The record-union., 1897-03-24

SLOWLY, pdluluily pushing "ASSA
about a track. The fact is contests OF
that order are barbarouS and should
be discountenanced everywhere. When
wheeling came in as new athletic
sport speed and skill were properly ie-
cognized as worthy to be stimulated IN
for short distances, and some
are inclined to believe that twenty-five
miles for one rider should be the
limit of any excess favored. The
last race of six days on bicycles at the
East disgusted the public, and the de-
cision there is that there should be no
more such exhibitions. The siX-day
race, or even a three-day race, is an
exaggeration of the province OF cycling
as a sport. 1t proves neither SKILL
agility nor athletic standing. 1t is
pleasing to know that none OF these
many day contests have ever had the
sanction of any reputable cycling or"
ganization. They have all been pro-
NOTED as private schemes for money
getting. They are nothing less than
torture exhibitions, as the Providence
News" we'll styles them. The best
and anatomists say that no
man can go through six-day bicycle
race, no matter how strong and well
he may be and how high
his condition, and not take serious per-
manent harm and shorten mis- life
by the excessive draught upon vitality.
At Chicago at the close of the recent
six days racing all the riders were
either in an unconscious condltlon or
soon after utterly collapsed. Some or
them fell from their wheels and We're
found to be insane Schinneer, who
won. was so emaciated that he was lit
tie more than a skeleton, and he had 20
be worked with for week to save MS
life. Stewart fell from his wheel fight
ing feebly, and he had to be carried
away and put to bed and be nursed
carefully. Smith, in the ninety ninth
hour had to be carried off pitiable
object. The others were more or less
injured The whole thing was cruel,
torturing and barbarOus. Such exhl-
bitions should be hereafter prohibited
on humane grounds, if on no other.
DR.. Jordan's report upon his work
regarding the preservation of the Ber-
ing Sea seal herd is very encouraging.
He gives it to be understood that Pres
ident Mckinley is in harmony with the
thought and suggestion of his report
on the condition Of the seal herd, and
that while England may unite with US
to prevent the determination of the
seals, whether she does or not the Unit
ed States Government will so act as to
herd the male seals in salt Iagoons in
sealing seasons, and to brand the fe-
their skins, and thus prevent illicit
sealers from obliterating the seal in
Rehring waters. That England will
unite with the United States in the
preventive steps to be taken is indicat-
ed by the fact that the English Com
mission upon the subject concurs in the
report of the American commissioners
in every detail, in which it is advised
that there shall be total prohibition OF
pelagic sealing. This is all pleasant
to learn The proposition was made
two years ago-that as we could not
prevent illicit sealing, the taking of
young seals in their first passage across
open waters, that the United States
should itself exterminate the herds,
take all the skins it could, and thus
wind up the story of sealing in north
ern waters. But that was simply sill
Iy. It would have amounted to con-
fession of incapacity on the part of our
Government to protect its own inter
ests and rights. Prof. Jordan's report
now gives strong hope that not only
will the seal herd be preserved, but the
propagation of the seal will be pro-
NOTED by such Government interference
as will give the fur bearing animals a
chance to assert their right to increase
irlx