Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-01
WE PROTEST AGAIN.

article in which the Church was rep
resented as interested in the proposed
hrutal-exhibition at Saltalr of two slug
gers. The New York Herald OF jan
% also has similar story, In a letter
from salt Lake, illustrated with PIC
lures OF the famous resort 1t Is evi-l
dant that for some reason or other
,hcrc q n concerted effort somewhere
TO make the world believe that the
Church is. friendly to such exhibitions.
we have already protested against this
pslltry mud-s Singing. and repeat that
lhe flyht will not come Off here with the
consent aid, OF assistance OF tho
Church. The Church is not financially
Interested in Saltair; but even IL IL
were. IL would condemn the enort TO
make IL a pugiLstic arena. in violation
of the law OF the State.
yhcre is no doubt as to tho Elegantly
~ such amuscments. The language
of the statute is as plain as human
speech can make it. II says tnat
"every person who engages In. insu-
gates, encourages, OF promotes any
ring or prize fight. or any otncr pre-
mcditated fight or contention without
deadly weapons. either as principai'
aid. second, umpire, surgeon. or otner-
wise. is punishable by Imprisonment
II This means anything at all ii means
that two persons who engage In
n,.cmeditated fight or contention In the
ling. even II no deadly weapons are
used. can be sent to prison In Utah Tor
doing so. and that anyone who In any
manner encourages or promotes such
contention is equally chlpable The
statute makes ring fights unlawful un-
der whatever name they may be ad-
yertised. for by prohibiting ring OF
prize fight. OF any other premedita'eo
ncht or contention, without dcaoy
weapons" 1t makes the entire class Oh
that kind of amusement, without ex-
eontIon. unlawful The statute, FUR
ther. makes it punishable onense 10
be a spectator at such an exhibition. IL
says. Every person wilfully present
as a spectator at any fight OF conten-
lion mentioned in tho next proceeding
section Is guilty OF a misdemeanor'
That is the law. The fight cannot
come off here in Utah except In viola
,son of that law. We want 1T distinct
,v understood that it cannot be- done
except over the protests of the Latter
dev Saints. The responsibility for II
must be fastened upon others we
have here men who have proposed TO
flood Utah with all forms of vice. In
order to lead young Church members
astray from the paths Of virtue ana
Righteousness. They are responsible
But we are told that a large percent
age Of the business men OF TINS CITY
want rho fight here Perhaps they do
Pat that is no reason why they should
have il. against the law. large per
centage of them would. no doubt pay
handsomely to sec a cannibal feast, or
tho burninr OF a human being at the
stake. or the flght. between men ana
beasts In an arena. or a bull hight OF
a human sacrifice, OF something eauaiiy
prewsome and thrilling, but that is no
reason why the guardians of the law
should permit a greedy promoter OF
brutality to get up such an exhibition
TO make money Salt Lake citizens.
more than all others, should be un-
scrupulous in their observance OF tho
law in every detail. Many OF them
n
nases and Caiaphases and made them
selves hoarse crying. 'crnctfyi" be-
cause OF alleged misdeeds of Nor
mona" The entire political revolution
here was effected on the hypocrltical
pretense that alleged law-breakers had
to be visited with wrath. Now.
some of ,the same citizens have with
the greatest complacency seen saloons
and gambling dens flourish; they hav,
seen liquor shops and places OF amuse
mcrt open on Sundays they have seer
the stoekade4 go UP. all in violation OF
law. and now they clamor for a prlze
fight, Also In defiance of law. Out upor
such deceit, y Need we say that tn
anti "Morrnons'' Gwho have waged
villainousiwar upon tho Church. on tn,
pretenso that law defiance demanded IL
but for no reason whatever except theI
own thirst for offices. cannot, by thei
clamor bring this fniqAty TO our State
without revealing their arrant hypo
crisy.
That the Church is not Interested i
the proposed law breaking is said
be the opinion of;a business man quot
ed in the Tribune. as follows:
For the life OF me l can't undel
stand why the Mormon Church
brought Into this matter. Why don
these Californians bring In the Pres
bytcrian. Catholic. Methodist. Coner,
gational and the other churches? The
have just as much to do with 1t. Th
church business is getting to be hoa
and every zane man knows that the
is no church today that would go {
record as favoring ring contest
more than IL would sanction saloo
l have heard n great deal OF tn
church business. and / want to ~
that the people OF this city indignan
ly resent the continental attacks viii,
are being made that this boxing 20
test cannot take place here unless [
Mormon Chuch backs It, l have talk,
With a hundred men on the matte
and II is now proposed to cinch II
contest and get the money for Ut;
Instead of allowing the big affair TO
TO Frisco. which city is making such
mean fight for the contest,
"As far as Saltair is concerned. eve
man who reads the daily papers kno'
that tho famous resort passed out
the hands of the Mormon Church 81
nj eIa. r1,x.n