Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-19

enough In most cases, but when 1t ism t then 1t
is time to resort to more vigorous and convinc-
ing means. We wish we mad more Justice
Dykmans and more grand juries of the West
chester county stamp. May their shadow
never grow less.) If we had the highway
system of the United States would be brought
up to standard more in keeping with the
progressive methods of the country in which we
live.
Col. POpe's Petition.
Col. A. A. Pope, one of the most prominent
persons in bicycle circles in this country, is
again making move looking forward to the
improvement of the public highways through
out the country, and to that end he has pre-
pared petition to be sent to Congress. which
reads:
We. the undersigned. citizens Of the United States.
founded in the city Of in the District Of
Columbia, Road Department similar to the Agri-
knowledge in the art o. constructing and maintanns
be made Tor teaching students. so that they be-
IL connection with this Road Department we re-
in hch snail be shown sections OF roads illustrating
road materials and machinery.
We further petition that congress appropriate funds
exhibit '"''''' '0"'
III explanation of the petition Col. Pope has
"When this sheet is filed with names please
attach other sheets and secure az many sigma
lures possible When this is done please
forward it before january i, 1893. to the adj
dress given below. Copies of this petition
have been sent to various parts of the country.
and 1t is hoped that Mt least million signatures
will be secured. All petitions sent in before
January will be united in one great petition,
which will be presented to Congress, and the
result will be, no doubt. the establishment of a
road department., an institute Of road engi-
neerlng and permanent road exhibit in the
city of Washington, and a comprehensive ex-
hibit Of the construction and maintenance of
roads at the worlds Columbian exposition"
Foot Ball Succeeds Cycling.
Cycling, which it's devotees claim is rapidly
superseding all other forms of athletic sport,
is compelled to retire temporarily in favor of
foot ball, says Cycling. Of course the
cycling season is over far as racing is
concerned. but III season or out Of season no
wheel club ever attracts such audiences as the
big college foot ball teams draw to their cham
pionship games This is even the case at
Springfield where the Harvard and Yale teams
play, and while Hampden Park is the scene of
the greatest cycling tournaments annually even
those immense crowds are exceeded by the at
tendance at the foot ball games. Aside from
the interest taken in the game by college men
and those who enjoy the sport society lends its
support and probably nothing else would lead
a good proportion of those who brave unpleas-
ant weather by attending to sit or stand for
hours In the open air at this time of the year.
Antiquity of Foot Ball.
In answer to n query whether foot ball is a
modern game the Baltimore american says:
No; it was sport which highly delighted
both the Romans and the Greeks. II was
known by the former. "a barpa sf11m and nv iba
latter esplskuros. There is a reference in
fitz Stephen which Is supposed to indicate
that the amusement was popular in England
during the reign Of Henry Ii. about I16O
This mention has doubtful meaning. and
may refer only to toEnis 1t is certain. how
ever, that it was familiar to the subjects of
edward III. for he in 1341 felt compelled
to issue an edict prohibiting it, not because of
its undesirability, but because it impeded the
progress of archery. For similar reason
James III of Scotland also put the ban
on the game. Sir Thomas Elyot, writing
in the time of Henry VIII. denounced the
game IA being ''nothynge but beastly fury
and extreme violence whereof proceedeth
hurte. and consequently rancor and malice
do remain with them that be wounded, where
fore it is to be put in perpetual sylence." James
l also shared this belief in the brutality of the
sport and wrote in his Basilicon Doron: From
this court | debar all rough and violent exer-
cises rs the foot ball. meeter for tanning than
making able the users thereof" Barclay in his
Fifth Eclogue. dated 1903, had these lines:
.'Tk- sturdie plowmsn, lustie strong and bold.
Overconeth the winter with driving the foo. ball.
Forgetting labour and many grievous fall"
The poet Waller scores it thus:
''As when a sort of lusty shepherds try
Their fore at foot ball care of victory
Makes them salute SO rudely, breast to breast,
That their encounte: seems TOO rough for jest"
-->~>
why the Figures Were Wrong