Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-11-08
TARGET SHIFTING EFFICIENCY.
Columbia State Makes Another Con-
tribution to the Subject.

Columbia State Makes Another Con-
tribution to the Subject.
The following appears in state
ment prepared by Lieutenant Colonel
Lindsay and read at tho National
Guard association meeting in COlum
biz last Wednesday:
Perhaps there exists an erroneous
impression as to the national rifle
match at Camp Perry, Ohio, as COM
pared to other encampments Of the
National Guard. There is no differ
ence. 1t is an encampment under
orders just the same as the encamp-
ment of the Second and Third regi-
ments at Chickamauga Park, Ga, this
year and the first regiment at Aiken
or any encampment for rifle shooting
held in the state. The members TAX
ing part in this shoot from South Car
olina and from any other state con-
sist of twelve men who shoot, three
aternates, a team captain, coach,
spotter and range officer-nineteen
in all. Every man named, be he one
of the twelve who shoot or not, Is
there under orders. l have gone to
Camp Perry as a member of the South
Carolina team for several years past
and / went under orders and with
specific duty. Why the Columbia
State has seen fit to single me out from
among the other officers going to
Camp Perry and the various rifle con-
tests held in the state and not shoot
ing, l can't say. but on looking over
the reports made by Maj. Hyde Of the
national rifle matches. which appear
in the adjutant generals annual re-
ports. find that he only mentions the
men who shoot on the range, and, as
say. perhaps from this, an i'm
preston has arisen that only these
particular men were entitled to 60"
1t is not a fact that The State
singled out Colonel Lindsay from
among the officers going to Camp
Perry. In introducing his statement
he said he had not answered the ar
ticles in The State First. because 1
decline to be drawn into a newspaper
controversy, and, second, because my
name was mentioned in connection
with two officers superior in rank
1t was a triple, not a sins.e, on The
States part.
Further, The State has attacked"
no one. There is no animosity toward
these officials. The State is seeking
no scalps. But in an effort to help
the rifle team, flying signals Of dis
tress, and to aid the militia. The State
has propounded some Of the questions
that men of the rife team and officers
of the militia are daily asking in
private.
1t was alleged in a communication
to the newspapers from member of
the rifle team that the rifiemen were
hampered for lack Of funds. The
State printed another letter from a
riheman suggesting that If the avail
able funds were expended for the
good of the service they would be
sufficient. Then to indicate one con-
siderable item Of expense not consid-
cred for the good of the service 1t was
shown that the shoot at Camp Perry
was attended by Gen. Boyd, Colonel
Brock and Lieutenant Colonel Lind
say. The State showed that the pay
of these officers-exclusive OF ex-
penses-for one Camp Perry shoot,
was $593, and we asked what they,
or either of them did to further the
fortunes of the rife team. That ques-
ton is unanswered but Lieutenant
Colonel Lindsay, in his statement, says
he has attended the Camp Perry
shoot for several years past. "as a
member Of the team" and 'under
orders with a specific duty" AS an
authorized team is composed Of twelve
rilemen. three alternate rifiemen. one
team captain, one coach, one spotter
and one range officer. and al neither
General Boyd. Colonel Brock, nor
Lieutenant Colonel Lindsay partici-
pated as riflemen or captain or range
officer. it would be interesting to
know what posts they filled-who was
spotter, who was the coach, and what
berth did the third occupy? Neither
is competent to be a coach. Weeks
of coaching might develop service
able spOtter out of one of the colonies,
but why pay an unframed colonel to
do that which an equally unframed
private or non-commissioned officer,
accustomed to target shooting, would
do very much better?
Lack of proper coaching Is the
chief reason assigned by rifleman-
correspondent for South Carolina's
poor showing on the Camp Perry
ranges Why are there not COM
petent coach and other aids? Is 1t
because officers of high rank, totally
incompetent to perform the work
needed are assigned TO those places
so that they may draw pay for
rank" Who does the assigning?
The States call for light is not
popular" it is rather calculated to
increase the number of The States
enemies, but in seeking for a fair
showing for the man behind the gun,
and square showing for South Car
olina the obligation Is clear.-Colum-
bia state. November 5.