The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-30
MILITARY MATTERS;
 GUARD OF ALABAMA
By D. W. McIvER.

Will Alabama heave a rife team at Sea Girt? That is the most important question now agitating the average guardsman who takes any interest in 1 rife practice.
 It is lamentable to relate that there l in this State outside of the 1st regiment for the past few years. At least there l has been no official report if there has 1 been any shooting fin the other conn mands, and it has been so insignificant l if there has been any that no report 1 has been made of 1t. The fact is, the 1 only report made of rife practice to I the Secretary of War from Alabama | is that made by Captain W. E. Mickle, Jr., the, Inspector of Rife Practice of l the 1st regiment, who is the only In- l spector of Rifle Practice in this State | who has paid any attention to the sub | ject, and Is the only one really worthy | of the name. There are others and they can do just as we'll as he has done; l they have not done so in the past; will l they do anything in the future? l Col. O. R. Bricken, commanding of- 1 fcer of the 2nd regiment, has declared that the officer who does not attend to the duties of his department will have 1 to go. It is now up to the captain. H. B. l Peacock, the Inspector of Rife Practice of that regiment, to show if there is
 
 revive the most important of all mat | ters, the learning to shoot the rife in | the 2nd regiment. He has been In off, flee some months now. but if he has ever taken the first step In that direc- ton he has not madeit known at head quarters. He might have a rife range at every home station in his regiment. and have had the boys shooting their guns long before this. Perhaps he will catch the inspiration and go to work after camp. It all depends on the Inc spector of Rifle Practice in the differ ent regiments. and if they haven't the time to give to 1t, they ought to give way to some one who has. The Sea Girt shoot. Hut will Alabama be at Sea Girtf That's the rub now.
 Where will the team come from? Is there any marksmen outside the 1st regiment with record. with the name, who can hope to get in team to do any credit to the State in the matches in a National compertionf If there are | they have not made themselves known. The matches at Sea Girt will reauiYe practiced riflemen. who know the hah- it Of the rifles, who can judge the wind and all of that, to do anything at all in the shoots there. The matches are the National Team Match, the National Individual ..,atch. the
 
 to the United States Army and Navy, the Marine Corps. the United States Military Academy. the National Guard, the conditions are set out in a. o. 5s for the War Department and a copy will be furnished all who are interested enough to wish one One of the most important and first of all requirements Is that:
 NO person shall be a member of any team in the National Match, or act as captain, coach, shotter or alternate of such team. who does not present a cer- tifcate from the AdJutant General of the State, Territory or District of Co., lumbia. to which he belongs--or if from team belonging to the regular establishment, or certificate from com petent authority. showing that he has done 75 per cent of military duty during the twelve months proceeding the competition. By the term mIli- tary duty above referred to is meant parades. ' drills. encampments. and other duties of similar nature
 How many can come up to this re- quirement from Alabama and how many can shoot we'll enough to get into national match? Certain 1t Is that none can do so who have had no practice during the past year.