The times., 1898-11-24
In Re Muscular Christianity.

III Nv 'huHSuaoG
The manly art of self-defense receiv-
ed its Knockout blow in New York
Tuesday night, as far as public exhi-
bitions of a serious character are con-
cerned. This incontestable fact will
amount to a great disappointment to
many, possibly a majority of Ameri-
cans, who have hitherto held to the old
Anglo-Saxon idea that we ought to en-
courage fistic encounters to an extent.
in order thereby to encourage the spirit
of prowess in the youth of the land.
1t may be said. and with truth, that
because the professional element in the
boxing ring has signed its death war
rant. it does not follow that there is not
the same reason that always existed for
boys to learn how TO protect them
selves. and helpless creatures within
their ken, from the assaults of rowdies
and brutes. As long as our race pre-
serves its carniyorous teeth. there VIII be
fighting, and the influence of the Uni
versal Peace Society will be impotent TO
stop il, which is well; because when
Americans lose their tendency and abil-
ity to fight, the day of their ultimate
suppression and enslavement will be at
hand. The immunity of the citizen. in
communities where the fist is the recog-
niZed weapon of offense and defense.
from attack upon his personal dignity
and rights, always depends somewhat
upon his ability to use il. This is true
even in places where the united efforts
of the police and the church are pre-
sumed to keep all men strictly within
the bounds set by the golden rule. In
some localities il is notoriously true that
a citizens personal comfort is dependent
upon his reputation as one ready TO ac-
cept challenge, or 10 pull gun when
properly invited. All these things may
be deplorable, but they will exist until
the sword has been reforged into the
button hook and the millennium has al
tered men and made them over into
seamstresses.
But whereas male specimens will
fight. and ought TO learn how to do it.
il does not follow that the paid bru-
tality of plug-uglies should be encour-
aged as a spectacle, and we are happy
to add that it is little likely to be here
after, since it has been shown in many
recent instances that the creatures who
pose as exponents of manly courage
and manual science are apt to be little
better than bunco-steerers, Turing the
public TO pay good money TO witness al
legged contests, the results of which have
been agreed, sold, and gamDled upon in
advance.
The dismal and disgraceful exhibition
in New York on Tuesday night seems to
have capped the climax of ring infamy.
The depraved bruisers who participated
in the deal are nevertheless to be con-
graduated. in the interests OF humanity,
in that they have effectually killed the
big and foolish American goose that for
generations has laid golden eggs for
their kind. And they have done the
job so effectually that we feel particu-
larly glad on another account. 1t is not
likely that the city of Washington soon
again will have the modification of see
ing one of its city papers announcing
that il will feed an assumed public taste
for bruises and blood with momentary
bulletins, depicting each incident of dis
gusting brutality as it shall occur.
The decent sense of the country is
dead against public prize fighting.
Where law and intelligent sentiment
have heretofore failed to suppress. the
knowledge, which at last has dawned
upon the sporting element. that II is
looking at a fake instead of q fight in
cases like that of the Corbett- Sharkey
sell-out. is likely to be very effective.
The professional ruffians of the day
would now do well to devote their en-
tire attention to the elevation of the
stage: and if they would select stage
with trap door in it and moose over
head, very few people would hesitate to
buy reserved seats for the entertain
ment