St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-13
WHY PUGILIsM THRIvEs..
Views of Prominent Men in the
Various Professions Upon a
Phase of COntempOraneous So

Various Professions Upon a
Phase of COntempOraneous So
ciety. l
The Boston Globe contains nearly
page Of short letters from noted persons
all over the country in reply to circu-
larosent out containing the following
queries: ,
First-What, in your opinion, is the reason
for the great interest in pugilism and pugl-
lists taken by the American and English peo-
pier
,Second-What is the moral effect OF it
upon our young men?
,lThird-Do you think that boxing is a
proper part of the physical training of young
men! II not, what would you substitute
for it?
Among others, replies are published
from Rev. Robert Collier, George Will
lam Curtis, Anthony ComstOck,. b. 4.
Guild, James Parton, Rev. Minot, j.
Savage, Hon. John E. Russell, DR.. b.
o. Kinnear, Josiah Quincy, Lawrence
Tucker. Bill Nye, Richard b., Fox,
George w. Cable, DR.. William A. Ham
mOnd, John A. Bell, Thomas Went
worth HigginSon and Hon. William
Taylor.
All of the answers approve of boxing
as means of physical training, even
the ministers and Anthony. COmStOck
speaking with commentator of it. The
replies to the first and second questions
make interesting reading, and show a
wide variance of opinion. Condensed,
some of them are as follows: ~
Rev. Robert COllyer-YOur first ques-
ton misleads. You should have said
the great interest in pugilists and pu-
gilism taken by some people in England
and America and the answer to that
would be: Because such people nOurlSh
brutal instincts like those of the old
Romans, Overlaid by thin veneer of
civility, and the modern pugilist takes
the place to them of the modern glad
iatOr.
George William Curtis-l suppose
that the savage is not yet wholly worked
out of the blood.
Rev. MinOt j. Savage: because there
is so much human nature in the Amer
lean and English people. What is there
: that all men have always loved quite as
much as contest and the excitement
Of seeing which wOAld VIM
Historian James Parton: 1.-The recent
revival of interest in prize fights may be
reaction against overculture in special
. directions. which tends to effeminaey
and the dfminution of the human ami
NAL. We have one Emerson, and posi-
sbly that neceSsitates one Sullivan. al
though it was Emerson himself who
said that the first condition of a success
full life is to be good animal"
Anthony COmSt0ck: Il desire to state
that | consider your question too broad,
as it implies that the people generally
are interested in this brutal amusement.
do not believe that this is true. Those
who find delight in pugiiistic sport are,
in my Judgment, largely in the minor
ity."
DR.. William IA. Hammond am of
the opinion that the great interest in
pugilism and pugilists taken by the
American and English people is inner
ept, and is due to the hereditary trans
mission from ancestors who always
within the historic period have taken
pleasure in rough sports and personal
cOmbatS.
of ancestral savagery.
II Editor Bell, Detroit Free PreSs-1The
interest, either i'll principals, or events,
atpreSent felt in international phyllis
tie contests is limited and tame in COM
paFisOn with that which was taken a
little over quarter of a century ago,
when nearly all Eng and and America
were in fever over the Heenan-SayerS
/ fight. The difference between the IAN
soH}d interest now and the excitement
then marks decadence in the popular
ity Of pugllism which neither Marquis
of ,Queensberry nor John l.. Sullivan
can arrest. ''' '-
Bill sNye-I believe the interest in
pugiliSm here and in England to be
largely due to the fact that neither of
time, and consider the indications to be
hnhafn1 Soma al
/ pefgilism will take the place OF grim
/ y1saged war. > - - 81 =
@tuougreSsman'R usSelf-BOve of pugil-
/ ism, boxing and roug h-and-tulnb1e fight
ing is characteristic of the inhabitants
of the British islands. 1t is born in an
EngliShman; he will fight with his fists
and will endure an amount of ''punish-
ment'' about the head and face that
would kill Frenchman. The Irishman
is natural fighter with fist and stick,
and seems to enjoy having his eye
BACKED and his head broken. The
Americans, old and young, who take an
interest in pugllism are the descendants
of fighting people. 1t is,a simple Illus
tration of the doctrine of heredity.
DR.. b. D. Observation-Disclosures has al
ways been a characteristic trait of the
British and Americans. That steady
resolution and bulldog pertinacity
which has always enabled them to pos
sess themselves of nearly one-quarter
of the land surface of the globe, and
hold it under free laws and free institti-
tons, is, it seems to me, sufficient to
show in the race a love of all manly
sports, including pugilism.
Nearly all the replies are condemna-
tory of prize fighting, but Dr.. Hammond
and some others say the practice affords
useful examples of manly courage, skill
endurance and fortitude under physical
suffering.
MAKING FOR DEIIITH -