Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-07
Opinions in Letters to The
Star Cover Wide Range.
SOME FAVOR THE PICTURES
Authority of the Commissioners G.
Stop Exhibition Is Questioned.
NEGROES URGED TO BE CALM
Minister Reminds the Press Of M
Share of Responsibility for
Arousing Race Prejudice.

Many letters have been received by The
Star relative to the Jeffries-Johnson prise
fight at Reno, New. The after effects OF
the fight. whether the fight should have
been permitted and whether the moving
pictures of the affair should be exhibited
are some of the questions discussed.
]. c. Cunningham OF 26 Defrees street
northwest says in a message Ito the COL
ored people of the country:
I'VE very much fear you ooiored people
of America are doing too much unneces-
sary talk about something that's worth
absolutely nothing to you. And warn
you In the name OF God. and In the name
of peace. to set a better example OF good
citizenship than to try to pose as the
greatest braggadocios in the country. You
get nothing but trouble and the scorn
Of your best white friends by talking
and yelling SO loud about that which u
bound to do you much harm II kept up
Advised to "Drop It."
so we beg you to give our text your
serious and earnest consideration He
that bridleth his tongue Is greater than
he that taketh q CITY,
drop this Johnson taik-it will never
that it is your aim to live peaceful and
law abiding citizens.
1.-The District Commissioners deserve
the highest praise for taking stand
against the reproduction OF the Johnson
Jeffries fight in this city,.
Wants to See Pictures.
w. Joseph Boyd writes: with the
outcome of the fight that has been looked
10 he ha
by thousands of interested people in this
city comes the startling and unwelcoms
news that the fight pictures are to be
barred from the moving picture screens
of the District.
1T is a shame that those who could
not attend the fight at Reno are to b.
deprived OF the privilege OF even seeing
the fight pictures In their own city. Why
stop the exhibition of these pictures Just
because q few people do not care TO sos
them.
: .lf you do not care 10 see the pictures
don't 60 into q theater where the pic
a disgrace to note that some one 10
always ready to make himself intar
ested in some ones business that does
not concern him in the least. Let the
TINS city. we'u go to Alexandra and
see them"
James H. Taylor, pastor of the Gen.
trail Presbyterian Church. writes:
.'fhe recent racial outbreaks through
out the country resulting from the JeS-
fries-Johnson hight ought to be sufIicIent
to remind us tnat these clashes viii be
liable to occur when the night 10 repre-
duced in the moving picture shows. 1nsre
Is no use attempting q denial OF the
tact that II was uue to the racial
dlr1erence Of the Two men that such an
unhard-of interest and excitement was
aroused over this contest, which has sig.
nally proclaimed that the negro 10 the
champion.
Nothing Short of q Crime"
ITO reproduce in moving pictures this
entire affair and to infiame the passions
of the two races by them is nothing
short of a crime. The man who would
willfully incite animosities between these
races would be guilty of sedition. and
yet the moving picture people. who pay
no attention to these facts and probably
care little are willing for the sake Of
gain to run the risk OF causing riot and
melting hatred.
LAS a southern man in this city 10
whom a great many colored people come
for help and advice, and who py early
experience and life among the colored
people knows them and has that affec-
tion for them that experience only can
give. l ask you TO use your influence to
prevent the moving pictures of the JEFF
fries-Johnson fight being shown in the
National Capital. A man is not a true
friend of the colored people who will ad-
vocate the permission OF these pictures.
If we desire the uplift of the coiored race
by reproducing the fight"
DR.. NJ. Loucks. pastor OF lions Re-
formed Church. writes:
The question at once presents itself.
Ia n mo n
witness and take part in real. living
prize fight than to witness and take part
in the same fight as reproduced by the
moving picture business?
IF state laws and authorities can pro-
hibit one, why cannot the same be done
with the other? So far as the wrong IL.
concerned one Is as bad as the other. ano
in many ways the moving picture pres
entation of the fight will go much further
in its influence than to be a witness OF
the original. The reproduction of this
fight by the moving picture business
opens the way for millions to see il.
whereas only about 10000 were present a.
the fight at Reno. The presentation of IL
before the general public Is far more
harmful to public morals and decency
than the original. because II is illimitable
in its influence"
Another Picture Advocate. =.
wflbert Melville. Corcoran building.
writes:
1T does seem to the writer that the
of this city are having too many
seh-appointed guardians spring up to
direct what they shall and shall not do.
The fundamental principal OF our methods
OF. government in this glorious republic 10
that the majority shall rule. and in this
particular instance venture to say that
the majority of the citizens would bs
iv favx,r of omen door
Let the pictures be shown-just as the
pictures were shown and the
news printed. Those to whom they are
offensive may stay away and welcome.
But those VINO want to see them should
be allowed to follow their bent just az In
every other act OF life the citisen should
be permitted liberty Of action 30 long -
he transsresses no law and does not In
fringe upon the rights OF his fellows.
which is exactly what the ministers ana
other busybodies are doing when they a.
sumo to direct what . man shs I ana