Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 173, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1915 — Armed Citizenry. [ARTICLE]

Armed Citizenry.

The suggestion that the people of the United States form clubs and companies for rifle practice and familiarize themselves in the use of weapons in readiness for protection in case of war is only new in the form of the weapons in-which we are asked to become skilled. In an epistle to the sheriff of London, dated June 12, 1349, 566 years ago, Edward 111 sets forth how “the people of our realm, as well of good quality as mean, have commonly in their sports before these times exercised their skill of shooting arrows; whence it is well known that honor and profit have accrued to our whole realm, and to us, by the help of God, no small assistance in our warlike acts. Now, however, the said skill being, as it were, wholly laid aside,” the king commands the sheriff to make public proclamation that “every one of the said city, strong in body, at leisure times on holidays, use in their recreations bows and arrows, of pellets and bolts, and learn and exercise the art of shooting, forbidding all and singular on our behalf that they do not after any manner apply themselves to the throwing of stones, wood or iron, handball, football, bundy hall, eambuck or cock-fighting, nor such like vain plays which have no profit In them.” Cambuck or cammock was the ancient name for hockey or shinny.