The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-11
THE PASSING OF SULLIVAN.

THE PASSING OF SULLIVAN.
The athletic club OF Seattle ha, promptly,
on its first organization, voted that no
pugilistic contests for money prizes shall
club. This is the only way to lift athletics
out Of the ditch: an athletic club that di-
rectiy or indirectly holds out the right
hand Of fellowship to prlzefghters is not
only . lawbreaker, but an enemy of that
spirit Of humanity and moral refinement
in manners that is indispensable to
Christian civilization.
The manly art of self-defence deserves to
be included among the athletics taught to
the youth Of our city: it is useful to repel
the attack of ruffian, and its practice
imparts grace and agility to the human
body. Every boy should be taught to
wrestle, to swim, to row, to shoot, to fence
and to spar; all these exercises serve the
purposes of healthful exercise and legiti-
mate recreation, and all of them may some
day serve also the end of self.preservation.
None of them are worthy of an hours
purpose. A gentleman may acquire all
these accomplishments, and SO may
ruffian, but no man can use or abuse these
accomplishments to ruffianly ends without
becoming detestable member of society.
A man has no more moral business. be.
cause he is q skillful wrestler and sparrer,
to become hired bruiser to make q brutal
holiday for the lawless and dangerous
classes of society than q woman has to
sell her beauty to the call of licentiousness
in the market place. Because an upright
gentleman plays cards for recreation We
do not therefore tolerate the demoralizing
profession of a gambler; because a man
may learn to shoot and fence We do not
tolerate duelist; because Q man may
drink wine with his dinner We do not
invite drunkard to dinner; because
the desire for acquisition is the inspiration
and impulsive force of industry, we do
not respect either misers or thieves, or
persons who stoop to acts of self-degrada-
ton and follow demoralizing. disreputable
and infamous callings for money.
Nothing can be said for prizeighting
when practiced by those who seem unfit
for any higher pursuit, and certainly
nothing can be said for it when practiced
for gain by men fit for better things. We
certainly have less charity for a man of
brains and decent early environ
ment who follows a disreputable
and degrading business than We
have for a man who was spawned in Il
mud puddle and nurtured in the at
mosphere of moral miasma that rises from
the noisome marshes of the lowest levels
OF society. A woman, who was born in a
SUM, Graded in a haunt and nursery Of
crime. may fairly plead beth ignorance
and evil associations and The stress of
poverty IN extenuation Of her embracing
au infamous calling for gain, but we do
not fee. the same compassion for a woman
born and nurtured in an atmosphere of
sweetness and light, who makes the same
plea for the same oifense.
All talk about gentleman prize
fighters. who draw the "color line" in
the dog pit, and who avoid alcoholic ex-
cess is unmitigated rot. The difference
between Sullivan and Corbett is simply
temperamental there is no more morality
in the distinction than there is between a
gambler prudent enough not to lose his
game by losing his head through liquor
ana gambler who loses his
money because he drinks too much.
A wise burglar, like aprudent gambler or
rrizefighter, sbjures alcohol when he has
work in hand, but the ,eoYk ia kand in the
case of the burglar, the skin gambler ana
the rr.xedghter is the infamous and i'm
moral thing. and whether the man has
greater or less self-restrain. Ghan his fell
low lawbreaker is = matter Of slight, super
fetal consequence. Corbetts early associa-
tons were humane and intelligent, and
| for this reason his fall 20 the level OF prize
| fighting is as inexcussh.e IS the drop of a
| woman Of excellent early opportunities to
| the level OF the drab born in ditch. Sui.
| hvan VAS Boston wharf rat" and 70
| become a prizefghter violated none Of his
early associations. tramrlei on no train.
! ing colored with humanity or -.
cial refinement: 10 become prizefchter
| is to = Boston wharf rat lorica.
rise in life, while Corbe;t's early sssocia-
| tons and training were so decent that + Is
entrance Of the pr.-e ring is a moral ani
| social fall for which he can pleai no,hin-
| IN excuse save the miserable pea tia,
"there is bis money in it," No maa can
AFFORD 20 follow lsxless ami insamog.
calling on any such plea. foe # thai be
sound the honest girl Who scrubs you,
stairs is a fool because she has scorned tie
| lie Of a hariot
I lie color line" II the prize ring i