The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-11-04
NATIONAL MATCH
EVERY Two YEARS

There is considerable quiet talk as
to the advisability of making the ma
| tional rifle matches a biennial affair
instead of holding them yearly. That
they have been tremendous factor in
arousing interest in shooting through
| out all branches of the military SER
vice and the national guard is not
denied. Since they were instituted by
| an act of congress appropriating mon
ey for the national trophy medals
| and prizes, congress has increased the
appropriation for the national guards
from one to two million dollars an
nually, with the understanding that
100000 of this Appropriation was to be
expended in rifle practice Out of this
money the expenses of the teams at
the national match are paid. In many
cases these expenses constitute a very
formidable drain on the states allot-
ment. Especially Is this the case with
the smaller states and territories.
These usually have long trips involv-
Ing heavy transportation charges and
considerable pay for the members of
the team while on duty coming and
going. An officer in the Arizona ma
tional guard receives the same as an
officer of similar rank in the New
York national guard while on duty,
so that the team expenses for the
smaller states are as high as those
for the larger states although the
amount of money received from the
national government is very much
less.
The result has been that where a
small state sends a team to the tour
ament each year it finds itself with
little left for rife practice at home
These states and territories are anx-
ious to apply a certain amount Of
the federal appropriation to the con-
struction and equipment of state
ranges and for rifle practice among
the members of the guard at home
1t is also felt that II the matches were
held every two years there would
be greater novelty and more interest
taken in them. The army has adopt
ed a tWo-year system instead of an
nual matches partly on account Of the
fact that the army maneuvers and in
dividual camps of instructions are
held in alternate years. Preparations
for the national matches and atten-
dance thereon consume considerable
time on the part of the members of
the teams and practically eliminates
them from participation in the man
euver. For the last two years the
army has supplied the officers and
men for the Camp Perry range dur
ing the National Rifle association
matches as well as during the national
matches. AS this involves the SER
vices of more than 100 officers and
ever 1000 experienced enlisted men 1t
seriously handicaps the training of the
national guardsmen by the regular of
ficers during the maneuver years. 1t
also accentuates the serious shortage
of regular army officers. II, however,
the national matches required the SER
vices of twice as many officers and
enlistment from the regular army, to
conduct them, their value as a mill
tary feature to the country would be
we'll worth the expenditure.
BY next year the government of the
United States will posses a rife range
of sufficient size and equipment to
take care of the national matches. 1t
Is constructing new range near
Sparta, Wis, in connection with the
ertillary range there and on this range
the national matches can be accom-
cdated. 1t is doubtful, however,
whether the National Rifle associa-
ton matches could be shot there as
there will probably be only one bank
of targets, fifty in number, so that
only one stage of one match could
be shot at time At Camp Perry
with it's equipment of more than 200
targets 1t is possible to shoot several
matches simultaneously. That nation
al guard is not partial to the idea Of
going to Sparta, which is not accesi-
BILE to civilization. New York expects
to have its range completed by 1912
and if it invites the tournament it
will be a formidable bidder.