The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-07-31
PROMINENT MEN
At CAMP PERRY
Secretary of War, Members of
House and Senate and May
be the President


More distinguished visitors are ex-
pected at Camp Perry, Ohio. in Au-
gust next. to witness the national
rife matches, than have ever attend-
led similar matches. "A cordial. ,invi-
tation to visit the matches has been
extended to President Taft, Secretary
OF War Dickinson, the members Of
the senate and house committees on
military affairs, and other dis
tinguished men, by Gen. James A.
Drain, president of the National Rifle
Association Of America. The national
rife and revolver matches begin on
August 20, and will be followed i'm
mediately by those of the National
Rifle association. 1t is not probable
that President Taft will find it con-
yenient to attend the matches al
though his interest in military rife
work and in the matches, to say moth
ing of the great range in his native
state, is such that he may run out
there for day. He is a life member
of the N. R. A. and during his admin
istration of the war department rifle
practice made great strides forward.
In presenting the matter to the presi-
dent, Gen. Drain said: "It seems
sure that your attendance for even
part of one day within this period
would add immensely to the success
of these truly national contests. thus
making for greater rife efficiency
and increased power to our nation as
a maker of and preserver Of peace
for ourselves and Others"
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 1t is
doubtful If the wide spread interest in
target practice which has been grow
ing up in the United States for 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 a course seems to
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 rife practice as is his
young son and 1t is more than prob.
able that both will be visitors to
Camp Perry during the matches. The
national matches proper, as distin-
guished from those of the National
Rifle association, are shot under the
direction of the secretary of war, the
rules for the same being prepared by
the national board for promotion Of
rife practice. Of which Assistant Sec-
retary Of War Robert Show Oliver
is president.
The preparations for the. national
matches are on larger scale than
ever before. Approximately one hun
dred regular army officers and 1,O0G
troops will be stationed at Camp Per-
ry during the matches, congress has
appropriated $4,000 for the messing
Of the competitors during the nations
al matches and the prize money will
be largely increased. From 1000 to
1,5500 competitors will participate in
the national matches and those of
the N. r. A. and many more in the
Ohio national guard matches and
those of the Ohio State Rifle associa-
tion and the Department of the Lakes
Rifle association, which precede tho
national matches. The contests be-
gin August 3 and run to September
SS when the Sea Girt tournament
openA -