The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-12-27
FitzSimmonS, Sharkey, Ma
her, Choynski, Eft AL.
Should Be Suppressed.
CANS GOOD MODEL
FOR JACK JOHNSON
Did More Than All the RefOrmerS
TO Get Negroes Square
Deal.
By THOMAS S. RICE.

By THOMAS S. RICE.
Reading newspapers is a business with
Us and We have TO pay some special at
tenuon to sporting pages in order TO
draw our weekly wages, but we wish
we could get a job digging bitches or
editing the advice 10 mothers column
for the next month or two in order to
be spared the agony Of reading chal-
leuges from Bob Fitzsimmons, Tom
Sharkey. Joe Choynski. Peter Maher
and sucn like. 10 Jack johnson.
1t is cruel To- the public and the sport
ing editors for the press associations
10 carry that Iineiof junk. and the tele-
graph companies would be debarred by
beW from carrying it as private mes
REEeE. Tom Sharkey ana Bob Fitzsim-
mons are the best specialists at this gag
o. breaking into the limeHSht to an
nOunce that they are willing 10 pit
their broken ribs and Sands and decreplt
frames against any young heavyweight
who show signs of developing into a
champion They are always bobblng UP
with fierce dehs, and they get by most
beautifully in those lights without which
the entire world would be IN outer dark
ness-the New York newspapers. espe-
cially the afternooh~Sditions.
Wearisome Yarns
When it is remembered that Fitzsim-
mons has a show on the road and
SharSey owns a saloon in New York
which seems 10 be a favoritc haunt for
some of the best dreamers in the CITY.
we begin 10 get an inkling Of the real
state Of affairs, but it certainly gets
on the nerves.
OF course. as soon as il was learned
that Johnson had beaten Burns in four
teen rounds in Sydney. Australia. on
December 26. some enterprising faker
sent out a story to the effect that Jim
Jefries would fight one more fight to
get the championship back for the
white race. That made US as tired as
the University of Michigan professor 3
attack on the eligibility Of the rem
Syiya1ia football team after Penn had
made the eleven OF his dear old col
leEe look like a lot of nOviceS.
Now, equally, Of course, we have q
statement from Jefries denying the
story that he would re-enter the ring.
We must give Jetfries credit for show
ing more uecency and judgment tuan
any other fight champion in recent
years, ~ hen me got out or the ring
there was G OSOlutely no one IN sight
who had even the bare right TO chat
leuge him. and the fact that Johnson
leaves him the same position he was
before.
Jeffries Out Of It.
There viii naturally be a lot Of slop-
py sun written about it being up to
Jefries To meet the negro, but aside
from all questions Of color that will
all he ian your hat and il Jeffries ac-
cedes To- the incessant demands Of the
yellow papers that he go against john
son Le Will sacrifice the standing he
has with all clean people in sports.
He will simply prove himself a money
Erabber and hippodromer Of the Tom
my Burns type. something Of which no
one has been able to accuse him so
far
Jefrios is JhiTIy-three years oId-not
very old. IT is true, but he is a huge
man IN every way, one Of the kind that
naturally become very fat anC gross
after they quit training, and when a
man OF his build stays out OF training
67 long as he has. there is not one
chance In a thousand that he can con-
CItiOn himself again He might think
himself as good as ever, and ne really
ETenEth test. but he would not be
tuere with the nimble foot, the clever
boxing. and the ability TO stand the
Gaf.
let Johnson Study Cans.
Johnson. a negro. won the tide fairly
sud squarely, as Iar as We cen learn,
~ cutting Burns 10 pieces. The OK
4ccteI howl come from Burns for
another bou. there is not the slight
est reason world 70 think that
6urns would 20 as long in another try
--ith his couqrcrOr as he lid on Deem
Ssr %. Presenting the last fight were
on the level, which 1t seems 10 have
been, Burns showed nothing worthy OF
return match at this time.
The battle was true to paper FORM
but both men were in so bad with
honest sporting men that nobody on
this continent, where they were SO
well known, had the slightest conf
dence in them. We are much obliged
10 Johnson for winning as decisiVelV
As he did, and only hope he will not
fall for the propositions he IS sure to
get from the lead-pipe and first-past-
the-pOst workers.
In his actions he had better take a
leaf out of the book OF Joe Cans, who.
negro and SSRer, and subject TO much
bitter prejudice. by his quiet, reserved
department and careful regard for the
feelings of others, made himself thou
sands Of friends IN places where IN for
mer days his white opponent was al
ways loudly Cheered upon delivering a
good blow simBly because the white
man seemed TO be getting the better of
st. BY his manners and conduct, Cans.
the prizehghter, did more to help the
negroes TO get square deal from the
American public than all the negro
preachers and New England fanatics
have done in twenty years.
Arouse Race Prejudice
The writer has never had a great deal
OF use for white fighters who have
fought them before. who drew the color
line as soon as Il dangerous negro ap-
peared. on the other hand, ne has
never believed that whites and blacks
should be matched in the prizering
Racial prejudice comes to the front in
such contests in a violent manner. and
they do no good. Two or three times
he has been at boxing matches in
Philadelphia when clever negro BOYS
were matched against whites OF ability
and the exhibitions of race prejudice
furnished by the frenZied spectators Of
both cOlors were absolutely astonishing.
This arousing Of latent fires is a great
broad problem needing much more at
tention and study than IL has received,
and the average run Of boxing prOmOt-
eTS is from a class incapable OF con-
Sidering the ethical side of any Ques-
TfGr1