The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-07-13
The Battle OF the Bruisers.

I00 6dCCl6 Vi LILO DrulSoIC'
It is not an encouraging reflection
to the moralist or the philosopher.
who believes IN the progress and ele-
walton of the human race. that man.
kind is still almost az deeply excited
by mere contests for physical suprem-
acy as 1t was when In state of semi.
barbarian. But the spectacle that
was witnessed yesterday in Balti-
more and throughout the length and
breadth of the country must cause us
to wonder whether civilization is
anything more than veneering over
savage instincts, which are ready to
assert themselves in all their origi-
nal fierceness at the first opportun
ity. If the nation had been engaged
in a momentous contest involving its
liberty and honor. and its armies had
been joined in battle on some distant
field, scarcely more interest could
have been manifested in the result
than was shown in the encounter in
Mississippi between the pugilists Sui.
Ivan and Kilrain. The declaration
of the old philosopher that war is the
natural state of man seems to receive
strong confirmation from the pleas
urable mental excitement which such
contests as that of yesterday appear
to create In even the gentlest bos-
oms. 1t will be said, of course. that
this Is due to a virtue in human ma
ture rather than to yice-to laud-
able admiration of those great quail
ties of courage, endurance and deter
mInation which makes men heroes,
martyrs and leaders In the greater
crises of history. This may be partly
true, but when our admiration is be-
slowed upon such a struggle as that
between Kilrain and Sullivan it is
wasted and degraded, and tends to
lower and debase those who cherish
it. There might, perhaps, be some
excuse Tor such exhibitions if they
served any good purpose whatsoever.
and there is some ground for public
interest in them when they are of an
international character aud are at
least supposed to represent national
courage and physical development.
But the prize.fight proper does not
nourish a single virtue that would
not exist without it. and carries in
its train score of evils of no trifiing
nature. Nor was there any patriotic
pride or sentiment behind this Kill
rain.Sullivan encounter. It was SIM
ply a fight for a big purse of money
between two Irish.Americans. and it
decides nothing except that the Irish
American who has lived in Boston
had stronger muscles and more wind
than the Irish American who is
native of New York. but who has for
some time past lived in Baltimore.
We did not need this fight to teach
US that Irishmen, whether they are
located In America or at the antipodes
will fight bravely on any issue that
can be started or with anything from
bare knuckles TO Calling guns. We
knew that from better sources than
the prize.ring. But while Sullivan
and Kilrain in the role Of peaceable
citizens might command respect, why
should sensible and respectable men
and women work themselves into a
fever of excitement and interest over
the spectacle of the two In the char
acter of bruisers humping each other
for mere money considerations con.
test which in its moral aspect is no
higher than a common fistcuff, and
which isentirely the outgrowth of the
clever scheming of few New York
sporting men, whose existence is de-
pendent upon exhibitions like these.
The Greek athletes, whose magnificent
development and splendid achieve
ments have never been equaled since
modern sneers to the contrary not
withstanding-were men of far diff
ferent caliber from the slough" citi.
zens of our times who pose as repre-
sentatives of our physical manhood.
and they trained with far different
purpose and from a higher motive.
They were many of them Greek gen.
tlemen of culture, whose minds were
as elastic and vigorous as their bod
les, and who could win laurels In af-
fairs Of state as easily as they did in