Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-02-24

point. In the beginning, the natlOnal
shoot was more a school of musketry.
Now it has developed into compe-
tition, pure and simple. A team 60
ing to the Ohio camp has the same
idea before it as college football,
baseball or basketball team. It goes
to Camp Perry to shoot against crack
teams fro meach branch Of the regu-
lar service as vel, as from the Or
ganized militia of nearly every state
of the union. 1t enters the compe-
tition to win, if that is possible. It
is too generally taken for granted
that the members of the team are
already crack shots before they go
to Camp Perry, and the instruction
received is not in the rudiments OF
the art, but is more of a post gradu'
ate nature. Hence tie idea that new
men should compose the team each
year is not in keeping with the spirit
of the occasion.
succinctly stated, however. the
main point which came up for con-
sideration by the guardsmen was,
GLOW can the money which has here.
tofore been expended upon the state
rifle team be utilized to secure greater
proficiency in shooting among the en-
listed personnel of the regiment"
The discussion at the national
guard association veered to tho
question of imposing handicap upon
competitors Of the team, and the res
olutions committee drew up resolu-
ton endorsing the sending of tie best
shots in the regiment as the state
team, who should be selected in fair
and open competition without handi-
cap, in case the officials deem it
advisable to enter another team In
the national matches. The commit
tee further decided that in case this
plan would not be followed that no
team should be entered from this
state whatsoever.
The elimination of the handicap.
however, did not settle the question
of how to secure best results. 1t is
the general sentiment, so far as round
table discussions reflected the views
of the association members, that per-
haps it would be better not to send a
team to Camp Perry for few years,
and to try some other system of ex'
pending the amount of money in.
volved. There were two different
schemes suggested.
The first of these was that instead
of selecting team for the national
shoot the regiment should conduct
a state competition each year, and
that the money annually spent here
'tofore upon a state team be divided
into a number of valuable prizes
which would make it worth the while
of every member of the regiment to
enter the matches. Naturally, q
marksman would be outclassed by
sharpshooter, just as the latter could
not be expected to excel over an ex'
pert rifleman. Hence it Is suggested
in accordance with the plan of a state
shoot that the various prizes be dis
tributed among different classes, each
class representing a certain degree OF
proficiency. This idea is gaining
much Roadway among various com.
pany organizations of the regiment.
The second scheme which was out.
lined is that of putting the members
of the company upon state pay for
the time they expend upon the range.
Usually most of the members Of a
company are boys who are obliged
to earn their own living Sunday Is
their day of rest, and If they have
to go out on the range on Sunday
for their rifle practice they must sac
riflce this day which rightfully be-
longs to them for recreation. BY
placing them upon state pay they
could be recompensed in some small
measure for their time, and there
would be some incentive for them to
get out and work. The entire regi-
ment could be paid state pay for work
on the rife range throughout the en-.
tire rife season, and the aggregate
/, sum expended would be considerably
lower than the amount required to
pay the expenses of a rife team for
one year in the national shoot.
These suggestions are being care.
fully considered by the officers who
recommend whether or not state
team shall be selected in 1919. It 10
expected that they will adopt one or
the other Of them in preference to
sending team to Camp Perry. There