Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-07-19


The American is a hunter by tradition. 1t is i'll
his blood because his father and grandfather be-
fore him won the wilderness with the odd muzZl'-
loader Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett and
Kit Carson are all old friends of his. The wild
West is familiar territory, even though II" may
never have crossed the Mississippi For he has
read the tales of trappers and hunters and pr1ic-
ticed them on Il small scale in the woods out
side his village.
The American is marksman by training
What boy has not spent long days in the woods
with a gun in his hands? What youth. eXceptih"
only some born and reared in the largest cities
has not come home at night in triumph with
bag of cotonas?
The third reason why Sammy sticks to his rifle
in the trenches is that il is the best military arm
I'm the world.
For these three reasons. then-because the rifle
is his weapon by tradition and by training. ana
because the he carries is the best manufnc-
tured-our infantryman backs the rifle against the
hand grenade and the bayonet. He can use any
Of the three, but for choice give him a clean 600
yard shot at a moving spot of gray outlined
against the dun Flanders background of Il scar
torn hill
1t has been acknowledged for years that the
American regular army small though 1t was prior
to 1917, Is the finest body of marksmen in any
nrmy.. Our teams competing at Camp Perry ana
at HIsley against the best shots Of Europe and
the western hemisphere, proven conCiuSifeiy thdt
the superiority still rests with US.
The United States government has made for lis
army the most perfect military rifles ever pro-
duced These are the Springfield model of 1903
and the 1917 model both of which are beyond
question better guns than those used by any other
army In the world. The cartridges for these
weapons are the best I'm Orders have
been placed for 100000 rifles. The production
now averages $4,000 week, sufficient to equip
three divisions. One billion cartridges have been
ordered for practice in the training camps. Our
manufacture of rifle cartridges excels in amount
that of any other country. One firm alone turned
out 125. 100000 during month.
The policy of the government has been to ap-
propriate about S13 n year for the rifle practice
of each soldier in the army. Target ranges have
been built in all parts of the country. These
were available not only for the of the army
and the National Guard but also for rifle associ
atiCns.
Germany has not been able to do this. With
q standing army great as the one maintained
BY the kaiser in peace times. such an appropria-
ton would have interfered with other plans. IT
S13 u year had been spent on ammunition for the
rife practice of each man In the German standing
army and reserve the Teutons would be far bet
ter shots than they today. But this gain
would be Mt the expense of the funds necessary
for the supply of munitions the general stan was
accommodating against the day of need. Prior to
the the German soldier nred only ABOUT IL
ball cartridges a year the range.
The rifle ranges in Europe are few and inferior
Land Is far too valuable permit of much be-
inc used for such purpose. Scarcely any of these
ranges suitable for practice at a distance OF
over 400 yards. An appropriation of Sl3 To the
man for ammunition would not have made Eu-
ropcan soldiers anything like rs expert as ours
The lack of opportunity To shoot under the field
conditions which are the foundation of a good
in haiti
necessarily have debarred this.
The American is hunter. He used to be a
rifeman from necessity. since his safety and his
food depended on his skill He is now one from
choice There are few of yungsterS who do
not or have access Ia Il - rifle. and hut few
who do not get an occasional chance 10 use
shotgun. The hunting instinct is still strong in
u.s. Ii is estimated that about ;.50o0w sports
men in this country hunt every year with rifle
shotgun.
Even in thickly settled districts game is still
plentiful enough To offer enticinC sport. The Ii
cense Zee is small. amounting usually Ia only 81.
Ammunition is cheaper here than elsewhere. The
finest and least costly machinemade guns are
produced this country. Most important. we
have established aristocracy which controls the
shooting preserves, to the exclusion of the gen
eral public.