Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-11-22
Columbia Record.

tice Fund" you say: 1t is now IN
cumbent on Col Lindsay to make pub
lie an itemiZed statement OF the rlHe
practice fund and its disbursement.
In the same editorial the columns OF
the Record are placed at my service lot
this purpose, and in letter to me you
state that you will be glad to puoilsh
this and any other statement l desire
TO make. l called Mr.. James A. Hoyl
I'D on the phone and stated that was
nerfectly willing to publish an itemlzed
statement of my accounts, PIT that 1
must have the governors PERMISSION
10 do so and asked you to see the gov
ernor for me and obtain that permis-
sion. On November 9th you sent me
the following telegram: governor
authorizes me to say he consents 10
publication statement. Signed, james
a Hoyt." Below will be found an
itemized statement of the rifle prac-
tice fund from December 20, 1903, when
I made my last report to the adjutant
general of South Carolina, to date.
To those who have read my letter OF
November to the National Guard as
sociation of South Carolina II VIII not
be necessary to explain what the rifle
practice fund is, but to those who read
this article alone it is necessary. 1t IS
money drawn by the governor OF South
Carolina, through the adjutant gener-
ais office, from the war department at
washington for the use of the militia
of South Carolina in the promouon OF
rifle practice. The money so drawn
is sent to the First National bank
of Charleston, S. c., TO my Of
fetal credit as United States dls-
bursting officer for South Carolina.
When received by the bank am
notified and can draw 1t out only
by using the forms of check furnished
by the war department ana III pay
ment of claims on forms of approved
vouchers also furnished by the war
department. The itemized statement
below is sustained by all the necessary
orders and approved vouchers, copies
of which are on file in my office. 10
those of your readers who are sum-
ciently interested to want to know
more Of this matter, il is suggested
that they get a copy of your issue OF
November 10 and read my letter OF No
vember 2 to the National Guard asso-
citation of South Carolina.
What has been my connection with
the promotion of rifle practice IN TINS
state and have l done anything Tor
it's betterement? I am aware that the
answer to this question, given by me,
sounds egotistical. but l consider 1t
necessary under the circumstances. In
1906 q. c. Boyd was not adjutant gen.
eral at that time, nor was l dlSburs-
ing officer) I asked Adjutant General
Frost If he would give me place on
the South Carolina team going TO Sea
Girt, New Jersey, to attend national
rifle match, in order that l might learn
something about the rules and regula-
tions governing modern rifle shooting
and could intelligently explain them
to the militiamen of the up-country
and arouse interest in military rlne
shooting. Let it be borne in mind that
at that time there was not rifle range
in South Carolina suitable for complete
rifle shooting. l think the only range
of any kind was the one in Charleston
belonging to q military organization or
that city containing one or two points
from which to fire, and 1t was upon
this range that scores were made by
the Is shooting men who were selected
as members of the team in 1906. Gen.
Frost very kindly had me made a
member of the rifle team and l re-
turned from the trip to Sea Girt very
enthusiastic over what could be done
along the lines of rifle shooting, If in
terest in it could be aroused in the
National Guard of South Carolina. My
my efforts for it's promotion have new
er abated. l have been selected as a
member of the South Carolina team
attending the national matches every
year since my first trip to Sea Girt,
New Jersey, in 1906. What has been
accomplished since that time? Start
ing with a single range in the state,
as l have said, there are today a large
range at Charleston and smaller ranges
at the following places: Georgetown,
Walterboro Orangeburg, GreenNille,
Columbia, Yorkville, Spartanburg, Fort
Mill, Camden, Sumter and Darlington.
Not only have these ranges been built,
but a general interest in rifle shooting
has been aroused in militiamen all over
the state. l think l have had some
influence in arousing this interest. Just
how much service l have been along
this line could probably best be learn
ed from the militiamen themselves.
Now, while it would be a great sat-
isfaction to the whole state of South
Carolina, and particularly TO its mill
tiamen, to have the winning team at
the national rifle matches, those who
understand the matter know that this
is out of the question unless our team
could give. say, two months hard work
to preliminary practice, and the indi-
vidual members of the team have not
this much time to give to ii. On the
other hand, South Cardinals team at
Camp Perry is not a joke. Let any
one who really wishes to inform them
selves on this point compare the scores
made by our team for the last five
years and see the great Improvement.
Is the shooting at Camp Perry the only
thing that interests the National Guard
connected with rifle practice? BY no
means, nor do I consider it the chief
thing. The modern military rifle will
shoot a mile with accuracy, therefore
it cannot be fired with safety except
on a range which has a place to stop
the bullet. l have done everything in
my power to have company ranges
built in the state. and l do not call to
mind a single case where a military
company took interest enough to ask
for a range, but what it was given
them if a suitable place was found. /
contend that it would he better for the
majority of the men in the National
Guard to know how to handle, clean
and fire their guns on ranges in the
state than it would be to have only
one team of Is men who became so
expert that they would take the first
prize at Camp Perry. Another thing
about having ranges scattered over the
on them is that this is the very best
way to select the members of the team
for the national match. Ny expert
ence has been that an expert rifle shot
is born So After you find him, YOU
can train such man to almost any eN-
tent. AS proof Of this, will cite an in
stance. At the shoot of the First regi-
ment at Yorkville this spring, Sergeant
Mack L. Jolly of company c, Clifton,
took part. My understanding is that
he had never shot on a range before.
His score entitled him to contest at
Charleston for a place on the team at
Camp Perry, and he won a place on
that team. l think my experience in
such matters entities me to make at
least a suggestion as to how the rife
practice should be conducted. II seems
that am held responsible for the way
they were conducted this year. | am
willing to accept that responsibility.
because l believe that more good was
accomplished by the way the rifle
practice of this year was carried on
than any previous year. At not a
single one of the three regimental
shoots but what it was the general
opinion that they Maidstone more gen.
eral good than any other practices
held.
My idea as to how the rifle shooting
10