Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1910-07-17
Roosevelt Opposes
Fight Pictures

a vigorous. manly pastime. one OF
the pastimes which have a distinct
moral and physical value. because
they encourage such essential virtues
as courage, hardihood, endurance
ana self control Until within few
years I used to box a good deal my
sell. and when / was young several
times took part in contests OF a pub
lie or seim-public nature-generally
am bound to say. with Ill success.
/ think boxing is a sport which
should be encouraged among boys
and young men generally. l have
been glad to help it so far as l
could in the army and navy. where.
believe, it has been an excellent
thing for the enlisted men. When /
was police commissioner, | was much
struck by a statement made to me
by Jacob Riis. TO the effect that the
establishment of boxing clubs in
many of the poor districts had re
suited in good in rather unexpected
ways; that is. 1t had not only given
The vigorous young fellows who 9th
srwise would Join gangs" a legiti-
mate outlet for their activities, but
hsd also markedly reduced the num-
bel OF ARRAYS in which the knife was
,.sed The spirit produced by the
hoxlng had told against knife-fighting,
and distinctly discouraged unfair
play.
Therefore. from every standpoint,
believe in the encouragement Of
boxing as a sport. Moreover. boxing
as = profession has its good side al
so Among the men whose friend
ship and regard have really valued
could name a number Of profes-
sioisl boxers, including several ring
champions. The men to whom / re-
fer found square, decent men, who
showed themselves good citizens
when their good citizenship was test.
ers, under conditions which were
ed approve OF the movement,
which in this state, at the time
wa police commissioner. resulted in
thu enactment of a law permitting
contests between professional box.
meant 10 safeguard the sport against
brutality and theother evils which
have everywhere resulted sooner OF
later in the suppression Of the prize
ring. l saw several of these public
boxing contests, in which the intent
of the law was carried out in good
faith.
Nevertheless, even under this law
abuses crept in, and, finally. one OF
two fights occurred where the sur.
rounding circumstances were so scan
dalous that when 1 was governor
was obliged to advocate. and finally
to secure, the repeal of the law IN.
der 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 had gradually been re
viyed.
Now this was my experience, the
experience Of a man who. so fan
from being prejudiced against box
ing, was and is a warm advocate Of
it, and who. at the outset, had not
the slightest prejudice against pro
fessional boxing-that is. boxing for
purses OF money-and who has mum
bered among his friends many meT
who were professionals and who had
fought for money prizes. l am sur'
that what has happened in New
York win happen in the nation a
large, and that prize fighting will be
as 1t ought to be, stopped in ever
state of the Union Since It wal
stopped in New York the condition!
surrounding the ring have grown
worse, and not better. The none,
prizes fought for are enormous, anC
are a potent source Of demoraliza
ton in themselves, while they arr
often so arranged as either to be ;
premium on crookedness or else q
reward nearly as amply the man wh'
fails as the man who succeeds. Th'
betting and gambling upon the re
suit are thoroughly unhealthy, and tn
moving picture part of the proceed
ings has introduced new method o
money getting and of decentralization
IN addition, the last contest provoked
a very unfortunate display of race an
.tagonisn. I sincerely trust that pub
lie sentiment viii be so aroused. anC
viii make itself felt so effectively. al
to guarantee that this is the las
prize fight TO take place in the Unit
ed States; and it would be an admir-
able thing If some method could b
devised TO stop the exhibition of thu
moving pictures taken thereof.
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