The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-01-07

O0O
ONE day last week big Twin City daily paper
devoted page to chronoling the proceedings OF an
educational congress- which was then in session in
ST. Paul. and about three columns to the report OF
prize fight which occurred in San Francisco the pre-
vious evening There are no statistics to show
which account was read by the greater number of
persons but it is safe to say that the honor went
the prize fight This can not be gainsaid, that in
point Of news value the fight collapsed the doings OF
the educators. The account of the latter might
have been compressed to half column Of printed
matter, even left out of the paper entirely, with
out materially injuring its circulation but
paper that neglected to print the story of champion
ship fight would be counting oblivion. And let it be
remarked that the paper which eliminated such news
would lose it's popularity among its cultured sub
scribers we'll as among the common people. The
average man enjoys fight about as much as any
thing under sum- and his enjoyment is heightened
the contestants evenly matched in strength and
skill. Men who have never seen boxing match,
who hardly know the difference between an eight
ounce glove and catchers mitt read of prize fight
and discuss its points with much interest stock
gamblers discuss the quotations of lively market
This is only natural. There was time in the
worlds history when the whole business of mans
life consisted of fighting when those who were
unable to contend with their fellows in physical
combat were objects of scorn and ridicule; and in
the long history of the human race that time was
only yesterday. So it is not surprising that the
habits of thousands of years should break through
our veneer of civilization and refinement and become
manifest now and again. Clergymen sometimes
preach the so-called brutality of the prize
ring taking the newspapers to task for publishing
accounts of fights and reproaching them for direct
ing the public taste into unseemly channels; but
these gentlemen forget that the newspapers usually
mirror public sentiment and that it is their business
to print the news the public demands.
| A few generations ago prize fight was not con-
sidered degrading spectacle. The ring was patron
lied by statesmen and prominent in the profess
sions and was looked upon much in the same light
as We look upon football today 1t has lost caste moi
through any inherent cruelty in the ports, but be
cause fighters and promoters have made it means Of
cheating and because the best man wins only when
/ it pays him to do So The Horton law in New York
which legalized boxing matches was not repealed or
account of the baleful influence of prize fighting
populace but because the sport deterorated into
| q huge graft
In truth boxing with four ounce gloves is mo-
Iparticularly dangerous brutalcertainy not more
leo than several games We could mention that an
popular with all olasses of The contestants
usually perfectly trained for the event and til.
brusing they are subjected 70 seldom does them
permanent injury One scarcely ever hears Of ,
fighter who isconfned to his bed the day after tn,
contest. as
Il is true that men are occasionally killed in TIL
ring but go they are on the gridiron, the diamond
the links, the polo field and the yachts deck. I,
Ievery contest demanding skill and endurance Their
is moro or less danger.
4 As we limited above, most normally constitute,
mon enjoy fair::fght in which there is no hitting
below the belt or other underhand work. They enjo
lit because it is natural that they should, and boxing
matches ever honestly managed and oonducte
again. it is probable that the laws prohibiting then
will become imperative. $.
| EDITORIAL COMMENT 49,