The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-05

gon1ery. The requisition for the money.
 S2,0Oo for each, has been made by the Governor. and 1t is now available. Tho
 nrst step is to acquire title or lease
 to the land upon which the ranges are to be located. As soon as that is done and the papers approved by the Att torney General, the money can be spent for the purpose intended. fhis amount
 Will be sufficient for a beginning, and
 after the first of July $10.ooo more win
 be available for the purpose and 1t is
 hoped that local ranges at each home
 station can be secured that will give
 every company an opportunity for fre- quent practice at home.
 With the opportunity for practice, 1t is certain that many good shots will
 be developed in the different units. and
 team can be selected that win be
 far from third from the tail end this year.
 The range. at Electric Park is now
 ready for 200 and 300 yards practice, md has been erected without the ex-
 rendfture of dollar of Government money. With the money now available 600-yard range can be secured and the range made to meet every require-
 ment. -Aee4s
 The Inspeetion.
 The annual inspection of the Ala
 bania National Guard for 1907, by a United States officer, under the militia law. approved January q, 1903. is now progressing, and so far as is known. with one or two exceptions, has been
 most satisfactory. Major c. H. Sickeis a cavalry officer stationed atfFort Ogle- thorpe. Ga.. who was first detailed to
 make the inspection, had been recalled for special duty at St. Louis, and he has been replaced by his Battalion Adju- tant, Lieut. Durdee, stationed at Fort Oglethorpe. The latter joined General
 Graves at Union Springs and took up the work there.
 Major Sickle made the inspection of portion of the Alabama Guard last
 year, and he Is known as an intelligent and honorable officer. His report last year was fair and just, and no doubt that of Lieutenant Durdee will be the
 same. The, Alabama Guard has been
 equipped for field service with the same
 arms and accoutrements as the reg ular army, and in almost every tn- stance they have been ,sell cared for and are as good as new. If the Ala bama boys, were called into active ser
 vice today, they would be thoroughly
 equipped for duty, and would not have to call on the Government for but It, tie. if any, additional equipment. There are on hand at general headquarters
 200 overcuats. and under the agree
 ment between the State and the secre- tary of War, 200 overcoats are to be
 bought each year until enough are
 secured to elothe the entire guard, They are to be stored for. an emergency so that they will be on hand ready for active service.
 Before the provisional regiment went
 to Manassas the equipment in this State
 was as nearly complete as that of any other State but great deal of that
 carried there was either lost or thrown away on the field. or stolen. and many of those companies have been distress
 ingly short since that time Some of them have had their stores replenish- ed and in better condition than ever. It Is a most gratifying fact that most
 of the new company commanders re- alize the necessity and value of caring
 for their property, and they are hold ing their men to strict accountability
 for the care of every piece of property
 issued to, them This is the only way that company commanders can properly
 preserve the property committed to their
 care. Men must be made to realize their responsibility in the matter and l the very moment they do, mich of the trouble will have been avoided. Lock-
 CTS should be provided in the armory and no man be allowed to take his
 equipment out except in the service