New-York tribune., 1910-07-14
CONDEMNS PR|zEF|CHTNG
Colonel Roosevelt Hopes Amer
iCa Has Seen the Last One.
OPPOSES THE PICTURES, TOO
Money Prizes a Source of De-
moralization and a Premium
on Crookedness.

Writing on THE Recent Prizefght'' II
THE Outlook for July Is sx-Presiden
Roosevelt declares that prizefghting ough
to be stopped in every state in the Union
and expresses the hope that some methoc
will be found for preventing the exhibition
Of the moving pictures Of the Jefries-JoFu
son bout.
II have always been fond of boxing anc
have always believed in il as vigorous
manly pastiue one of those pastines
which have a distinct moral and physical
value. because they encourage such essen
tial virtues as courage. hardihood sndur-
ance and self-control.'' says Colonel Roose-
welt. Until within a few years I used 20
box a good deal myself. and when 7 was
young several times took part in contests
Of a public or seni-public nature-Eenerally.
am bound to say. with III success I think
boxing is a sport which should be encour-
aged among boys and young men generally.
! have been glad 70 help II SO far as
could in the army and navy, where believe
it has been an excellent thing for the en-
listed men.
When ] was Police Commissioner vas
much struck by a statement made 70 me By
Jacob Riis to the effect that the esta bHsh-
nent Of boxing clubs in many Of the poorer
districts had resulted in good, in rather
unexpected ways-that is, II had not only
given the vigorous young fellows who other
wise would join gangs q legitimate outlet
for their activities, but had also markedly
reduced the number OF ARRAYS in which the
knife was used. The spirit produced by the
boxing had told against knife fighting and
distinctly dtscourag ged unfair play.
Therefore, from every standpoint. I be
Heve in the encoura cement Of boxing as 2
sport Moreover, boxing as z profession
has its good side also Among the men
whose friendship and regard have really
valued ] could name g number Of profes-
sionel boxers, including several ring cham
pions- The men TO whom I refer ] found
square, decent men, who showed them
selves good citizens when their good citizen
ship was tested. I approved of the move
ment, which in this state. ar the time
that ] was Police Commissioner. resulted
in the enactment of q law permitting CON
tests between professional boxers under
conditions which were meant 70 safeguard
the sport against brutality and the other
evils which have everywhere resulted
sooner or later in the suppression of the
prize ring I saw several of these public
boxing contests, in which the intent Of the
Nevertheless, even under this law
abuses crept in, and finally one or TWO
fights occurred where the surrounding cir
! was Governor 1 vas obliged to advocate.
and finally 70 secure. the repeal Of the law
under which the contests took place, feel
ing convinced. together with the great ma
jority of the citizens Of the state, that un-
Hfr oil hat
Objectionable and demoraHzing had gradu-
ally been revived.
Now. this was my experience, the expe-
rience Of a man who. so far from being
prejudiced against boxing. was and is
warm advocate of it, and who at the out
set. had not the slightest prejudice against
professional boxing-that is. boxing for
purses of money-and who has numbered
among his friends many men who were
professionals and had fought for money
prizes
II am sure that what has happened in
New York will happen in the nation at
large. and that prtzefghtins will be. as it
ought 10 be, stopped in every state of the
Union Since it was stopped in New York
the conditions surrounding the ring have
grown worse, and not better. The money
prizes fought for are enormous. and are a
potent source OF decentralization in them
selves, while they are often so arranged
as either to he a premium on crOokedness
or else 10 reward nearly as amply the man
who fails the man who succeeds. The
betting and gambling upon the result are
unhealthy. and the moving pict-
ure part of the proceedings has introduced
a new method of money getting and of de-
I'm addition, the last contest provoked a
very unfortunate display of race antago-
nism. I sincerely trust that public senti-
ment will be aroused, and will make
itself felt so effectively, as TO guarantee
that this is the last priZefght to take place
In the United States: and 1t would be an
admirable thing IL some method could be
devised to stop the exhibition of the NOV
ing pictures taken thereof"