The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1915-08-26
GRAND ARMY
Of REPUBLIC
GETS READY
10000 MARCHERS TO PARADE
BEFORE THE PRESIDENT
CIVIL WAR sHARPSHOOTERs
National Rifle Association to Meet
At That Time and Urge Train
ing In the Use of Rifles
By Citizens.

Announcement of Col. George A.
Bosley. of Boston, national chief Of
staff of the Grand Army of the Re-
public, that, in celebration of the f1f-
tieth anniversary of the grand review
next month during the annual en-
campment of the Union veterans in
Washington, D. c., 10000 marchers
will pass in line before President Will
son and his cabinet, reached here
yesterday. ..ta
Capt. A. ]. Gahagan and F. NJ
Fessenden have already expressed
intention of attending the encamp-
ment.
The National Rife Association Of
America will participate In the con-
ference on national defense, which is
to be held in Washington Oct. AT,
Immediately following the Grand Ar
my of the Republic encampment, and
expert marksmen of the Union ar
mics of the civil war will attend.
According to a member of the local
Grand Army post, there are to his
knowledge, no local members who
were greatly distinguished as marks
men during the four years of fight
ing.
In the Union armies were hum
dreds of thousands of good shots and
thousands of expert marksmen and
sharp-shooters. Many of these dead
shots" will attend the Washington
encampment and will pay particular
attention to that section of the ma
tional defense conference which will
consider the training Of the citizenry
of this country in the use of the mill
itary rife.
Col. John McElroy, past senior vice
commander-in-chiefo of the Grand Ar
my of the Republic, says that train
ing in the use of the ripe is one Of
the most important subjects to be
considered at the conference.
Good rifemen among the citizens
are the best nucleus for our volun-
teer armies" declares Col. McElroy.
The National Rife Association OF
America claims to be the oldest and
most practical peace society in this
country. 1t was organized in 1871
for the purpose of teaching the citi-
zens Of the country how to Efficient
ly handle the army rife, thus making
its citizens capable of becoming efi-
cient volunteers to defend their coun-
try in time of need. Of1cers of the
association claim that If we had In
this country a million citizens train
ed In the use of the service arm that
1t would be more potent factor in
the maintenance of peace than the
orations of million peace-at-any-
price men. This national associa-
tion receives no federal support and
its work has been maintained by the
donations Of patriotically inclined
citizens through the taking out of life
Among such men may
be mentioned ex-Presidents Taft and
Roosevelt, ex-senator Root. former
Secretary of State Robert Bacon
former Secretaries of War Dickinson
and Wright, Senators Wetmore and
and such prominent business
leaders as Judge Gary, John Wanna
maker, H. C. Frick, George Westing-
house and hundreds OF others. -
A great impetus was given to rife
raining among citizens by the pass
lge of an act by congress last year
authorizing the free distribution OF
xrag rifles and ammunition to rife
:lubs and the work of organizing the
lubs and carrying on the training
vas put in the hands of the National
sihe association by the Secretary of
Var. Since that time over 200 clubs
ave been organized and to them has
cen issued SO6 Krag rifles and $780,
so rounds Of ammunition.