El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-03
MORE PROTESTS
ATPRIZEFIGHT
Ministers Continue Their
Campaign of Denuncia
ton of JUarez Mill.

Continuing their opposition TO the
! Juarez prize fight between Jess Viii
lard and Jack Johnson for the worlds
/ championship, the ministers of III Paso
/ today made public additional inter
! views of citizens in approval of the
[ stand taken by the ministers against
the bout
J. II. Nations. president Of the Y NJ.
, c. A, is quoted as follows:
. '.Prizefights are very hurtful to the morals
of the young people Of any community, and
for that reason it is unfortunate we are
having one at the very door, you might say
Of this city: but we are helpless to do any
thing to prevent Il, because our Mexican
friends across the river evidently think
otherwise. Since we are subjected to such
tE,'-~ being pulled off across the river, let
US hope that the object lesson will D, hNlu-
aul IN strengthening the moral character Of
at least some Of die No--' - Ii,
to resist the influence Of such things"
"DctrimcntGi TO lau.a.s.
Other interviews furnished by the minis
tiers include the following:
R. Z. Bryan:
The proposed prizefight to be staged in
Juarez will be a detriment morally TO I'll
Paso and our entire community The tenn
porary financial gain will soon be overshad-
owed by the moral detriment which will last
'HurtfuI Publicity"
7 oppose the prfzefight because it is not
only unspeakably immoral, but because it
carries with it the most hurtful form OF
publicity that can come to a community"
\ Brutalizing Influence"
F. W. Berkshire:
I'm view Of its brutaIzing influence. II
seems TO me that the progressive standard
set by El Paso will be lowered If it lends its
support to the Johnson-WiIlerd prizefight"
Brutalizing Effect,
Howard Thompson, NJ. D.:
''Prizefighting cannot fail to have a bru-
talizing effect on both the spectator and
Appeals to Brute Instinct"
B. F. jenkins, eN-chief Of police:
& oppose the willard fight to be
held in Juarez, because 1t Will be conducive
Of much evil and no good. No good, be-
cause it appeals to the brute instinct in
man and his propensity for gambling, as
betting is one of the chief ends Of the game,
even if the game is on the square. And If
inside information be relied upon, the
Johnson-Jeffries fight at Reno, Nevada, was
anything but on the square AS an adVer-
Using medium for FL Paso, do not believe
it Will have a good effect on that class Of
men who are most useful in building up
desirable and substantial city"
"ShOuld BE Stunned"
II. F. Wright NJ. -. - "
Whenever anything is believed to be 90
evil that it becomes practically impossible
to engage in it in our own country the
best American citizens should shun it. Prize
fighting certainly is in this class. L believe,
in fact. that progressive Americans are so
much against this that It viii soon be as
much thing Of the past as bundling, which
was ardently advocated even by leading
women in the days Of Washington Irving
and is today so obsolete that not one in a
thousand knows the meaning Of the word.
I want to hold onto the forelOck Of pro-
gressive movements. There is danger and
disgrace at the tail"
DepIored by Better Element.
II shall be glad if you will permit me to
express myself through the columns OF your
paper On the WtHiard-Johnson prizefight.
Permit me to say that the sentiment or public
and press should be as far above such brutal
sport in 1915 the Mills building is above
the adobe hut that stood on the same corner
in Inn baf better element
Of FL Paso deplores the fact that such
demOralizug thing is to be staged so near"
''Is Brutal and Inhuman."
J. c. Ballard:
Il am against. the prizefight. it is brutal
and inhuman IL its nature and has been
outIawed by almost every state in the union.
1t is compliment to FL PasO or to those
who assisted I'm having any form OF out
lawed sport located in her sister town across
the river, which has always had a following
Of robbers. murderers. highWaymen and
thieves. This being an undisputable fact, It
ought to arouse the manhood Of every citi-
zen to protest against such form OF amuse-
ment being located at the border Of our fair
Few Ell PasOans Approve Fight.
4 am in perfect accord with the Trinity
NJ. E. church and the good people Of FL
PaSo in opposing the Johnson Willard prize
fight, to occur at Juarez The percent Of
people of FL Paso who would approve, ap-
plaud, aid or attend this fight is probably
much less than would be found in the aver
age cities Of the United States. II it was
allowed to occur conveniently near them
II is gratifying TO note the increased power
Of Christianity as opposed TO that Of brute
force since the time OF Nero. I was an
athlete and enjoyed athletics much as
boy, while shaping the body for useful active
service; when I saw the evil tendencies Of
athletics and the prOneness OF humanity 70
worship them and other pleasures, I cut
them out Of my life almost entirely. It is
evident that mere pleasure seeking Of many
kinds is excessive and is drifting into idol
airy. and is one Of the great causes of the
evil conditions on earth, and the inability
Of the human race to keep in touch and
harmony with God or to WELD any power
in his service