The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-02
.JlU-.JITSU
Misunderstood!
Not Mere Sport. but an Art of Self
Defense.
Its Superiority over Other Systems has
not yCis been disprOvcd.
JAPANESE EXPERT GIVES HIS
VIEWS.

Rochester, N, Y. MafcH MI
Yae Kichi Yabe, an authority on Jlu-
Jitsu, when interviewed in regard 70
his opinion Of the respective merlls Oh
Jiu-Jitsu and the American system ol
catch-as-catch-c wrestling says;
''Jiu-Jitsu is not wrestling; it is not
designed for exhibitions or to amuse
the public; ii is a system Of SelI-de-
tense and of physical and moral train
ing. There is very little similarity
between Jiu-Jitsu and any other syS-
tenn of self-defense or wrestling. Jlu-
Jitsu aims to overcome brute strength
with skill and science; it compensateS
for superior strength and muscular
development. It's practicablllty as a
means of self defense has been too Of
ten demonstrated to be questioned,
but as to whether a knowledge OF Jlu-
1itsu will enable a man to defeat an
American wrestler or boxer in the
prize-ring may never be demonstrated,
because a Jiu-Jitsian would not be
permitted to employ any of the vital
touches or arm breaking processes
which enabled the ancient Samurai TO
defend himself unarmed against any
assailant. If you place priZe-hghter
In the ring and say to him you shall
not deliver any knockout blows you
can only spar, and at the same Tune
give his opponent the privilege Of en-
TO defeat the prize-fghter, the result
is inevitable. OF this | am certain, II
any American wrestler or prize-fightef
will permit himself to be locked in
room with a Japanese expert In Jiu-
Ttsu and each employ their own
methods, the Japanese will carry out
the inert form of his opponent on his
shoulders in ten minutes.
There have recently been many con-
tests between self~termed Japanese eX-
perts and American athletes, and in
many cases the latter are claiming the
victory, but / have yet to learn of
any real expert i'm the art who has
met defeat at the hands of an Ameri-
can wrestler. The result of the con-
test at West Point between Mr.. Tomita
and three Of West Points best all
round athletes has been greatly eX-
aggerated by the American Press. The
apparent defeat of Mr.. Tomita was not
/ defeat from the Jiu-Jitsian's view
point. He went to West Point to give
exhibitions i'm Jiu-Jitsu, not to chal-
Ienge their best men to a contest OF
strength and skill. His assistant, a
| Japanese, sustained a slight injury,
| which made it necessary for Mr..
| Tomita to call for volunteers; three
| able fellows responded. The first one,
/ in his eagerness to overcome the Ja-
/ panese by sheer brute force, received
| a sprained ankle; the second one Jared
but little better; the third one, Bull"
1 Upton, the famous West Point quar-
/ terback Can all-round athlete who
/ weighs two hundred pounds, and is
4 trained to the minute), rushed the
i one undred-and- five-pound japanese
4 to the mat, and the spectators and
1 public press applauded. AS a matter
of fact Mr. Tomita, who is past forty
/ years of age, and weighs just one
/ hundred and five pounds attempted to
/ enforce q submission by falling tc
1 the floor and carrying the body of his
/ opponent over his head and shoulders
| In this he was unsuccessful, but is il
! to be wondered at? Where will yol
| find q man of one hundred and five
/ pounds weight, who by employing
1 knowledge of any science or self-de
| tense can defeat an opponent of twice
| his weight and strength without in.
/ iuring or disabling him? Had Mr.
/ Tomita permitted himself to employ
! vital touch the result would have beer
] different, but to do this in a friendly
contest would bring disfavor and dis.
| honor on his head The American
public have not forgotten that Mr.
/ Higashi, the Jiu-Jitsu expert who
weighs one hundred and thirty pounds
/ put out three of the best men in the
4 New York police department in less
1 than fifteen minutes, and yet, because
/ some self-styled experts have accepted
| challenges from American wrestlers tc
/ a public contest and have been de-
/ feated, there are those who believe
/ that Jiu-Jitsu is not superior to the
/ American system of wrestling; Others
are clamoring for a public contest be-
tween an acknowledged Jiu-Jitsu ex-
4 pert and an American wrestler as II
| the Jiu-Jitsians were a class of men
who could be reduced to the rank OF
1 vocation of prize-fghting for public
/ entertainment or pecuniary gain. Such
an idea would never be tolerated by
i q Jiu-Jitsian who has the high sense
of honor and true moral discipline OF
ais forefathers. To the Japanese. Jiu-
Jitsu is associated with the loftiest
sentiment, for it is the instrument
| which trains both mind and body and
fits the young generation to bear the
/ responsibilities of manhood. No ia
4 panese is worthy of the name of a
Jiu-Jitsian who uses the art for any
other purpose than enforcing justice OF
1 defending his honor and person