The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-05

The most important of all matters now to the Alabama National Guard is rife practice and the idea is being en- couraged in every way by the govern ment, both in the regular army and the National Guard. Congress has made liberal appropriation for its promotion and the Secretary of War is urging upon the State authorities the expenditure of the funds available in teaching the men how to shoot to hit.
 All have come to realize now that 1t is the bullet that hits that counts and President Roosevelt is an enthusiastic and earnest friend of practice in all the arms of the service.
 The preliminary steps have already ranges at Birmingham, Mobile and Montgomery and the funds are avail able for the purpose. Across the bay at Mobile. over in Baldwin County, the
 lst Regiment has acquired lease or five years on q suitable piece of land for a range and have established there the South Alabama range. A competi-
 tive shoot is soon to be held on this range, and from those making the
 highest scores the team to Fort Ferry Is to be selected. The teams for prac-
 tice at this range will soon be selected and the team made up and go right from there to Fort Perry as the time Is so short, the National Match opening
 on the 18th of August.
 It is regretted that there is not more time, but a suitable range has been the
 trouble, and one not being available. IL has been impossible to have the prac- tice desired. Next year there will be plenty of time and the team from Ala bama may be expected to make good record There has been considerable interest aroused in rife practice of late and it may be safely predicted that Alabama will be higher up in the scores than last year. Then there had been no practice beforehand. but now there has been some and perhaps the oppor- tunity at Mobile will help a great deal.
 Next year. it is hoped that the team of twelve men an dthree alternates can be selected from those who have made the requisite scores. and who Will pc able to make creditable records in the National and Individual Matches. be- who desires to do so, can practice ana fore next year, it is hoped, also. that ranges can be established at all or most of the home stations and every man learn to shoot and regulate the rifle so that the bullet can be made to 70 to the spot aimed at, and it has been clearly demonstrated that this cannot be done without practice, and a great deal of it. hope to see these ranges at the home stations for this IS 'he practical buSiness like solution or the whole matter. and rifle practice can never be what it ought to be until thls is done.
 At almost every place where com pany is located, suitable places can be found for perhaps two. three and nve hundred yards, and that will be suhl- cfent for all purposes. The command ing officers of each company snout" take this matter up and get in shape to have a range at the earliest possi- ble moment. I have been informed that Capt. P. M. Bruner, of Co., k' lst Regiment. at Evergreen' IS moving III the matter and has already secured range at his own expense, and Gait w F. Mickle Jr the Inspector Of Rine Practice, has inspected the grounds and approves the location. Captain Bra ner should push the matter ana get Colonel duMont to give him suncient funds to make his range complete tnd come up to every requirement. Tnls can be easily done as the money is now available and there shoulo pc no oe- lay about it.
 General Bibb Graves, the Adjutant Generalu, Is strongly in favor of rifle practice, fully realizes its importance, and is ready and willing to do every thing In his power to promote and per feet it in this State. The company have now only to get busy and every one of them can have a range at their home station before the year is out. The delay in estab- fishing rife ranges has been inexcus- able, for the money has been avail able for nor ethan a year and noth- ing has yet been done and not dol lar of the money has been expended except at Anniston, where a range has been opened at a cost of $500, but as vet no shooting has been had on 1t. or at least there has been no report made and If shot has ever been fired 1t has not been made of record. It Is hoped now that the camp of the Third is over that there will be practice at