The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-14
SOME INGERSOLL VIEWS
THE CELEBRATED PAGAN EXPECTS
PROSPERITY VERY SOON.
Thinks Gutter journalism BetOkens
n Retirement of the WOrId-His
Opinion OF Prize Fighting.

Col Robert G.. Ingersoll, who is TO lee
ture tonight ON How to Reform Man
kind" arrived yest-riay afternoon. He and
Ms. IngersolI went TO The Denison House.
where the celebrated agnostic was visited
last night.
Colonel Ingerscll is the same genial gen.
tleman in former years and is as brim-
ming over with combia alton of jokes. hos
pitality and irreverence. He looks some
what older than at the time of his last APP
pearance here but his rotund figure and
his radical views have undergone no APP
preciablc change. Mr.. IngeTsol has decided
views about Journalism and was not back
ward in expressing them. One change he
suggests in the operation Of the modern
newspaper is that every reporter should be
required To sign his name to every article
he writes. This, he says would be Of bene-
lit i'm two ways. Ii would bring some sort
Of literary recognition To the meritorious
penny-a-liner. who now sinks his identity
in that of the "Spodunk Squaller." and 1t
would insure mere carefulness on the part
OF reporters who arc sometimes in too much
of a hurry TO set the facts in a case.
Newspapers" said he. do a lot of harm
They are ravenous after scandal and every
thing bad that Is done i'm the world is given
precedence over anything good. OF course.
i realize that a newspaper proprietor knows
his mlrkct better than ! do. and he prints
what sells the best. I suppose people would
rather read the bad things than the good"
That would seem To he opposed TO your
argument that the world is growing better
would il not?"
NO, sir. Quite the contrary. 1t bears
out my argument. If the world WASH
growing better. bad deeds wouldn't he
news. You see, there is go much good in
the world that people take no notice OF it
LOOKS FOR EARLY PROSPERITY.
What do you think of the chances for a
return OF prosperity. Colonel fngersol?"
They are very good. Mckinley is elected
ana prosperity will be on hand soon"
What do you think ought to DC done i'm
the way OF tariff reform? Are Won i'm favor
OF the DinSley bill?''
Wen. don't know much about the Ding
icy Dill, but II II will produce revenue
enough 70 pay housekeeping expenses and
take up Mr.. Clevelands bonds, we will get
atoms all right. You sent up good man to
the United States Senate from this State.
by the way. knew Senator Fairbanks
years ago when he lived i'm Ohio You knew
that he came from Ohio. didn't you? That's
the reason he's a senator. Ohio is the
greatest State for raising officers that
ever saw. Nearly everybody that holds a
are you watching the Cuban struggle
very closely?''
We'll. no more so than the rest of YOU
are But my sympathies are all with Cuba
anu they are going To win their fight. The
SFantards have expended n vast amount of
money and put 100000 soldiers into Cuba
and they haven't got much yet in return
but Havana. Any American who does not
sympathize with any people struggling for
liberty Is "A disgrace to the country. CIeve-
lands policy was a disgrace. The United
states ought To help the Cubans all we can
without violating our treaties. and at the
same time say 10 Spain that American ctr
zens must be treated with consideration and
international politeness. II Spain continued
TO outrage our rights then believe I'm stop
ping the war by taking the side of the Gu
bans"
And how about Greece"
II feel the same way about Crete. I
should like To see all the Greeks under one
flag. L don't like Turkey and / don't like
Spain although ] make an exception in the
case of Thanksgiving turkey"
DO you think there is danger of a gen
eral European war;
None at all The unexpected always
happens. you know. and there has been too
much talk of war for war ever 10 come TO
pass
Fitzsimmons will not get together"
SOME PRIZE FIGHT HUMOR
1T would look that way. wouldn't it? But
apropos of the fight the best thing know
about 1t is this. Last Monday the Chicago
Times-Herald begged the pardon of its
readers for using much of my lecture
delivered there Sunday night. In the same
edition they had full page of stuff about
the pugilists at Carson City. Told how
they looked. what they are eating and
what kind of blow each of them is likely
TO put the other one to sleep with. What
do YOU think of that? L don't know which
Is the better man in the coming fight but
always like To see the champion whipped. "
What do you think about prize fighting
anVWaV2'
well. / think that prize fighting is worse.
IL possible, than revival meetings. Next to
fighting 10 kill. they did in the old Ro-
man days. think the modern prize fight is
the most disgusting and degrading of ex-
hibitions. All fights, whether cock fights.
bull fights or puSilistic encounters are
practiced and enjoyed only by savageS. No
matter what offices they hold, what wealth
education they have they are simply
savages. Under no possible circumstances
would witness prize fight or bull fight
or dog fight. The Marquis of Queens
bury was at my house one time. and
found his opinions were the same as mine.
Everyone thinks he had something To do
with the sport of prize fighting, but he
didn't, except TO make some rules once for
college boxing contest. He told me he
never saw but one prize fight in his life. and
that made him sick.
Speaking OF fighting brought up the sub
ject of the arbitration treaty. Colonel In
gersoll expressed himself as heartily IA
tie their differences like individuals are
compelled toby arbitration in court.
War doesn't settle anything. except who is
the stronger. There is no argument in war
Yet L believe the history OF the war shows
that men have never been happier than
when killing their fellowmen. 1 believe
there Will come time some day when men
will lose their appetite for war. lit may be
thousands of years before IL comes. but
there will be perfect state of society that
day. The best elements in America and
England now are opposed TO war. All this
cry for war comes from the cutters That
looks hopeful. doesn't IL?
There has been a good deal said lately.
colonel. about your suicide theology. DO
you still believe suicide is juscifiable?"
Certainly. When is useless to
himself and To others he has the right To
determine what ne will DO about living.
The only thing 10 be considered is man 5
obligation TO his w-beings and 10 him
self. / don't take into consideration any
supernatural nonsense II God wants a
man To stay here he ought TO make IL more
comfortable for him.
Since you expounded your justification
OF suicide colonel believe you have had
Some cases OF suicide laid az your door?''
"Oh, yes. Every suicide that has hap
pened since that time has been charged TO
rse. don't know now the people account