The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-25

State and Government property issued to him, and is compelled to account for the same. The clothing and equip ment is in no sense the property of the enlisted man In the State service: therefore he is under moral obiiSa- ton not in any way to misuse, de- stroy, or mutilate the same by mark. ing or otherwise defacting it He is liaoile to fl enand Imprisonment for selling or disposing of it in any man. ner. He should regard 1t as a trust and assist his company commander in faithfully accounting for the same"
 State Encampment.
 The inquiry is being made every day now as to the time and place of the State encampment for 1907, and whether or not it will be as brigade or each organization separate as was the case last year? It has not yet been decided at all, and will not be until the commanding officers with the adjutant general, take up the mat ter with the Governor and thus ff- nally determine the matter. It is presumed that the Governor will do. as has been done in the past, leave the matter of manner and time and place of court to the commanding officer of each organization. In that event 1t is more than likely that sep arate camps will be held. The Secre- tary of War having decided that there will be no court of instruction or joint maneuvres at the Jamestown Exposi- ton, the militia cannot go there in participation of such joint maneuvres, hence 1t is probable that one regiment will go to Chickamauga Park, as was done last year, and the others stay at home, or go to Jamestown in annual camp. for which purpose the State appropriation and the govern ment appropriation for arming and equipping the militia and for other purposes may be used. There are a large number of Alabama guardsmsn who want to go to Jamestown and that opinion may prevail; if so they may go as a brigade, if at all as it will be inpracticable and too expen- sive to go separately. The whole matter is open and undecided and is yet to be discussed and to be decided by the commanding officers. It Is very probable that the adjutant gen. eral will call a meeting of the com manding officers in this city soon af- tetr the annual instruction is comple- tetd on April 9th and then the entire matter will be finally and satisfactor- fly settled. There is a little more money this year than formerly. the State appropriation being s20,000 and
 
 $S3,000 for several purposes, and $10.000 for rifle ranges. Five thou sand dollars of the State fund may also be used for rifle practice.
 General Leonard Wood
 General Wood made a most envia- ble record in Cuba, and is responsible to a large extent for the splendid sanitary conditions in those islands. He has done equally as well in the Philippines and he is the subject of a most highly eulogistic article in The Manila Times which, inspeaking of his prospective relinquishment of his pres ent command, says: The .announce- ment that Major General Woodis to be relieved shortly of the command of the division of the Philippines will be generally received with regret As one of the two or three foremost men in our army today, as a man who has shown himself thoroughly conversant with conditions here and given hint of large possibilities in the field of ad- ministration, and as close friend and adviser of President Roosevelt, the islands will lose greatly by his de- parture However he may appeal to the army. to the average American here General Wood is commended prin- cipally by a belief in his ability to see the thing that needs to be done and to do it. The conditions that prevail in Mindanao today stand as monument to his energy and sagacity' and it is probably chiefly by his rec ord there that he will be remembered here. Taking hold at a time when the island was still a prey to tribal strife and turbulence, as well as opposition to our own arms, it was not long until he had achieved that first essential to material progress-peace. Ana, While with one hand expressing the ma rauding, murdering Moro, with the other he was quietly supporting and encouraging the tiller of the soil and all those whose activities were direc- ted in healthful channels, more es- pecialIy those American pioneers who asked nothing more than peace and protection and a chance to develop the vast resources around them. All that | the American settler in Mindanao owes | to General Wood is not known ana | can never be paid.
 In this connection 1t Is also recalled that our own highly esteemed citizen | and popular Congressman, Hon. A. A. l Wiley. took a hand in bringing order | out of chaos at Santiago and has | been given much of the credit for im-
 proved conditions there.
 Pre.ldent RoOseveIt Again. President Roosevelt has again evinc | ed his interest in rife practice bS becoming a life member of the Ma tionaI Rifle Association of America which works in co cooperation with ths | National Board for Promotion or Rlnt l Practice The President was invited to join by Gen. James A. Drain, pres | ident of the Association. It Is not GUS | tomary for presidents to join associa' | tions, but General Drain pointed ou' | that the National Rifle Association II | the only one of it's kind in the country and therefore no criticism could b' | passed on the President In case ht | joined General Drain quoted the ob' | feet of the Association, from its by | laws. as follows:
 "The object of this organization shal be to encourage marksmanshi | throughout the United States principals | ly in the direction of qualifying as fin | ished rnarksmen those individuals who may be called upon to serve in time ol | war: to encourage competition 1T | craftsmanship between teams and in | dividuals: to encourage legislation fol the establishment and maintenance o 1 ranges: to secure the issue of military | rifles and ammunition to those prac | ttcing thereat; and to encourage a pub | lie sentiment in respect to the neces
 sity of rifle practice as a means of ma
 tional defense.
 Rifle Practice Galleries.
 By it's liberality Congress has great Iy encouraged the construction O
 anges and rife practice galleries throughout the country One-fourtl | aa1a Exr hn lfNy