The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-24
SEATTLE. FRIDAY. JgLY 90.
an ATHLETIC INTELLECT.

AN ATHLETIC INfELLECT.
The action of Governor Merriam, of Min
nesota, in refusing to permit the Hall
Fitzsimmons prizefght to take place, is
worthy of warm praise. Governor Mer-
ram did not initiate Governor Lowry, OF
Mississippi. and interfere after the fight,
but before it; he. did not allow the laws
Of the state TO be nullified by wealthy
athletic club, as did Governor Waterman,
of California, and Governor Nichols, of
Louisiana; he yindicated the laws OF his
state. and did his whole duty, just as did
Democratic Governor Hoffman, OF
New York, when that Sinking,
faippant demagogue. Mayor Hall, of
New York city, refused to allow
the Orangemen TO parade. Governor
Hoffman knew be signed his own political
death warrant with the Irish Democracy
Of New York city when he overslaughed
the lawless action of Mayor Hall, ordered
out the militia to protect the rights of
American citizens. and dispersed with
musketry the rioters who attempted to as
sault the militia Governor Hoffman lost
the Democratic nomination for the Presi-
dency, but he did his state and his coun-
try the greatest service of his life.
The interference of Governor Merriam
to rebuke the lawless mayor Of st. Paul is
the act of man who declines to be mere
wooden effigy of a governor when the
laws of the state are deied by athletic
clubs who attempt to blind the eyes of the
public to their rufiianly tastes by dressing
In broadcloth. To Governor Merriam all
persons are enemies ofpublic order, law and
peace who organize to procure prizefght.
The ''respectable" Boston mobs who used
to violate the law sin order to silence
Wendell Phillips was described by him as
composed of drunken broadcloth;" and
they were just as much entitled to con-
sideration as the so-called respectable
people who lend their influence, bottomed
on wealth. business or social position, to
break the laws of Minnesota by procuring
prizefght.
There must be something in this mis-
placed and perverted enthusiasm for
athletics in the form of prize6ghting that
clouds the moral and intellectual vision
of men ordinarily upright, law-abiding
and sensible. To illustrate, Mr.. Cowles,
the president of the Minnesota Athletic
Club and managing editor of the Pioneer
Press. is of course man of high intelIi-
gence and responsible character: his
position fairly implies all that, and vet he
signs statement which includes the
following:
The club loses its deposit OF 5000 as a
forfeit 10 protect tho contestants and in ad-
dition about sa.ooo expended in the con
strnction OF the big pavilion and for other
necessary expenses. Under the cireum-
stances the action of the state authorities Is
cruel and unjust, as the fight could and should
have been prevented thirty to sixty days ago.
before dollar Of expense had been incurred.
Mayor Smith earnestly urged the club to 20 on
with the fight, but II wss decided to drop il In
order TO remove ali possibility of disorder or
bioodshed-
Here we have an organization that un-
dertakes in violation of the law TO have
prixefight take place. Their efforts are
frustrated by the interference of the execu-
tive who obeys his oath. which obliges him
to see that the laws are enforced and
obeyed. Now this club which deliberately
invested their money in an unjustifiable
effort to violate the laws of Minnesota
feel that the governor has acted with cruel
injustice because they have lost their
money by his stern enforcement of the
law which this lawless club expected IN
break with immunity and without sincere
or effectual Interference on the part of the
authorities. If the governor had permitted
this respectable" club TO ignore or
defy the laws of Minnesota he would have
acted with cruelty and injustice toward
the law-abiding people of the state. who
made him executive of the laws and did
not expect to find him Eastwood rover.
nor when IL became necessary to interfere
IN behalf of the laws threatened with vio-
lation.
The confession Of the club that il also
tried TO persuade the sheriff to connivs a.
the proposed violation OF the law is an.
other illustration how unworthily intelli-
gent and responsible citizens sometimes
behave when they are suffering from :.
severe attack of athletics. Nobody would
suspect that the athlete who wrote this
statement for his club was an intellectual
athlete, for its logic is utterly .bspr3
Boiled down, he says: 1--WE have made a,
earnest, resolute effort to break the law az
the state, but the governor will moi b.va
Il: we have lost our money Investment
and we feel that we have been insulted
by the interference of the state and
injured by the consequent loss of opr
investment" II that logic is good for snv.
thing, tt is just as good for woman who
tries TO keep q bagnio. or man who onenS
q rambling-house in defiance of law, when
both establishments are closed by the
police. The harlot and the gambler have
both lost their investment, aud of course
they both feel that they have been cruelty
and unlustly used by the law because they
.didn't believe the law was loaded" or that
the authorities would shoot. The study
and practice of athletics may greatly help
the body. but il does not seem to help the
brains of the Minnesota Club, or they
would hardly have published so shallow a
statement.
The action of Governor Merriam viii
have healthy effect in other states. and
help to return this priEefighting harbarism
70 the ditch from " hich, when it was