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Show "No Man or Woman Should Be Permitted tc Carry a Revolver Unless " Ey FRANK C. NICHOLS, Colt's Manufacturing: Co. LET it be distinctly understood that American manufacturers do not favor promiscuous gam toting. We believe no man or woman should be permitted to carry a pistol or revolver unless properly licensed, and such licenses or permits should be granted onlv to euch persons as are proven capable of properly handling a loaded firearm and have a legitimate reason for going armed. We believe every pistol or revolver should bear a manufacturers' serial number. This number ihould be recorded at time of sale. The unfortunate angle, however, is that neither laws nor records have so far kept pistols and revolvers out of the hands of criminals. Our feeling is that the free possession of small arms by this class is due to the general lack of enforcement of existing laws. It may be questionable, even in these days of common violence, whether there is an advantage in a reputable citizen being armed, but if circumstances should justifiy such means of self-protection, a license to carry should be procurable. However, waiving the "carrying" problem, we now turn to the pos-ession pos-ession of arms for home protection. That is the constitutional right, we believe, of every American citizen and we, as manufacturers, believe we have the right to supply that want. As to more legislation, we doubt its usefulness, except it be a clearing clear-ing up of the conflicting state laws, greater penalties for the misuse of email arms, the recording of all sales, the stoppage of sales to irresponsible irrespon-sible persons through the medium of the mails and sales to be made to known and reputable persons by a responsible dealer over his counter. It is our opinion that shipments to individuals by mail or express ihould be prohibited in order to insure proper respect for city ordinances ordi-nances and state laws. We believe the indiscriminate distribution of arms .through the mail to persons of unknown age or character is a menace. |
