East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-03-21
WaShingt0nLetter.

Washington, March 21.-Presi
dent Roosevelt has again evinced his
interest In rifle practice by becoming
life member Of the National Rifle
Association of America, which works
in cooperation with the National
Board for the Promotion of Rifle
Practice. The president was invited
TO jcin by General James A Drain,
president of the association.
1t is not customary for presidents
to join associations, but General
Drain pointed cut that the National
Rifle association is the only one of
its kind in the country, and there
fore no criticism could be passed on
the president in case he Joined. Sem
eral Drain quoted the object of the
association. froi1 its bylaws. as fol-
lows.
THE object of this organization
shall be to encourage marksmanship
throughout the United States, prin-
c!pally in the direction OF qualifying
as finished marksmen those indi-
viduals who may he called upon to
serve in time cf war: to encourage
competition in craftsmanship be-
tween teams and individuals: to en-
courage legislation fer the establish
mer. and maintenance of ranges: to
secure the issue of military rifles and
ammunition to those practicing there
at; ard to encourage a public senti-
mert in respect to The necessity OF
rifle practice as a means Of national
defense"
Py its liberality congress has
greatly encouraged the construction
CT ranges an rf'" practice galleries
throughout the country. One-fourth
of the appropriation made by the
government for the militia is now re-
quired to be set aside for the promo
tiun of iifle practice and this money
is available for acquiring ranges.
Any state 50 inclined, however
car use more than this proportion
of tho appropriation, and of course
assistance can be received from the
state treasury. AS "a result. ranges
are hoing secured In all parts of the
country. There is a good prospect
that national rifle range will be es-
General Grant, commanding the
department of the east, has ordered
II beard of officers to meet in Wash
| ington to examine sites In Maryland
| and Virginia convenient to Washing
ton and suitable for a rifle range for
cavalry. infantry and field artillery.
| Among other sites to be considered
is one Uf about 1900 acres not far
from Fort Meyer. Virginia, which was
used during the Spanish wer and
called Camp Alger 1t is expected
that II range is secured sufficiently
near the city 1t may be used by the
| District Of Columbia militia as well
as by the army.
The report of General George w.
Wingate and General A. B. Critchfield
of Ohio, on rifle practice in the public
schools, among other things shows
that there are in New York alone
three training schools, 10 high schools
400 elementary schools, two truant
schools and one nautical school, a total
of 515.
The registered number enrolled ir
these schools is about 100000, or as
many as the entire population of st
Louis, the fourth city in the Union
Half of them are boys, of which about
900 attend the high schools. The
college of the city OF New York ha:
about 1000 male students.
For the purpose of interesting thes'
children in athletics certain gentle
men interested in philanthropic worl
organized the Public Schools Athletic
league, and during the year 1906 ther,
were 10000 entries in the game
| 4 L.. 4l.ic loa