The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-03-26
JUn BOSTON LAIIER.
People Interested In Boxing In
SPITE of the Law.

Newspaper Row a Mass of Surging Human
ity on st, Patrick's Day Newspapers
Give What Readers Demand "A Bit of
Verse Queens Diamond Jubilee at the
Hub - Floating Hospital Managers
Pleased Boston to Portland by Elec-
tricity Chinamen's Bones Are Taken
Home by the Ton Dramatic Gossip.
Prize fighting is tabooed in Massachu-
Detts. There isn't any doubt about it. Il
Us the law, and we are law abiding people
You cannot even have a glove contest
for scientific display now for points
That kind of a struggle is not allowed, nc
matter who wishes to conduct it, unless
the contestants are willing to struggle
for fun. This is the sentiment of the old
Bay state as expressed in it's laws en-
acted by the representatives of the peo-
pie; sort of paper sentiment that looks
well in print. 1t says to the world di-
rectly that our people abhor prize fight
Ing. 1t means, in fact, that we are as
interested as ever in the game, but as in
Ghe case of boils, we want the aff1ction on
some other fellow. That is the simple
truth so far as Boston is concerned, and
Boston isn't so much different from other
sections as to fail to be representative.
We have attempted to legislate consid-
cradle more goodness into our people
than their skins will comfortable hold
and they demonstrate the fact when &C.
casion offers. AS an illustration of what
/ mean, let us glance for a moment at the
scene in Newspaper row on the 18th of
March, Wednesday of last week, when
those mouthy aspirants for the worlds
championship, Corbett and Fitzsim-
mons met in Dan Stuart's Carson arena.
You would expect to see several hun
dred or perhaps a thousand sports gath
cred around the bulletin boards anxious
to learn the result of the battle but if you
will extend your vision and make the one
thousand about ten and instead of a
crowd of sluggers and ring devotees con-
vert the great surging mass of humanity
into an assemblage of bankers, clerks
business men, gentlemen of leisure and
every Workingman who could we'll leave
his job, you have better conception of
the scene. l have seen great crowds on
election nights and like occasions, but |
never before do l remember so great |
gathering around the points where news |
ts distributed. Everybody was earnest, !
many appeared anxious and all filled |
with supreme interest, and in what? .
Simply an argument with the boxing
gloves, a thing Massachusetts will not .
allow, an event made misdemeanor by
our lawmakers.
Along the highways and byways these .
days one hears much adverse criticism of
our dailies because of the enormous
amount of space given to Corbett and
Fitzsimmons before and after the fistic
argument at Carson. The general rule .
nowadays among editors is to give the .
reading public what it demands. The
public appetite on all news matter, sem
Setional or otherwise, is gagged by the
circulation thermometer, which, together
with the advertising, is the most impor-
tant feature of the publication. 1t may
be a sad commentary on the morals of
the in-de-seicle section, but it is a fact
nevertheless that the majority of news
paper readers demand and will have just
such reports as those spoken of. Truly,
it seems as if the champion pugilist is as
important perSonage-and so he is from
news standpoint-as the President of
the United States.
This reminds me of very good squib
written by Ambrose Berce, the Cali
forna cynic, at the time of the Corbett-
Sullivan fight. The loved poet. Whittier,
died about that time, and that sad event
was completely overshadowed by details
of Corbett's left jab on John LIS pro-
boscis. Bierce said:
~'Two lines Great Whittier's death an
nOunced
Ten columns shouted Sullivans trOunced!
o fortune! Watt me to some shady spot
Where pigs entreat for swill and men do
not"
We are not very English here in the
Hub, but there are a great many of Bri-
tain's sons in our midst, and they pro-
pose to celebrate the Victorian jubilee in
a manner that will be worthy of the occa-
sion. Not only that, but it is expected
that from all parts of New England Brit
iSh-Americans will come to join in the
Jubilee and give the affair something
more than local significance. Many
outside places have already asked to
Join in the Boston celebration, and
among the towns almsot certain to be
are Fall River, Portland,
Manchester Lynn, Salem, Provi-
dence, New Bedford, Lowell, Lawrence,
Haverhill and Springfield. The veteran
soldiers of the British army, the men who
fought in the Crimea and India mutiny,
of whom there are many in New Eng
land, will be an important and interest
ing feature of the occasion.
As the season advances and the evil
dence accumulates that the heated sea-
son is almost at hand, our many charita-
BILE organizations are making prepara-
tions, according to their means and the
system under which they work, to give
the poor a day or a week of pure air in
the country or az the seashore. No work.
ers in this line are more encouraged this
spring than are the managers of the
floating hospital that in previous sea-
sons has been a boon to many poor and
sick mother and child. The special rea-
son for congratulation on the part of
these managers is the fact that contri-
buttons they have received will enable
them to buy and fit up for their work
the barge Clifford. The price has been
agreed upon at $500, and possession will
he given April 1.