The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-01-20
(By w. w. Naughton.)

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 20.-Over in
France it is claimed that the oft-re
curing spectacle of aeroplanes ca
vorting through the atmosphere is !
having demoralizing effect upon the |
feathered tribes. The linnets and rocks |
evidently regard the ungainly flying |
machines as overdeveloped birds Of
prey, and panic reigns in wingdom
The correspondents say there is a |
notable decrease in the numbers of
birds, and that there is serious ground
, for the belief that the denizens of
the hedge-rows and treetops are leav- |
ing the land of the Gaul as fast as |
they can arrange their affairs.
1t is prophesied that if aviation con-
tinues as popular pastime, the |
rlcyman will no more hear the sky |
larks trilling in the morning. milady |
will have to find a substitute for
feathers in her millinery, and the high
livers will find the cost of the small |
the price of the cold bottle.
Influence Over Small Fry.
1t is far cry from birds to cham |
,ionship pugilists but it looks as
though Johnson and Jeffres are exer,
cising the same influence over the
small fry of the ring game, that the
| flying machine influences are exercis-
| ing over the little creatures that for
merly had the air to themselves.
Every pugilist of note of my ac-
quaintance is contemplating a trip
abroad, and 1 am wondering where on
earth, the matches of 1910 are to come
! fro m. In these trips on their own ac
cunt, but in the majority Of instances
| the men of the ring will tell you that
they have received "f1attering offers"
from Hugh Mcintosh, the man who
promoted the Burns johnson contest
! in Australia, and who wants to con-
| tinue the good work
Many Hear Call.
Stanley Ketchel, AID Wolgast, Jack
O'Brien, Jack (TwiD Sullivan, Abe
! Attell, Battling Nelson, are among
the many who have heard either from
Mcintosh direct or from his agents. |
and each and every one of them is |
talking, whether seriously or not, of |
going to the far Antipodes to box I'M
der McIntosh's direction
The one thing that is a grain of |
comfort is, that not one of them has |
made definite plans about starting for
Australia. Bob Fitzsimmons went there
it is true, but in his particular case
it was explicitly set forth before he
left this country, that he was to make
q theatrical tour of one years dura
ton under NcIntoshs pilotage, and
that boxing was not to enter into the
veteran fighters itinerary.
Easy to Get Fitz.
When Fitzsimmons arrived in Aus
tralia his old fighting instincts were
aroused and his ambition was stimu-
lated by the way they gloated over his
rast deeds of prowess. Under the cir
cumstances it was easy enough to in
veigle him into fight
The point 1 am mailing is, that so
far no boxer has gone from America
at McIntosh's invitation to do battle.
Britt was supposed to be on his way
has changed his plans and will return
from South Africa.
If Britt had continued toward the
Land of the Southern Cross, and had |
done well there in the fistic line, he
might have been as a bellwether to
others from this country, but up to the
ers has set out in response to McIn
tosh's offers, and for the sake of the |
sport at this end, l for one hope that |
the number of pugilistic pilgrims will
be small.
No Definite Money.
To be frank about the subject, it is
doubtful if any one of all the Ameri-
can fighters who have been APP
preached, has had a definite financial /
proposition placed before him. Mean
tcsh appears to be acting like a feI-
low who is throwing out handbills
feeling sure that some of them will |
surely be picked up and read Of a
certainty if he has gone into figures
with any of the men he wishes to
fight under his management out yon-
Ger, 1 have not heard of it.
Any number of our ring boys are |
proclaiming that they have each been
Offered $4,000 for series of fights"
but there are too many making claim |
In this direction, and as one is prob
ably as worthy of belief as the other, !