Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-11-06

iPpui'titli, dtsIcS To upon record
its disapproval of such exhibitions and its
protest against the holding Of them in
the public buildings of the city. and that
a committee be appointed to confer with
the may or and the city council with ref
erence to the possible prevention of such
exhibitions in the future
The committee appointed consists of
the speaker Pres. Charles l.. White.
Supt. Dennis e Bowman of the public
schools. Hon. S. S. Brown, H. D. Dun
ham and the president of the club r.
Wesley Dunn.
This committee appears before Won to-
night in accord with the above instruc-
tor. but they 90 not now appear as rep
resentatives of the Colby Club al"re. AS
soon as the action of the club became
known, words of approval began 10 come
10 me committee from representative cit
liens, from: teachers. religious organiZa-
tons and from business firms pledging
their cooperation and many of them eX-
pressing surprise that something lad no.
been done before the abate what they
regard an unnecessary evil in the city.
Practically, then, the committee comes
before you representing every school. ev-
cry charitable and religious institution.
and a strong majority of the business
and professional men of the city.
Allow me a few words as to the grounds
of the action taken by the club and i'll
dorsed by the citizens generally. In near
ly every state in the union prize fighting
has ALWAYS been considered Il crime and
appropriate penalties have been provided.
Such has been the case in the State of
Maine. and Brother Brown will give you
the law in the: case.
That statute presents ,he purpose and
spirit of the law so far the state of
Maine is concerned. But last winter
there was introduced ana hastily carried
| through the Legislation an exception To
tn" law. That exception permits tie
; holding. under certain conditions. of box
; ing or spaliinS contests. Even when all
| the conditions of the law are compiled
| with there remain the ma jority of the
| evils against which the statute was pro-
/ vid,.d. So far as general effect and intiu-
ence are concerned it matters little
| whether the We aller party he knocked
! out in the third or the 10Th round. and
( whether H. NtlSn i've t1 ~ POUNDS less
than his opponent. Further. as no de-
| cision is rendered. the officer in charge
| cannot satisfy the spectators unless he
| allows the contest to go on until it be-
! comes very apparent that one has the
| worst of it,
We are told that few injuries arc given
. or received in these battles. That sug-
Sests n somewhat strange thing. if these
/ bouts are honorable and fair. 1t raises
! the question. Is a boxing exhibition a
| tght fake?
| Case l. It is fight. That is the i'm
preston that is given ont beforehand
/ Tales Of the proves and awful battles
| thai adOrn the records of the rucilist>
| appear in the papers descriptions of the
severe training that the favoritc is under.
going for " hat is to be tie fight Of he
life. are prominently published Men are
urged to attend tn" great fight Of the sea
son. They respond They pay good mon
cy, they go to SEQ what newspapers and
everyone else calls n fight. 1t is q fight
Tho papers next morning tell Of c!ushIn-
/ blows. blood flowing. the weaker NAV
stunned ana that he will MOI fight for :
long time again. if ever. The spectator.
arc satisfied: they saw what they Wen
~ see Rtlt that Is a fight. ire yer,
Il in" asainst which the original law va:
provided, and should subject all who par
ti"ipated in il to the full penalty
Case =. \ fight has been advertised
tie crowd pay their money and are there
Soor, however. the appalling fact be
comes evident that the men are only box
, irg. What follows I read from the con
els" account in the Watarvllo Sentinel:
THE people are dissusted Trey fe.
that their money has been taken on falls
pretenceS. they vote the whole thing
fake
Rut the greatest harm of the rnatrhe
is not done in the arena or tho hall Til
Influence such preparations and adverts
! ing as tho success of the fights render
necessary touches nearly all the home
in the community that least need an
such influence Next day the newspaper
in their endeavor to make the issue "A
. interesting as possible. describe the who'll
thing with all the brillarcy which cna
, bles the trained newspaper man 70 carr
to those who were not present all tn
thrills they would have had if presen
p and a good many more. The evil Unfit
: ence Of TIL" fight is sown broadcast an
q the reputation Of the town or city thG
permits such things suffers
Revond question this mischievous la
;. that has localized prize fighting in Main
n will not stand through the next I.eGisl;
Il tire. hut what are to do meanwhile
e We mako appeal to You that in the Q,
: erciS" Of vow l.nhouhted right rs Il
officers Of this city Won will take sue
steps rs will prevent the continuance
n what is regarded bv the large majorit
Of Your fellow citizens. not only in til
= city but in tn" State and the nation
It large. rs an evil that has no compensa
> ing advantages
it The n'vt speaker was PrcSidei
10 White of Colby College He stated th'
# for nearly 100 years on the banks
! the Kennebcc in this city has been i
Gated Colby College and that he had l
!. doubt that the city was better know
as the seat Of Colby College than f