The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-15

OS0too uunDoTo 8S tho pEOO0uS s~A.~ about 115.0oo msn-possibly so.ooo to arms. This is not su1acient for the de- fsnSs of the country where the regular force is practically . cipher in the caI- culation 50 far as its numbers are con cerned. but if Congress will afford the necessary assistance. the National Guard can be doubled in numbers and possibly increased to 25o.ooo men. that should be considered for . reserve army in . country % large and popu- lous as the United States of America.
 This reserve army should. of course. consist of infantry. cavalry. light bat teries and sea coast artillery. with the proper staff and supply corps. the coast artillery companies to predominats in the coast States and especially in the vicinity of coast Qualifications, where they can each year receive some train ing in handling the sea coast arma- ment When organised the troops of this National Reserve. located in each military department should be under the supervision of the Department Com mander for instruction and inspection, his reports keeping the War Depart ment informed as to its strength and efficiency. My experience with State troops convinces mo that 1t would not be at all a difficult matter to increase the strength of the National Guard to 250.000 men if Congress would assist with the necessary legislation and mod crate appropriation. I know that in this<State an allotment to each new company for current expenses of the amount allowed by the State to compa- nies already in existence. would dou- ble the number of companies in six months. and I believe this to be the case in every Western State and it IuA Nr Ah> l- the Union. If about $500 annually, fol current expenses. could be allotted te | each company, organized under tho | Statute of 1903-knOwn as the Dick Bilf-in each State. the military | forces in the States could be more thar doubled. the States providing for al | other expenses.
 "The detail: necessary for the sue. cessful organization of this Nationa. Guard Reserve could readily be work. | ed up by the National Guard Associa l tions in conference with the Secretar, of War and the committees of Con gress. The men would serve withou pay .as they do now, If their expenses were paid There Is yet patriotism enough amongst the people to help thu government make their country secur, against attack and humiliation if the, arc not called upon to do 1t and pa, for 1t besides. as was the case unde the Statute of 1792. which was but re gently repealed.
 We need tr;.ined and equipped re | serve force and we need 1t badly, bu 1t can only come through the in crease of voluntary organizations hay ing already a local habitation and
 name to build upon.
 Permanent Trophy.
 Through the joint efforts of the Com
 mittee on Publicity of the Nationa
 Board for the Promotion of Rifle Prac
 tice and the National Rifle Association of America a permanent trophy ha.
 to be shot for in the Press Match a
 Camp Perry. Ohio on August 22. It |
 believed that this Is the first permanen
 prize to be offered in any field of spor
 where the contestants are confined t.
 newspaper men. It is surprising hoy
 many young newspaper men hay
 served in the militia and not a few o
 the older ones have seen service in tn
 armies of the United States or as cor respondentst with the armies of othe
 nations. The commanding general o
 the District Militia. Brigadier Genera , George H. Harries, for instance. wa long one of the most prominent news paper men at the Capitol; the lat . Gen. H. V. Boynton, Col. John M. Garso and others have highly creditable mil , tary records. The President of tn 5 National Rifle Association has becom editor in chief of . military newspape t and scarcely a large newspaper in tn !, country has not some one familiar wit } rifle shooting connected with its staf [ At the Press Match last year fourtee prominent newspapers were represent ed, New York dailies alone contributin three contestants.
 The Press Trophy will be an uniqu
 and handsome one of a design to b selected. It will not go to the winne
 of the match but to the news pape
 represented by the winner to renal
 in its custody until the next mate when 1t Is to be returned to tn
 National Rifle Association to be agai
 contested for The names of tn
 winner and the newspaper represente
 will be engraved on the trophy eac
 year. In addition to the trophy whjc
 carries with 1t the Press Rifle Cham
 pionship of the United States there wi
 be an individual trophy to be present ed by Arms and the Man" ass frs
 prize, a life membership in the nationa
 Rifle Association as second prize, to
 gether with several cash prizes. Tn
 match is open only to bonafide news
 paper men. Conditions provide fo
 ten shots at 500 yards with any militar
 rifle and any ammunition. Accommo
 dations will be provided for all contes
 tants