Evening star., 1897-03-24
The Prize Fight Pictures.

The question of the exhibition Of pic ures
of the recent prize fight. which was yes
terday discussed in these columns a gen.
eral proposition. acquires a local sigrifi-
canoe through the effort of the District w
Z. 7. l.. to induce the Commissioners to
take steps 20 prevent such exhibitions IN
this community 1t becomes important
therefore, TO inquire whether any authority
row exists in the law to enable the Com
nissioners to accede to this request if they
should conclude it to he proper to do
There Is at present no statute in force in
the District prOhibitive of prize fighting In
the District An old law prohibits duelling,
but in such terms as to make 1t impossible
to include the modern form of m an! o. man
fighting under IT, Prize-fighters it is trde
may be punished as guilty OF assault or
disOrderly conduct. But in the absence of
specific statute prohibiting prize-fig hting
IL is a question whether there can be any
legal prohibition OF the exhibition of pic
lures of such events. However they may
possibly he regarded as coming under seq
tion 16 of chapter XVI OF the statutes
lating to the District tAbert's compila:ion
which makes it Il punSha bic misdemeanor
for any person TO exhibit or to offer to cx-
hihit or TO publish or offer to publish any
obscene book, pamphlet, paper. writing.
advertisement. circular. print. picture. draw
Ing or other representation. ETC. or any
such articles OF an immoral nature. The
kaleidoscope pictures In question would
douhteily come under the scope of this
section If II could he established that they
are Of an immoral nature. They certainly
are not TO he Classei as obscene in :hc
strict sense of tnat term. The event ihey
represent took place under the laws OF
a state OF the MON which must therefore,
he regarded for the time being as a legal
event The morality of the pictures is a
matter open to argument. and depends
upon individual tastes and principles 10 a
very large extent. 1t is suggested that the
Commissioners can reach the. desired end
10y issuing a police regulation coyeriag the
casa. This would he cffective-after .ni.ty
days nctlce-if the act which gives the
Commissioners authority to frame such
regulations We're broad enough to include
such d situation the present There are
four statutes Under which the Commits
sioneTs act in framing these rules. those
of IaLuary 26. 1887; February 26. 1872;
August :. 1924. and March = 1S05 The
first toned specifies ten subjects for
such regulation, none Of which affects the
exhibition OF pictures OF the giving of pub
lie entertainments The act of February %
i>:rt. provides IN the first section that thea
Ter licenses are TO he granted only when
the lc"usee complies with certain building
regulations. The second section grants the
Commissioners their broadest powers in
The premises. authorizing them TO issue
saea regulations "as they MAY deem ncces-
sary for the protection of The lives limbs,
health. comfort and quiet of all persons.
sri The protection of all property within
the District OF Columbia" 1t does not ap-
pear tAat the forthcoming exhibitions would
taI under this range The other two acts
relate to Tenders ana garbage and are.
therefore, Rot OF present interest. So it be-
comes i matter Of the Interpretation Of the
Pbri~- immoral pictures"