New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-11
SIX DAYS or TORRENT.

Under the laws CT this State It Is a crime TO
attempt suicide. Ought it not to be q crime
under our laws to promote siX-day cycle race
or TO take part in It: Few more hdeous ana
revolving struggles have been seen in this city
than the exhibition Of torture which was 60
Ing On last week. IN many things THIS IS an
era Of mercy and compassion. Consider INC
number Of superb hospitals which have been
built on Manhattan Island and which are 50
constantly busy with the relief OF patients al
nicted with almost every i'll to which the race Is
heir The beadroll Of the charities OF New
York IS Of impressive eEtant. The amounts
which are expended in this community for the
mitigation of distress. for the alienation OF pam
and for the benefit Of the unfortunate astonish
those who are acquainted with such matters
New. Workers arc generous in their giving. swift
and gracious IN their sympathies. 1t * strange
indeed that when so much care and outlay ana
devotion are lavished upon the weak ana the
holDless when so much Is done 10 make life less
irving for those whose lot Is p.tiahle an IN
scrupulous gang of public plundcrers Is per-
mitted 10 devise and carry through so degrading
and sickening an affair as the six-day contesF
which has Just been finished. Public sentiment
ought 10 be aroused TO such an Intensity that
the Legislature will not hesitate 70 put IN end
TO the evils Of such contests. There Is no eX-
cuse for them There Is no reason why they
should be tolerated. Nothing useful for science,
nothing valuable for investigators, nothing In
any way advantageous or beneficial Is accom-
plisbed by these struggles
! The audacious schemers who have been de-
| udlng the public in these torture tests have
grown boder this year than before III com
persation for the 1gonies which the men on
the wheel have been enduring, II return for
their training expenses. in solace for the harm
10 which they have foolishly and stupidity
subjected themselves. the jObbcrs who ar
rsnge these sx-day denominations have been
I misery and penurlous 10 the contestants The
Drnfts OF the manag cement have been huge Tie
/ amounts paid out 10 their tCrmented Serfs have
been dontcnpi.bly small. Years ago there was
grotesque craze for siX-day 'go-as-you please
matches. in which lot Of lopsided and sham
tling tramps tumbled and scrambled for prizes
with few hours OF sleep and plenty OF pain.
from midnight on Sunday TO 10 o'clocl; on sat
urdny Those gO-as you-pease affairs were IN
cxcusa bic; but for several seasons they were
successful IL drawing hosts Of spectators. and
were largely profitable 10 those who had Tie
handling Of the revenues. But the go-as-you
please runners and lopcrs and tumblcrs were
not so DTNlnleSS as the .llDetlc creatures VIC
lave been tortured on thr wheel throughout tho
last six days. RoweI Fitzgerald and the Others
who took part IN go-as y0u-pleasc struggles had
shrewdncss enough to insist upon far larger
rccomperse than that paid 70 the poor fools who
have been passing days and nights ot anguish
on their bicycles. TIE managers Of the SIX
days Of wheeling have covered themselves with
isnominy and have earned the contempt and
detestation OF honorable citizens. They hav,
been traflicking III suffering and torment. Win
selfish greed they have grabbed great gains FOL
themselves while they have treated the pool
monkeys on tho wheels with n meanncss an(
vilencss 10 which few men would s'oop
The newspapers Of New-York have been a.
most unanimous in denouncing this six-day con
test in the seyerest language at their command
Not for many a year has any exhibition oc
crrred on Manhattan Island which the press hs
SO earnestly and emphatically reprobated anC