The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-06

ness, ignorance and every kind of vice, sub.
shutting the strength OF an OK for intelleo-
tual and moral force. They arc technically
temperate, but literally fox tine pu pose of
making u bloody orgy moe bloody. Their
tom peranee 10 entitled to tie same praise
that q murdeter's would be. before his
crime and no more. He abstEins from
4 ink that his hand may not trsmble, that
the blow may be sure. Is he. because care
fully I aiming to gain steadlness OF ne We
and tirmness OF muscle, therefore,. fur
nishing an example worthy of imitation?
"Bus what ia the character of this pugi-
listio exercise that liz set forth az being SO
worthy of emulation2 Sim Wy this-ls IL
An example of abnormal specialization at
the expense Of the symmetrical develop
ment that constitutes t NC manhood. A
dissection OF the slugger's head would show
at ested cerebral development compensated
by abnormal development of the CO ,ebel-
lum. But the pugilist's imperfect cerebral
develo. ment is no cause of embarrassment
to him. He Ia unconscious OF any mental
O. moral deficiency. Moral deficiency
when princes and paupers alike lavish their
adulations uron him.. ls not his fame
trait seen everywhe e? DO not his tistio
exploits fill moro columns with moro start
ling headlines in the great newspapers OF
she world than all the Inventors Of me-
ehanical genius, the discoveries of science
or the mental achievements of the age! No
wcdNACA 40 upoA LAO piHs poAAy u No
of more consequence than the brain OF a
Webster. He thinks that everybody does
him honor and announces with lofty man
date that he is ready to fight the champion
of the world, and he thinks that the poo
pie who have been bs. athlessly waiting this
information will now breathe freely again.
"Commodus, emperor of Rome, praoticed
his brutal sports in private until his vanity
got the better of his sense, when he pro-
ssn:ed himself in the arena. conquered
hundreds of gladlators. and calling himself
the Hercules OF Rome, commanded that
men should worship him. And to the
shame of our civilization, this relic of bar
barism, So vivinG the march OF time and
lea ping over the barriers Of Christian ssnti-
mens and righteous law, draws the accursed
OF Gle of brutal warfare. srects his bloody
shrine and despising all the exalted stand
ards OF manhood. grants the spurs Of
kniRhthood to the Ryans, Wilson's, Mitch
ellis, Jacksons M Nolans, and crowns q
Sullivan yesterday and a Corbett to-day in
a shameless empire where heads are cracked,
noses are broken, eyes ate blackened, faces
are smashed. an the image of God in man
is foully marrod. This savagerJ is too
frequently c~ountsnanoed by those in high
places. 1t is winked at and patronized by
those who are sworn to protect the public
peace. The mayor of Boston publiclv pre-
sented the big brute Sullivan with a dia.
mond belt. While in England the prince
of Wales did him the honor Of q personal
cal! and a private interview. The most
honored educator of America would not
have been so favored by the heir of Eng
lands throne.
And in our own city this relic of barbar-
ism is fosterej and supported, not only by
tho rabble. but by the very Offices who are
sworn to enforce the statutes against it.
1t is deplo' able enough for one OF obscure
position to give the prestige of his presence
to such debasement. But think of an Of
n,n anraa.~$n&ivn ~ khn .nor1o win
the tribute of his respect upon the crimson
altar of this CHASTITY Moloch. Think of
the members of our state legis AZURE. elected
by the people to enact laws for the main
tainance and protection of morality, who a
short time since joined with the heavily
iawed and beet .e-b owed crowd, to witness
'one poor brute with a terrible blow, lay tho
other poor animal low
"Aftrr such prostitution of on oial dignity,
no wonder the scarlet courtesans of the CITY,
recognizing the close relation between the
prize ring and the brothel, a. pointed a
pub ic ball beneath the halls Of legislation,
confident that the devotees at the shrine of
j Comus, would dance to the wild. weird
music of Venus, and to the shame of the
state some OF them DID! l say. that q man
who would participate in such scenes of
brutality and debauchery. is no more tit to
stand in a legislative assembly and repre-
sent the interests of e state, than Mephis-
topheles would be to masquerade in the
garbs of morality, O. q Mormon to pose as
an exponent Of virtue and chastity. But
not only does the prize ring receive such
recognition from private and official
sources, but the journalism of the day feels
called Upon to reproduce its beastlv scenes
and to flood our homes with graphic ac-
counts OF the great 'knock-outs,' biogra h
ical sketches of light weight and heavy
weight b%ruisers, and even careful engrav-
ings of the brawny form and face of tho
cham ion fighter. 1t is expected that brutal
men will behave like brutes and tenr ach
others eyes out when they have a chance.
1t is to be expected that men whose tastes
are bestial will applaud them while do,
ing SO. But what does the public as such,
care about such animalism? VIII you say,
nothing WlIl you say, it Is only Druis-
o g who are int ested in the contest for
championship If so, then explain why
the newspapers OF this country consider it
necessary to give to the public detailed de-
sc ip.lous of this disgusting business?
The truth Is. there ID no indication of
the direction of popular interest SO unerr-
ing as the newspap ers, and whom thew de-
vote several Columns to a certain subject
and set it up under glazing headlines. IT ia
not a matte OF private interest, but Of
public concern. 1t is because you, and you,
and you. and tou clamor for it. II you
didn't have the prizs light served to @ der
in tho morning paper YOU wouldn't enjoy
your breakfast. It's the ti.s thing you
look for and the hrst thing you see. It's
the prize fight you pay for and it's the
, prize eight you get. The reason that the
3 Associated . ,ess gave about q quarter of a
1 column to the life and death or Whittier,
/ the Quaker ia 4, and three columns to the
/, prize ring of New Orleans. where Co; bett
r proved himself to be a greater brute than
Sullivan. ia found in the fact that most
people relish pugilism more than poetry.
r Shameful fact. What q sad comment on
the age IN which we live. What "a window
into the hoart of society, showing the
brutality, wild and wolflsh, that in confined
r beneath the matches ot moral and legal re.
= straint.
q Let tho young men of the day take {
d firm stand agalnst this debasement and re-
9 pudlats such n grotesqueo Ca, feature of t,u,
n manhood. The gospe, comes with a highe;
J sphere Of being. 1t denoUnces gladiatol ia
sports. If butl-fRhtlng ID a pastime il
Spain and Mexico, it is because Christian
y itv has not taken root in public thought
n and IN our own land cruel amusement
whether they involve men or beasts, bet a,
y the lack OF our civilization and of that trur
st enQth which should DO the pride an,
Clio y of every man. The man with a com
& piete physical development, without tn
commensurate development of the mind
n has not passed tho boundary line of ami
10 malism. lie ls n Hercules or a Sampson
he Is only fit 10 steai apples. clean stables
to XIII birds and stags and "a psuts, captur
At bsars and bulls and nsll's infe nal dogs:
n clay a mics with d bone. carry of looms o.
10 his lpAd, cit Qhtea On hia ahonI1eya nm