The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-06-27
PROMINENT Men
ARE TO ATTEND
Leading Government Officials
Will Witness the Rifle
Contests.
TAFT WILL BE ABSENT
TAFT WILL BE ABSENT
SCENE OF THE BIG NATIONAL
EVENT IS CAMP PERRY, OHIO,
AND HUNDREDS ARE EXPECTED
TO COMPETE.

Camp Perry. Ohio. in August next, to
witness the National Rifle matches.
than have ever attended similar
A cordial invitation to visit
the matches has been extended to
President Taft, Secretary of War
Dickinson, the members of the senate
and house committees on military af-
fairs, and other distinguished men, by
Gen. James A. Drain. president Of the
National Rifle association of America.
The national rifle and revolver
matches begin on August % and will
be followed Immediately by those OF
the National Rifle association.
TAFT Won't Attend.
It is not probable that President
Taft will find 1t convenient to attend
the matches although his interest in
military rifle work and in the matches
to say nothing of the great range in
his native state. Is such that he may
run out there for a day. He is a life
member Of the N. r. A. and during his
administration of the war department
rifle practice made great strides for
ward. In presenting the matter to the
president Gen. Drain said: 1T seems
sure that your attendance for even a
part of one day within this period
would add immensely to the success
Of these truly national contests thus
making for greater rifle efficiency and
increased power to our nation as a
maker of and preserver of peace for
ourselves and others"
Are an incentive.
In addressing the senators and rep
resentatives Gen. Drain said, in part:
These matches afford the greatest
possible incentive to the men of the
country to perfect themselves in the
use Of the weapons which would be
placed in their hands for war. With
out the incentive thus afforded it Is
doubtful II the wide spread intehest
in target practice which has beer
growing up in the United States fol
the last five years could ever have
been created. 1t Is felt that in
no other way can the safety of the
country be better conserved than by
the instruction of our men In rifle
practice. Such course seems te
promise the most reasonable assur
ances Of power to the nation to pre-
serve peace to ourselves and Other
countries"
! Secretary Dickinson Is greatly in
terested In rifle practice as is hi
young son and It is more than prob
able that both will be visitors tt
Camp Perry during the matches. Tht
national matches proper. as distin
guished from those of the Nationa
Rifle association, are shot under tn,
direction of the secretary of war, thu
rules for the same being prepared b,
the National Board for Promotion o
Rifle Practice, of which Assistant Sec
rotary OF War Robert Shaw Oliver, /,
president.
On Large Scale.
The preparations for the nationa
matches are on larger scale than ev
Or before. Approximately one hund
red regular army officers and 1.OO'
troops will be stationed at Camp Per
~ during the matches. congress ha,
appropriated $4,000 for the messing
of the competitors during the nation
al matches and the prize money viii
be largely increased. From 1000 t.
1900 competitors will participate IL
the national matches and those of thu
N. r. A. and many more in the Ohit
National Guard matches and those O
the Ohio State Rifle association AMI
the department OF the Lakes Rifl,
association, which precede the nation
al matches. The contests begil
August 9th and run to September 3rt
when the Sea Girt tournament opens.