Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-09-13
PuelLlsM Nor A EsslNa-


In an interview in New York upon his
arrival in this country last week Sir Ed
win Arnold, the famous poet, referring
TO the Corbett-Sullivan mill, said:
] have been much interested in this
fight 40 New Orleans. think this ad-
vance in pugilism augurs well for the
future Of America Anything that tends
TO do dway with the revolver is bless
ing
We have referred to Sir Edwin's i'm
preston that pugilism was advancing as
erroneous, and to his condemnation Of
the revolver as unwarranted. We have
reveled in prize fights in this country be-
fore. Sullivan and Corbett were not the
first hstic champions 20 win and lose the
belt and immense distinction in this coun-
try.
We are not ready toabolish the revolver.
Some people who get at the wrong end Of
revolver may have an antipathy to It
If they survive, but it is "a useful nipple
ment for all that, and the condition Of
society in many remote hamlets Of the
west and south, is not sufficiently peace
ful 90 warrant the blessing" as Sir
Edwin terms it, Of doing away with the
revolver. In many cases the communi-
ties, whore the revolver still hourishes,
can better afford ito do away" with a
few citizens.
An interview with John L. Sullivan, in
the New York Herald, supports the con
tention that we are not ready to abandon
the revolver frying pan to jump into the
pugilistic fire Returning from the
arena at New Orleans, Mr. Sullivan says
Yesterday | had de big head an mil
lion friends. Today I've got woise
head and dc friends is all slumped.
Deyre all chumps Bnt I'm the biggest.
Dead Oats what | am-de chip wuz
knocked off me shoulder by chppy. A
schoolboy took de champien's belt frum
mo wild a belt In dc neck an I'm done up.
See | never met no real aristocracy TIL
Yesterday, when l met two dukes. Dey
wuz Corbetts, an dey made me tired
Dey wuz too much stuck up-to stiff To
hell wit dukes When a mans up he's
mp, an he's cocky, too, but when he's
down where is her OATS where / am
down. Yesterday / didn't believe in pro
tection-today / votes for it. See :
Licked Swipedl Done upl An by a
pompydore dood kid Hully geel Wuz
/ made for disY Muscle? Wot's de use
Of muscle Ut didn't do me no good
Muscle in de minds de stuff. OATS
whore Chimmy got de bulge on me-he
had gray matter in Is intelleck an was
dotty ON de top. See
The motive, as the musicians say, Of
that monologue does not indicate any
great advance to better civilization or
to higher aims and purposes in life than
prevail where the crack Of the pistol is
frequent. Mr. Sullivan refers to the in
tellect of Mr.. Corbett but not in the
same fashion as Sir Edwin Arnold con
ceiges Of intellectual endeavor. A man
less accustomed TO the eloquence OF the
stage would not have referred TO the
composition of Mr., Corbetss brain and
his intellectual capacity as teaching him
to get out of the reach Of Mr. Suln-
vans famous fists, but to prudence,
horse-senso and agile legs
Perusing Mr. sullivan's train of
thought, and his somewhat un.
trained method Of exploiting it,
we differ from Sir Edwin Arnold
in thinking it is an unmixed
blessing that an era of fists and Sullivan
and Corbetts and brutal prize fights,
with all the epidemic Of horrible vul.
garity which they induce, should sup
ercedo the revolver; or that pugilism
could replace anything worse, OF more
degrading as a spectacle for a civilized
people.