Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-06-02

Al, the ministers of the city have
,.,,roa themselves as opposed to
having bouts and exhibitions of that
,,fcd conducted here, and they declare
.so+ thew will join actively in prohib
;+fnq anv future exhibits here.
The recent bout here has served tc
anorso them to action, and they have
s,,rrisbed interviews to the Times-Re
.ordor voicing their opinions relative
to boxing bouts. The opposition Of
forad by the clergy of the city to box
iro here in the way of public exhibits
is NOT based on whether a bout is what
is termed good" or bad" from tle
standpoint of the science Of the fight
ar bnt because they believed that all
# these exhibitions are morally
wrong In brief they are opposed u
al public boxing bouts.
The local ministers can see no good
that will come from these exhibits
They argue that there are so many
.Crber cleaner and manlier sports that
the boxing game should be dispensed
with for the better support and en-
rouragement of baseball and other
amusements which may be enjoyed DY
all and which promote, they claim, &
mach better and more wholesome
moral tone. 1t is wrong, as they see
it. to support such doubtful sports as
tcxing bouts, or prize fighting, when
ttese other sports should have this
encouragement and financial aid.
Some of the ministers expressed sur
prise and chagrin that the bout had
been permitted to be pulled off in the
city, the low license fixed by the city
council having been largely responsi
rle for this they claim. 1t is probt
tly in this direction that the first
move will be made toward prohibiting
the bouts here, as a petition will like
ly be prepared and presented to coun-
Gil at its next meeting with this pur-
pose in view
The following interviews on the
situation were furnished to The
Times-Recorder yesterday oy the va
rous ministers of the CITY,:
q am absolutely and positively op
posed to boxing bouts here" said DR..
lansing Burrows, pastor of the First
Baptist church. 81 think they are the
least things that decent, manly men
Tan engage in, and they have nv
strongest disapproval. The Lord has
taught me how to live by not fighting,
and the boxing bouts and prize fights
completely reverse the plan of life as
laid down by the Saviour. These
DootS are degrading to the moral tone
and sympathy of any community, and
'ney should not be allowed in Ameri-
GUS 1t always seemed to me to be
FOOLISH to see two men fighting, es-
PeclaIly for what little money they
ean dupe people out of. There Is
'othlng 4Aoral and nothing decent Or
eeyating about any such perform
snce."
! am greatly surprised and cha
s'lned that such a thing as the recent
"oNlng bout was permitted" sa7o rtey.
" b, Chester, pastor of the First
methodist church. "The city officials
SDooId have prevented any such dis
S'acetul display here. l am unalter-
'0Iy opposed to boxing bouts am
F'I|e nights, and | shall do everything
can 10 prevent them here. l should
IKE to preach tomorrow night a ser
"on relative to the matter, but cir
'0nStances force me to postpone /
'"'I week later. At that time
0"'II give my views on this matte
Y more fully. The holding of thes'
,Y"'S Is an insult to the morals o
community, and such exhibit
'"Iu not be permitted. These fight
'e wrong in principle, no matter ho'
'hey may be from the fighter
'""opoint and l oppose them froI
frinciple"
we uont need to cultivate the spir
'ue prize fighter here" said Re
w. Stokes, pastor of Presbyteria
""fch In giving his views on the ma
OF the bouts. 1T is not a spir