Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-04

and have the usual conveuiences necessary
for a club.
On the other hand IT is regarded as as
tonishing that great state like Illinois
! should be subject to such report as fol-
lows
The armory of the 9TH Regiment was
used as a stable, and the ammonia fumes
have attacked the arms and equipment.
The armories of the 9th Regiment gen.
orally poor, and many of the armories OF
the Sd Infantry are insufficient for the
company property. The armory of the LIST
Regiment, however, is a fine modern build
ing
When discouragements like those noted
meet the officers and men of the militia, IL
is remarkable that such a fine general
showing is made by the citizen soldiery or
the country. Probably no other nation In
the world could do so well.
To provide facilities for target practice
there are 557 state and private ranges, the
latter having been constructed. as a gen.
eral thing, by companies at their home sta
tons and at their own expense.
All the militia forces of the country are
equipped with the United States magazine
rifle, caliber 80, model of 1898, with the ex-
ception of about zoo of the 1,270 National
Guardsmen of New Hampshire. Authori-
ties of that state, it is understood, will soon
make requisition for the generally used arm
10 replace the SpIiHSlltlu Illit iiOW III ttiN-
ice.
Not only has the aim been to have the
state troops armed in a uniform modern
manner-which would prove of great advan
tage in case of mobiliZation-but the stand
ard of physical examination for admission
to the ranks has been generally raised.
United States War Department regula
tons, raising the standard of physical re-
quirements, have been adopted by Califor-
MIA Colorado, Connecticut Florida Geor-
gia. Hawaii, Idaho. Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Maine Massa chusetts. Michigan, Mnneso-
ia, Missouri. Montana, Nebraska, Nevada,
New Hampshire, New Jersey. New York.
North Carolina. North Dakota, Ohio, Ore
gon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Da-
kota Texas, Vermont, Washington, West
Virginia, Wisconsin and wyoming.
1t is understood that the next legislature
of Louisiana will adopt the regulations.
This step is also under consideration in
Tennessee and Utah. The remaining states
and territories so far have failed to incor-
pofate them in their militia laws.
During 1894 112 new ranges were built
and many old ones remOdeled to meet the
requirements of the 3o-caliber rife.
Nearly $4,000 was expended from state
appropriation for the purpose. in addition
to the fixed amounts allowed in some states.
Eleven states have no permanent ranges
of any description, and only twenty-nine
have facilities for firing at all ranges up To
and including LOCO yards.
only eighteen states have facilities for ala
organizations to practice, and part Of these
at the short OF mid ranges only, or on tenn
porary ranges
with reports from twenty-one states and
territories missing Il is shown that militia
target practice was participated IN during
1904 by 81 SOB men.
At the conclusion of the tests these werr
classified as follows; Expert fliiemen.
!, 2G5; sharpshooters. 1.55S; mafksmen, 1,JSs;
first-class men, 5.235; second-class men,
G. SO; third-class men. 1880; fourth-clasS
men. S2.551. III addition 3,50T men pTae-
ticed with the pistol.