Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-11-15
Plan to Secure National Rifle.
mem Reserve Of One Mil.
lion Men
NEW JERSEY PRO.
TEST 0VERRULED
Bill Providing for Annual Ap.
preparation For Rifle Prac-
tsce To BE Submitted TO
Congress
WASHINGTON, Nov. ia ve.,


important meeting OF the national
board for the promotion ol rifle pruc.
tice was held at the war department
several days ago, followed by II meet
ing of the directors Of the National
Rifle association that evening. The
national board desires to obtain ma,
tional marksmans reserve OF one mil.
lion men trained in the use OF the
military rifle, but it has been found
impossible to equip anything like this
number of men with rifles Of govern
ment manufacture, and therefore ac-
'ion was taken to throw open certain
matches where the use of military
rifle Is not strictly enjoined by the
conditions, to shooters using rifles of
private manufacture, but being can
able of using the standard government
cartridge of the same length and
weight of the government rifle and
having sights similar to those adopted
by the war department. The national
board stipulated that such rifles
should be viewed and stamped by the
National Rifle association, and at its
meeting the board of directors of
the latter organization designated
Howard Height. the armorer at Sea
Girt, New Jersey, as inspector to view
An dstamp the rifles in accordance
with the new regulations and to issue
certificate with each rifle SO viewed
and stamped at the nominal cost OF
fifty cents each Individual rifles
VIII be stamped at Sea Girt and in
bulk at the factories OF the manufac.
turers.
Inc national board considered the
protest of the New Jersey team in
the contest for the national trophy at
Fort Riley, Kansas, this summer, ana
dlsallowed it, but changed the regl-
iations so that in the future one
minute per shot will be allowed for
the short ranges and two minutes ner
shot at the 500, 900 and 1OO0.yard
ranges.
AS quite a contest has developed
among the states possessing suitable
ranges for the honor of holding the
national trophy match next summer
the national board decided to leave
open the question of where the match
Will be held until its meeting on lam
ary 22d. In the meantime tenders
from any rifle association or state
association having ranges with suit.
able facilities will be considered bv
the board and it is expected tba,
number of states will submit .such
offers. Fort Riley. Kansas: Sea
Girt, N. j., and Creedmoor N Y
have already entered the contest. while
some effort has been made to take
the match to the Pacific slope. The
board also took action looking toward
the attendance of teams from West
Point and Annapolis to shoot in the
national Trophy match and to secure
the presence of teams from a number
of colleges receiving appropriations
from the government. in an intercol-
legiate match for the cadet cup of.
fered by the national rifle associa.
ton.
The committee on legislature was
instructed to prepare bill looking
for annual appropriations for rifle
practice. which will be submitted to
congress at the opening of the next
session.
The board of directors of the ma
tional rifle association of America
approved the recommendation adopt.
ed by the national rifle association at
Us last meeting at Sea Girt, New Jer.
sey, by which annual memberships
Will be abolished. In the future the
association will be strictly one of affil-
ated clubs. although the life mem.
DeTs VIII retain their membership.
Ind the present annual members can
become life members. The directors
will hereafter be elected by the life
members and delegates from affili.
lted organizations. which viii be di.
Iided into three classes. The first
Fill consist of rifle clubs. sepa-are