The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-20
BRUIsERs AND THE PUBLIC.

The Chicago Tribune says: The Ques-
ton of supremacy between the two most
conspicuous bruisers of them all has
been settled technically in favor of Fitz-
simmons, but with a lack of convinc-
ing force that will evoke an aftermath
of redhot epistolary contention. 1t is
unfortunate that at least one of the
fighters was not done up so completely
that he would have no reasonable
ground for inviting another exhibition
of this character. The inevitable lex
plantations must be tinctured With such
nauseating profusion of continued
bravado that the public will be in,
fiicted with more 'after-the- battle"
stuff than it deserves.
The projectors of the contest, how
ever, have reason to congratulate them
selves on the close approach to per
lection of brutality that was attained
Since this was to be a demonstration of
how the line of separation between man
and brute creation can almost be OBJ
liberated in certain favored cases, it is
well that there is no room for caVil at
the completeness of the performance.
The purely vicious instincts of both
creatures appear to have been ham
pered only slightly by any restraint of
what is termed scientific pugilism. They
are popularity supposed to bear each
other an ancient grudge, and this per-
SOnal enmity was a Valua Bile factor IN
making them rush at each other from
the beginning like two hungry beasts
No glamour of scientific strategy was
No delicate finesse was injected into
their tactics to relieve them of barred
brutality They fought like enraged an
imals, bathed in blood, in a frenzy of
hate, with the lowest passions of their
natures stirred into controlling fury,
1t is well for the cause of civilization
and the onward sweep of mans re-
finement that no offensive detail was
lacking in this exhibition since it was
made possible to occur at all. 1t makes
it easier to prevent in the future the re-
currence of such spectacle For even
the demOraliZed state of Nevada cannot
have the hardihOOd to Withstand for
long the mighty popular Indignation
that such an exhibition must excite.
The beneficiarieS of its license have
made Nevada stand out conspicuous
in the picture of degradation. It is
pitiabIe nOtOriety almost, for it sold its
honor. and now has been cheated out
of the purchase price. For the tax of
81 900 ON the managers of the fight was
but paltry sum compared to what was
expected of the blacklegS and thugs
who would pour into the state. But the
expected thousands dWindled away in
to hundreds, and Nevada's greed has
left it. ShOrn of even the price of its
prostitution.
Unhappily. it cannot be asserted that
limited interest in the contest was the
cause of the comparatively small at
tendance. Hard times and the long
journey was responsible for the falling
off. Thousands in the large cities fed
on the news from the scene of the
combat. They devoured every scrap of
information that was printed. They
waited eagerly for the hour of the event
and crowded about bulletin boards in
masses that rivalled the outpouring
on national convention days. They
comprise the immense bulk of the pop
ulation which must be given the tender
protection and s0licitude of the enlight-
ened. AS long as prize fights are pos
| sibIe of the kind held in Carson City
| all these are beyond the pale of re-
demption except that small proportion
whose better nature is given control by
the arousing of their disgust. Their
safe guard is the ObliteratiOn of the
prize fight and kindred brutalities en-
| tirely, and that day now seems not far
away. with the great sisterhood of
states banded together to drive out the
[ degenerate commonwealth still holding
| open its gates to the infection.