The morning call., 1893-03-01
THE CASE OF THE PUdILIsTs.

The death of the pugllist Miller in con-
sequence of injuries received at boxing
match in the Pacific Athletic Club rooms
on Friday night will probably insure the
signing Of the bill against prize-fghting,
which has passed both houses OF the Legis-
lature. And the statement of the Prose
cutting Attorney, that he proposes to pro-
eeed against the prisoners for mansisughter
and Tot murder, probably foreshsdows a
conviction and not another failure of justice.
Some of The professionals affect TO regard
the proposed new law as another attempt to
achieve the Impossible. They say that pu-
giists will fight in spite OF all the laws
which may he passed, and that they will
find way of lodging the law. To this it
may be replied that penal laws rarely sue
ceed in eTadicatiEg crime altogether; the
most which can be expected of them is to
render the commission of crime more diff,
cult and its occurrence less frequent. This
the new law may fairly be expectsd to
accomplish. ~: .-.:>
The common-sense on pugilism may be
expressed in a few words. 1t is we'll that
young men should be trained TO deyelop the
muscles of the chest ana arms, and there is
no exercise which confers this training so
completely as boxing. 1t is also we'll that
themselves with the weapons which nature
gave them, so that they shall not be tempted
10 carry knife or pistol. But this much
said on behalf of the manly art. all has been
said Oh that side Of the case. and there is a
great deal TO be said on the other side.
= Pngilism naturally leads to. prize-fghts,
as. h0rse-breeding leads to- horse races.
When Two men reach a certain stage of
proficiency they want to try which. is the
better man, and match" naturally fol-
lows. This involves two. consequences.
Money is put upon the result, and the con-
test, which was nominally one Of strength,
endurance and skill, becomes. aamere gam
bling adventure The: hackers of the sue
cessful prize-nghter make a great deal of
money, which .he hackers of the defeated
champion lose. Where such CANDLES
flourish Generalization follows. People
Try to make living not by honest indus,
: try. but. by. the lowest form of specula-.
; speculation in the muscles and sinews
and blood ola human being, :; =. ~.
F., -, And the conversion o. a boxing bout into
a gambling game has the effect OF squirting
F. the contestants 10 continue the fight after
their ability 10 contend has been exhausted
1t converts ali boxing matches into flights
TO a iniSh.' A prize fighter having not
only his own reputation but lis friends
money at stake. stands up when time is
called, though he knows that he does so. al
the risk Of his llfes Hence it not unfre-
Qpentiy happens that he falls victim to hts
persistence and goes to his death. When
this happens the high-spirited gentlemen
under whose auspices he has fought deplore
. the event as an untoward and wholly unex-
peeted accident. But in. fact il was a
"a fn
PEELED the boxer TO go on fighting after he
: No advantage: in the shape: of physical
education or training can Compensate So
ciety for the mischief which is done by the
widespread Generalization which pugiism
entails Wherever pugilists are ii is certain
that drinking, foul language. coarse habits
and deprayed associations will prevail. A
glance at the faces which are 10 be seen in
the haunts of prlze-fghters raises grave
questions as toour bOasted civilization. The
faces are more akin to the physiognomy OF
" the brute than TO the copntensnce of men,.
They seem to show how vile and degraded
men can become when the conditions. OF
refined life are removed. Which of the
persons whoare to be seen in such resorts OF
pugilism would any gentleman Ike to admit
TO his hopse2 To" which Of them wonld he
Introduce has wiis? BY which Of them
would lie like 10 be tried for his life, If he
had to pass the ordeal Of jury2 And if
the effect of the prize-ighting mania is to.
breed class OF men who can neither be:
admitted TO the domestic circle nor entrusted
with tie duties ofcivillife what reason can.
be assign ed why it sh6Gld: notbe suppressed
if it can -.
The death of Miller will stop INA tches''.
+ tor.some time tO:come. But it will.present-
.ly> be- forgotten; When it is, theaqueston
will arise-which is the stronger the people
-of. California or The members Of the sport.
ing fraternity?, = :: -