The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-25
I. lThc Grent I..ue in TcNa-.

,fThe Great Issue in Texas.
For the time being at least the silver
issue is being neglected in Texas. The
one great issue-the issue the newspapers
and the cross roads store loafers and the
people generally are dlscussing-is this,
shall the prize glove contest between Cor
bett and Fltzsimmons. arranged to come
of al Dallas oct. 81. be allowed to take
place?
The governor has announced that the
contest shall not take place. He has de-
clared II there is no other way 10 prevent
il he win can out the troops and lead
them in person TO Dallas and arrest the
prize fighters and everybody connected
with their show. The governor seems to
be very much in earnest. and his friends
say that there is no doubt that he would
do just what he says he would.
The governor, however. may change
his mind before the day for the contest
arrives. Gov. Mitchell Of Florida said
that the contest between Corbett and
Mitchell should not take place within the
borders OF that state. He had troops in
Jacksonville on the day Of the contest.
but there was nothing for them to do.
The governor, at the last moment de-
cided that it would not be advisable to
interfere with the contest in the abb
sence of law making contests Of that
kind unlawful
The Texas legislature, at its last ses-
sion, undertook to enact a law to pro-
hibit prize lighting and glove contests.
such as is advertised to take place at
Dallas. A few days ago Judge Hart,
the chief justice of the highest court
in Texas. decided that the statute against
prize lighting is so defective that it prac-
t.cally amounts TO no law at all In the
face Of such a decision it is difficult to
see on what grounds. the governor viii
undertake to prevent the fight. If he
should carry into effect his threat in re-
spect to the militia riot might be the
result. If a number of persons should
be killed or injured. popular feeling
throughout Texas would be so strongly
against him that he would stand an ex-
cellent chance of being impeached.
The Texas papers have published a
great many interviews with people in
different parts Of the state on the ques-
ton at issue. The ministers. as a rule.
sustain. the governor They want the
fight prevented whether there is any law
to prevent it or not. The lawyers say
that the governor is bound by the de-
cision of the presiding judge of the high
est court of the state, and the politi-
clans are urging the governor to call an
extra session of the legislature and enact
a law against glove contests and prize
lighting so stringent that no lawyer
would be able to find flaw in it, The
people generally are divided in sentiment
the majority seeming to be in favor OF
letting the fight take place if there is
no law TO prevent it. They don't like
the idea of having the legislature called
together for so trivial a matter as a
prize fight, and they don't want to bear
the expense of an extra session.
There are some who say that the gov
ernor is making a political issue out of
the Dallas affair. he having no other is
sue on Which ne can 80 before the people
and ask for reelection. At one time
he favored sound money. and then Topped
and became an ardent free silver coinage
man. The silverites however, place their
faith in Judge Reagan, as their standard
bearer, and the sound money democrats
have no further use for the governor
since he deserted them. 1t is Claimed
that the governor hopes to re-establish
his popularity by making an issue out of
the prize fighting business. At present
the managers of the Dallas show have
the better of the controversy. They are
going ahead with their preparations for
the fight. and it is safer to predict that
the fight will take place than that it
will not