The Green Forest tribune., 1901-08-10
The Bull Fight ill America.

in Omaha recently, and the his tory thereof affords striking H. lustration of the moral effect which these entertainments have upon the beholder. When the enterprise was a matter of public discussion, the humane people ot the city were naturally somewhat exercised in mind over the pros- pect. Not much more than two years ago long discussions of the character of the Spainards were had, in which was argued that he must be cruel, because he liked bull fights. There could hardly be so decided an innovation as a bull fight on American soil with out some commotion.
 But the bull fight was had, and it was announced that the per- formance would be conducted on humane principles, the matadors being armed with wooden swords, their main object being to worry the bull, not kill it. There would be no danger, there would be no gore, there would only be a su- perb display of skill. The ma tadors understood this; so did the spectators; the cooperation of the bull could not for obvious reasons be secured, but it was thought that he would come to understand the rules of the game.
 Apparently he did, for the first fight went off without anybody being injured. The bulls were merely leased and plagued un- til they became furious, and chased and were chased until they were exhausted. If they had understood the condition of affairs they would probably have lain placidly down to chew the cud of content, but they were puzzled, and when 8 bull is perplexed his impulse is to charge.
 The fights were peaceful enough, however, and by degrees the box office became also very quiet. There were vast areas of empty seats and word went around town that the performance was "sloW'', and not worth the price of admission. Then, just as if the bull understood the trouble of the managers, some- thing happened which changed the entire atmosphere. An ln- cautious matador was caught on a pair of agile horns and tossed slzyward to a height of many feet, coming down with thump that resulted in several broken ribs, besides 8 chest lacerated by the bull natural weapons. They had not taken the precaution to replace these with wood and pad them with cotton. They never do. Itis not customary i'll bull fights.
 The next day several thousand people witnessed the perfor- nance, and then there was no more popular entertainment in Omaha. There are people enough in almost any large city to fill an amphitheater where a horrible risk is to be taken, and the greater the risk the better they like it. The managers would have had no trouble in making their entertainment pay from the beginning if they had announced danger, death and mutilation as part of it. When it became apparent that even if the bulls were not hurt, a man was likely to be killed or crippled, then there were plenty of specta : tors. The question IS whether it IS wise to encourage that sort Of audience in that sort of emotions.
 The sight of blood is strangely eXililarating to some natures. It seems to have a gruesome facina- tiOn. The amusement of watch ing d cruel sport is one which rapidly begets the passion for cruelty. The people who today demand the torture or death of an animal will tomorrow witness with a curious, shivery sort of delight the perilous feats of a man, and their delight will not be lessened if the man makes a mis- step, or fails of quickness in vis- ion, and becomes q shapeless,