The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-27
RIFLE SHOOT MAKES
 MANY ENTHUSIASTS Military Men Desire to Enlarge
 Association BIBB GRAVES OPINION Colonel BrIcI<en Says wnnt to Extend Shoot Until All Southern and, if Possible, Entire Country | fH Would Participate
-BIBB GRAVES OPINION
BY BERRyMAN G. BETTY

The thrilling victory Of the rif1emen of Alabama over the marksmen from Louisi-
 ana and Mississippi on Thanksgiving day
 in this city, when the Alabamians again copped the "Myles-Adler trophy" for
 best craftsmanship ability, has revived in
 the military circles of this state a desire | to extend the scope of the Interstate Rifle | association to such an extent that 1t will | include not only the three states men toned above, but the entire south It is believed by military men of Alabama that such consummation would have | the effect of materially elevating the scores of each of the southern states at
 the annual Camp Perry shoots besides | improving individual state work and be- sides giving an impetus to rife practice The Thanksgiving events In this city
 have not been sufficiently chronoed to give an idea of the enthusiasm which was ! manifested here on Thursday. when the two visiting states offered their best narksmen to rescue from the Alabamians
 he state trophy which they eopped in
 Mississippi in 1909, nor to give an idea Of | the keen rivalry which existed between
 the competitors The fact, however that l with 1t all the friendliest relations were shown has firmly impressed upon the mil | itary leaders of the three states repre-
 5ented at the meet the importance which | would attach to a similar movement from every state Of the south. It is believed bv -hese military authorities that not only | would the sport elevate the south at the | national shoot, but that it would tend
 more than any other condition to put the
 south on a more competitive basis. which | IS considered the life of trade.
 Thursday's Events
 The events of Thursday were thrilling | from the rise of the curtain to its fa1I | while early indications were that inc Louisianians, especially, were out for
 leW scalps, and that they were deter
 mined to get them. Col. L. A. Toombs of -oulslana who headed the delegation | rom his state, started out on the 200-yard
 slow fire skrmish with a skill that fairy | swept the Alabamians and the Mississip- jlans off their feet, and that boded i'll for l any competitor. On the 600-yard shoot | the lead gained by Colonel Toombs in the l 1rst event was overcome by Major Hoga-
 coom of Mississippi, and by Maj w. F. l Weiss Of Alabama, and by Lieutenant l J'Connell, also of Alabama. On the 1O00- | }ard range the Alabamians forged ahead | y a substantial majority, and on the | apid fire ranges the visitors were left in | he rear by the excellent work of Major Weiss, Lieutenant OConnell, Capt W. D. Jones and Sergeant Hugh Evans, all | If Montgomery.
 | When the shoot ended the honors of the
 day had been carried off by the four | Montgomerians mentioned above, with | Colonel Toombs in fifth place.
 Graves Statement
 l In the opinion of Bibb Graves. adiu-
 tant general of Alabama, the shoot this | year marks an epoch in the history of | military affairs in Alabama while 1t
 at the same time sets the pace for future | years. In statement given to this cor, respondent, the adjutant general de- clares: am fully satisfied that rifle prac- tice has at the present time assumed it's place in the military affairs of the south to which 1t is entitled, and realization of the fact has been impressed upon me chiefly because of the interest which was manifested in Thursdays events First of all the competition which exist ed between the teams was as keen. al- most as the rivalry which is displayed at Camp Perry at the national shoot There can be but one result It means
 hat next year the south is going to take
 still higher place in military affairs,
 and probably oust few of the eastern
 and northern states from pinnaces which
 they have long occupied by virtue of bet equipment.
 Louisiana rifiemen came to Montgom- cry this year with the idea firmly lm-
 pressed upon them that the state trophy
 vas to be theirs, and it was a distinct satisfaction to all of us to see how the
 rlhenen of that state went about their task of getting the banner However
 though they lost, they helped us to get
 our pace Undoubtedly they were the sole cause of the low score of 1855 which won the trophy.
 incidentally, might add that in Louis jana this year there has been expended in the neighborhood of s10.o00 for the pur- pose of giving to that state one of the best rifle ranges in the country From
 what have been able to gather, the state
 has now placed itself in such position
 as to make itself most formidable op-
 ponent in all after meets"
 General Graves, who is himself prince of good fellows, and ''one of the mem
 In all of their hardships. joys and tribu- lations, especially praises the personnel of the three teams which came 10 this city.
 ''They are all gentlemen" he declared.
 "of the true southern stripe. I wish that every man who came here could have had a medal on general principles. ?
 Bricken's Views .
 Col c. R. BriclSen, who was executive officer at the shoot. and who Is in all probability the most all around popular regimental commander In the south, has hopes of expanding the shoot to he point where all of the southern states will be participants.
 "We are especially anxious to have Georgia, Tennessee. Florida and Texas to enter the lists with us.'' he states, but we are sufficiently imperialistic at the same time as to wish a meet between all of the states.'
 Colonel Bricken, like General Graves. Is to be found at the front of every fir ing line that presents itself. and despite the fact that he Is a dignif1ed circuit solicitor and prosperous lawyer. he, like General Graves, takes childish delight in the achievement of this state in a mili- tary way.
 Weiss Enthusiasm
 To Mai w. r. Weiss of Montgomery is accorded the tribute of doing as much for rifle range practice in the south as to any other soldier. In Montgomery he has set the pace to such lively ex- tent that six of the eight marlSsmen who represented Alabama on Thursday were from this city. Four of these Montgom- cry marksmen were the instruments which brought about the defeat of the Louisianans and Misssslppians, hence it is readily observed that some moving fac tor has been at work to boost the military game in this immediate section
 Once week regularly Major Weiss is to be found at hard practice at the Pickett Springs rifle range mile or so out of Montgomery, and on every occa- sion the work which he assigns for himself to do is gruelling and not to be scoffed at. Though nobody may be at