Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-14
HOPES IT'S THE [ASFOPENSR|CH COUNTRY
Roosevelt Trusts There Will Proposed Electric Line to
Not Be Another Prize Fight Sandy Spring. /
VOICES STRONG OPPOSITION MAKING PLANS TO BUILD
Would Like See Moving Picture Village With Evidences Wealth
Representations Prevented Seen on All Sides
HAS BEEN FOND OF BOXING HOME OF GOV. CARROLL
Believes Healthy Pastme,
Which
Among Young Story Of "Folly Quarter"
VOICES STRONG OPPOSITION
Would Like to See Moving Picture
Representations Prevented.
HAS BEEN FOND OF BOXING
Believes It Healthy Pastime,
Which Should Be Encouraged
Among Boys and Young Men.

the leading editorial i'm the Outlook for
July IT, and is signed by Theodore Roose-
welt.
Il have always been fond of boxing"
says the colonel" and have always be-
lieved in il as vigorous. manly pastime,
one of those pastimeS which have a dis
tinct moral and physical value, because
they encourage such essential virtues as
courage, hardwood. endurance and self
control. Until within few years I used
to box good deal myself, and when
was young several times took part in con-
tests of public or semi-public nature
generally, am bound to say, with i'll sue
cess. I think boxing is a sport which
should be encouraged among boys and
young men generally. 1 have been glad
10 help it so far as i could in the army
and navy. where. I believe. 1t has been an
excellent thing for the enlisted men.
when I was police commissioner
vas much struck by a statement made to
me by Jacob Riis to the effect that the
establishment of boxing clubs in many of
the poorer districts had resulted in good.
in rather unexpected ways-that it, it had
not only given the vigorous young fellows
who otherwise would join gangs a legit-
innate outlet for their activities, but had
also markedly reduced the number of af-
trays in which the knife was used. The
spirit produced by the boxing had told
against knife-hghting, and distinctly dis
eourasea unfair play.
Called Ring Champions Friends.
Therefore, from every standpoint.
believe in the encouragement Of boxing
AZ q sport. Moreover. boxing as a profess
sion has its good side also. Among the
men whose friendship and regard 1 have
really valued 1 could name a number of
professional boxers, including several ring
champions The men to whom l refer
found square, decent men, who showed
themselves good citizens when their good
citizenship was tested. L approved OF the
movement, which in this state, at the
time that l was police commissioner, re-
suited In the enactment of a law permit
ting contests between professional boxers.
under conditions which were meant to
safeguard the sport against brutality and
the other evils which have everywhere re-
suited sooner or later I'm the suppression
public boxing contests. in which the in
tent Of the law was carried out in good
faith.
Abuses Crept In.
"Nevert heless, even under this law,
abuses crept in, and finally one or two
fights occurred where the surrounding
circumstances were scandalous that
when I was governor / was obliged to
advocate and finally TO secure the repeal
of the law under which the contests took
place. feeling convinced, together with the
great majority Of the citizens OF the state,
that under il almost all that made prize
fighting objectionable and demoralizing
hao gradually been revived.
Now this was my experience, the expe-
rienee of a man who, SO far from being
warm advocate of il. and who, at the out
set, had not the slightest prejudice
against professional boxing-that is, box
ing for purses Of money--and who has
numbered among his friends many men
Who were professionals and had fought
for many prizes.
Wants Prize Fighting Stopped.
Il am sure that what has happened
in New YQKk will happen in the nation at
large. and that prize ighting will be. as
il ought to be, stopped in every state Of
the Union. Since IL was stopped In New
York the conditions surrounding the ring
have grown worse. and not better. The
honey prizes fought for are enormous.
and are potent source of Decentralization
in themselves, while they are often SO
arranged as either to be a premium on
cHookednesS or else to reward nearly as
amply the man who fails as the man who
succeeds.
The betting and gambling upon the
result are thoroughly unhealthy and the
uoving picture part of the proceedings
has introduced new method of money
getting and of Decentralization. In ad-
dition. the last contest provoked a Very
unfortunate display of race antagonism.
i sincerely trust that public sentiment
vill be so aroused, and will make itself
felt 50 effectively. as to guarantee that
this In the last prize fight to take place
in the United States; and il would be an
admirable thing IL some method could
be devised to stop the exhibition of the
moving pictures taken thereof