The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-15

T. Lieutenant Col N. B. Thmr.ton of New York will be captain of the team. He is exceptionally TfA qualified for this position having been aptain of the New York team Tor many years, which team has been victorious in a large number of hard fought m ter state contests. Col. Thurston is poted for his abilities as a coach and is one of the foremost authorities or tho country on rifle shooting. The remaining officers of the team VIII pc appointed by the executive committee on recommendation of the captain.
 A preliminary contest for places on the team wil be held at Camp Perry Ohio on August 16 to 17. Contestants must furnish g. statement rom ths ao- iutant general of their state or other competent authority that they nave attained during the present year record in practice or competition of at least ninety-five per cent Of 500 yards' ninety per cent at 800 yards and eighty five per cent at 1000 yards in string of consecutive shots. In addition 'o the scores made in the two days con- fest. there will be added those scores in the Wimbledon Cup Match. the .Leech Cup Match" and the fresl, dents Match" all being indiVidua' matches of the National Rifle Assoc'a- ffnn and to De Suot uuI iho sA"S oerinntng August 19 at Camp Ferry.
 From the aggregate of all these scores
 the team will be selected nine on the
 basis of the highest aggregate ana
 three by the executive committee, max
 inu twelve in all of whom four will De
 aIternates. Of the twelve, the eight
 mon to shoot on the team Will De
 selected by the team captain after pre-
 liminary practice on the Canaoiah
 range. From August 26 to sl the
 team will be trained on the ohio range
 and will then be taken to Canaoa lo'
 four days practice previous to the In
 ternational Match which will be shot
 on the 7th. In the preliminary con-
 tests the contestants will use their own
 rifles hut new one s will be supplied
 the team. by the National Rifle Associa-
 ton for use in the match. The Inter
 national contest for the Palma Trophy
 will excite the widest interest as It Will
 be competed for by teams composed ot the best riflemen of England. Canada and the United States. The 1unas necessary to defray the expenses oi 'me American team will be raised by public subscription and will be received by the team captain or by the National Ritle Association at It's executive offices 22s Broadway, New York City
 | The National Guard of the United | States affords an available and practl- cable base upon which to construct an effective and reliable national reserve l army at as small a cost as so important
 an adjunct to the national safety can | be obtained.
 | Let us not deceive ourselves. Wars | may be lessened in frequency, and init | isated in severity, but will never en- ! tirely cease in this world of ours. The struggle for existence become more l crucial in each decade. and will. in | time, force upon us the necessity or | defending our trade and commerce | from the encroachments of other peo- ! pie. Trade is to a people what tne GIT. culation of blood is to the individual; | if 1t ceases, death ensues. To fight for your trade. therefore, is simply to fight | for your national life. The o-called Yellow Peril' Is not an immediate danger, but in ten years 1t may be a very imminent one. If China devel- ops into a great military power, as now seems probable. in the not dis | tsnt future I believe she will notify all Europeans who camped upon her territory in her years of military
 weakness to vscate her soil, and she will undoubtedly resent the exclusion of her people from other lands. A study of the political world ought to convince every unbiased student that there is much greater prospect in the future for sanguinary wars than for continuous peace. The prospect IS tc = erably peaceful just now. but 1t may be | the calm which proceeds the storm. Tt is practically the purpose of na- | tional guard associations to keep up with the advanced thought of the age | in military matters and to stimulate | the patriotism of the people to require such Legislation as will give us at least | an even show with other people in the | race for national existence and pros nerity. Our people, absorbed in trade and commerce, and it's daily routine, | seldom take time to weigh carefully | the tendencies of the age or the possi- | bilities of the future. and to forget, while the sun of prosperity shines, | that there will inevitably come days of | clouds and darkness. The United l States has gone into every one of It's wars heretofore totally unprepared for the conflict, and the waste of life and treasure, due to this lack of prepara- l tion. was appalling. It is about time the patriotic people of the country LOOK 1 this matter up and demanded of their | law-givers better security against the | future and that intelligent and efi1-
 cient preparation for war which Is the
 surest guaraDtee of peace.
 | Every great military power in the
 world has a complete and detailed rec | ord of our military strength and weak l ness They know all available points | of attack and have formulated plans | for the invasion of the country. which
 ar, stored away waiting the favorable | moment, or combination of circum- | stances to carry them into effect. They ! may never use them, but if the neces. sity arises they are ready to jump up
 on Us with all their available strength | and without the least possible delay 1 They arc not deceived about us; they | know just what 1t will be safe to dc l and what to avoid, and every year adds to their accumulation of such informa-
 tion. They have sized up the regulal 1 army and it's commanders. the Nationa | Guard and It's officers. the volunteer | system of obtaining troops and It's de
 lays. the strength of the peace at any
 nrice party, the value of our patriot | ism the eheterogeniousness of our pop
 ulation and the peculiarities of ou | Iawvivers What the best human in
 teIlect can do with the use Of this ma
 terial has been done to secure the com
 nlete success of their plans. and 1t be hooyes us to prepare some information
 for them that will render all hostil
 nlans negatory; to put the nation Il
 such shape for defense as will mak
 any one or any combination of thes
 nations think twice before proceedin