Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1907-01-08

most unanimous disposition to move
the national match from place to
place, both to give the marksmen va
riety, and because wherever it is held
/ interest in rifle shooting is greatly
stimulated 1t will be years before
every state will have a range sufficient
to accommodate these matches. espec-
tally as the entry list is constantly in
creasing, but as they complete their
ranges, made possible by the increased
appropriation. many think they should
be encouraged by being given the nat
ional match. As the national rifle as
ISOLATION, the governing body of ali
civilian rifle clubs. holds its matches
at the same time as the national board.
the two events attract rihemen from
all parts of the United States Some
of those interested believe congress
should establish national rifle range
near Washington, for the national
matches, something on the order of
the British range at Bfsley, where
thousands of marksmen gather for the
British national matches. This propo-
sition is still in embryo. but may be
seriously considered some day.
/ Another question likely to be consi-
visibility of continuing the large
money prizes i'm the national individual
matches. Military rifle shooting is
such a comparatively new sport. so to
speak. that what would be considered
an ordinary prize abroad seems tre-
mendously large here. We are far
from being a nation of marksmen es-
pecially with guns that kill a mile or
! so. In England the Kings prize am
cunts to 1850. and in other countries
are equally rich and even richer prizes.
| For 1906 some patriotic minded gen
tlemen made up a purse of 5000.
which was added to the prizes provid
ed by congress for the national indi-
vidual match and thus the first prize
was brought up to $1,000. There Is n
guarantee of the same amount of mon
ey for several years. by which time II
| is expected congress will make some
provision for prizes suitable to the
growth of interest in rifle practice.
/ one of the ways in which the Swiss
sustain interest in rifle practice is
! by permitting any citizen to shoot
match on any Sunday He pays so
much down. about five francs. If he
makes a minimum score he gets hrs
money back, and from then on the
prize money increases until he can win
one hundred francs by making COM
plete score. That means quite bit to
Swiss, and they keep up their prac-
tice. The government makes good the
difference between the entry fee and
the prizes.
/ A question that has excited some in
terest is the possibility of a change
being made in the ammunition used in
the national matches. Some claim
that military ammunition manufactur-
ed by private makers is superior to
that turned out at government arse
mails. Others maintain that handmade
cartridges are superior TO machine
made, whether of government or pri-
vate manufacture 1t certainly would
be an interesting, if not a conclusive
test, of these merits of these claims,
| if the various kinds could be used in
the national matches, but as care is
taken that conditions shall be equal,
there seems to be no chance that any
thing but government ammunition Will
be used. This matter is therefore not
| likely to come before the national
board. although it makes an interesting
topic of discussion among the national
guardsmen.
The attention directed to the work
of the national board for the promo
ton of rifle practice by President
Roosevelt. in the concluding paragraph
of his annual message to congress- has
attracted much favorable comment.
The board was created by congress for
the purpose of stimulating interest in
rifle practice, first in the National
Guard, and. second. among civilians.
The first part of its task has been well
performed. The militia is pIacticing
with the rifle and revolver as never
before and with the half million dol
lars now annually set aside exclusively
for rifle practice, each state will be
provided with ranges and many new
state and interstate matches will be
arranged. Incidentally, the attendance
on the national matches will be in
creased, as there will no longer be the
excuse of poverty to keep state from
sending a team. Among civilians the
work is necessarily slower. Clubs
must be organized, ranges found and
weapons provided. The militia will
soon be exchanging Krags for new
Springfields, however, and there seems
TO be no reason why congress should
not authorize the war department to
issue them to civilian clubs through the
National Rifle association. Rifle asso-
Citations are being organized in almost
every state and enthusiasts are form
ing rifle clubs here and there through
these states. The work is progressing
nicely through the National Rifle as
ISOLATION and the board is drawing
nearer its goal. Everywhere the school
have been given instruction in rifle
shooting they have become enthusiasts
tic. Some persons seem to think tht
government proposes to have school
children OF tender years trotting out TO
the ranges with guns as large as them
selves, and firing in competition with
men. Not at all. The proposition is
that children in the high schools should
receive n certant amount of training,
first with a sub-target gun, which re-
quires no ammunition and where there
is no particle of danger, and then with
the % caliber musket- The training
thus given would encourage them to
join either the militia or civilian rifle
clubs after they leave school. England