Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-08
OPPOSED To THE
GAME OF FOOTBALL
Students in Schools Of Latter
day Saints do Not
Play It.
PRESIDENT PAUL EXPLAINS.
Gives iicasOns Why General Church
Board Of Education Has For
hidden Such Contests.

II Is not generally known that ina
Latter-day Saints schools do not take
part in intercollegiate football. Years
ago. several Of these schools had vim
ming teams, but OF late they have not
appeared IN any of the contests. The
reason Is that about five years ago
the General Church board Of education
at regular meeting held In this city
gave out the advice and instruction
that the game as now played should
be discontinued In the school under
their jurisdiction The matter came
w this week IN the Latter-day saints
University of this city, and Presidens
Paul explained IN answer to inquiries
by the students why the school Would
not engage in a game which Is so p0pu'
lar and Is 50 great "A money-getter
for student athletic affairs. on Fri
day morning Prof Paul again referred
10 the subject stating that he had
heard of some students who thought
they were deprived of a great and
good sport, as well as OF distinct
financial advantage, in not being per-
United to play football. The professor
had even learned of students who mad
left the institution for this reason; but
he nevertheless maintained mat no
mistake had been made IN prohibiting
this game IN schools controlled by the
Iatter-day Saints In support Of this
View he then read the following edi-
torlal from the New York World and
made few comments thereon
EDUCATED BRUTALITY
The Columbia university COMMITTEES
on students organizations, by disband-
ing the football association and by re-
ommending to the council that the game
be prohibited, places the second univer-
sity % America squareiy upon record
for the radical reform of an unbear-
able abuse,
THE action OF the Manlius CN. W
High school and of a number OF other
preparatory schools and lesser colleges
had already shown the extent Of the
popular demand for checking football
brutality. which has this year caused
l9 deaths and 10 times as many serious
injuries. But the action Of the Column
bia committee Is the first on behalf Of
"A great and famous school To take
the lead In this reform Is highly cred
liable.
COLUMBIA NOT ALONE.
Columbia VIII not be alone in this
action. Chancellor MaCCracken of
New York university, whose team has
played In some OF the toughest games
OF the season, fayors the abolition OF
the game FOR a number of years at
least and his wish viii undoubtedly
prevail. President Eliot Of Harvard,
while deprecating immediate action.
brings out the chief objection to foot .
ball as It has been organized. Says
DR.. Elliot:
deaths and injuries are not the
strongest argument against football
That cheating and brutality are profit
able is the main evil
THE cheating to which Or. Eliot re-
fers Is not Only-and Is not mainly
cheating under the hot excitement OF
actual play, II is the cold knavery OF
the long preparation, Of hiring semi
professional players, of corrupting high
school students to get material. of fix
Ing even college entrance examinations
In favor " fierce unstudious giants who
can be hired or cajoled to play. And
the brutality he means is not the br,l-
tally OF accident hut of mallce-trained
and skilled brutality to put your man
| out OF the game,
NOT FOR GENTLEMEN.
Football. says the sun. is hos.
| pltal feeder tough, manning and can.
| nabalistIc game. 1t Is not "A game TO,
| gentlemen. 1t Is not even an interesting
| game The means by which victories
| are organized are not such as honest
men can take part in without smirch
"A tough of the east side who DELHI
erately commits mayhem on man
| slaughter goes to the Island VIII,
should the college man who delberatei,
| commits mayhem or lightly risks man
| slaughter be hailed as hero? is mo-
a great wave OF brutality threatenin.
| TO suhmerge the educated world, yisi
bic not only IN the nineteen cases u.