Will
the modern ~long.range small arms il i
all important that the soldier SHOULD
know how to shoot and to hit what HI
shoots at. II he cannot do this th,
chances are ten to one that the sh0
Is lost.
by the plan proposed" says tn
report OF the board, I'VE believe tina
the United States will within a fey
years have more than one million 0
men who will have for practical pun
poses on the line Of battle nearly al
the requirements for the most effit
lent soldiers In the world. $50 Tha
Is, we propose 20 educate our youn
men and boys yer fifteen years q
age to be an army Of expert riff
shots. $50 To those who are a,
customed 10 the use of firearms W
believe one thing Is evident beyon
all question, and II Is that q .hien q
gree OF skill in rifle and revolge
shooting and the confidence which
knowledge Of this skin gives vi
make a timid man brave and q btay
man more courageous
The board proposes to e%neepfaa
rifle practice " In the state militi
whore necessary" lin military ar
Other schools" aud among those 4
dsiduals who may be called upc
ID serve In time Of war"
unGer the last heading The r,pc
81 tie board points ont that &; . &
recislly desirable to indlse pracii'
by The younger men. beaausc by 4
tn larger part Of an ar7uy In 4
field Will be made up 81 very yori