South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-08

"Carranza's edict which abolished
bull lighting In Mexico and converted
the famous Gran Plaza de Toros OF
Mexico City into an open air opera
house. and the Ibanez novel which,
recently translated into English. may
be termed the Uncle Toms Cabin
OF the bull tight. have aroused inter
est IN the national sport Of Spain.
says a bulletin from the Washington
headquarters Of the National Geo
graphic society.
Charles Epson Clark. in com
munuication 20 the society gives
word picture OF "A bulI-fght ia Ma
did. as follows
con Sunday afternoons "A gay
thrcuR gathers: the bull-fghters
march out In their brilliant cos
tunes. and the ceremony Of Staying
the bull begins. IL is almost a ritual.
and every detail must be punctilious-
Is observed First. the bull is made
10 charge the horsemen. the plea
dores. who lab him with short
pointed spears. the horses wear
binder over one eye. so that their
rider can keep them from seeing the
bull onset II the horses are not
killed az once when the bull cores
them. they are sewed up and made
10 meet another attack This is the
&c, olting part Of il.
Throw Darts at Bull
After enough OF this. nimble band
ariileros throw their darts into the
bulls neck and shoulders at just the
proper place and interval These
men. and the espadas (matadors)
who follow them. show great dexter
ity and grace. The espada is a sea-
sOned bull-hghter. his function is TO
plunge his rapier into the bulls
heart. and his calmness as ne man
euvers the beast into "a favOra BILE
position. teasing him the while. is
fascinating TO watch. The audience.
with eyes keen as hawks. applaud
every good stroke. and boot in deri-
sion at any misplays"
Concerning the history OF the sport
the bulletin continues.
The American speaks Of bread
and butter as the elemental neces-
saries OF life: but the Spanish equiv
alent for that smile is pan y toros,
or bread and bulls The sport is a
deposit OF the Moorish civilization,
or lack of IL. carried 10 the peninsu-
la ahoat the hight tide Of the inva-
sion. and left as an unfortunate sedi-
ment after the hosts receded. Span
iards and Portuguese implanted it
in Latin American nations-especial-
IL Mexico and Vpnezuela
Sport of Some Kings.
Roman amphitheaters built i'm
emulation OF the stadia I'm which
were held classic Greek games. later
usurped by the acrobatics and crude
burlesque OF the circus. crumbled
away amid Moorish bull fights.
Some Spanish kings practiced the
sport The wizened Charles V killed
bull as a part OF his inaugural
ceremony. and the Inflated diet
tante. Philip ". was an amateur
matador. Other kings sought TO
suppress bull fighting: popes threat
ened its devotees with excommuni-
cation. but by the early 18th century
IL was thoroughly established as a
profession.
Cruel though bull lighting seems
10 most other peoples cruelty is not
it's chief appeal 70 the Spaniard.
Rather he sees in il a drama
drama. he will tell you, in which the
human being is more evenly matched
and the animal suffers no more. than
i'm hunting foxes. or shooting bigger
game with the unequal advantage of
modern firearms
Fraught With Tradition.
The bull fight is more than a
combat: Il is fraught with tradition
and ceremony. The procession i'm
mediately preceding it suggests q
circus parade for its vivacity and
color. Mounted messengers. OF
aguacils are in 18th century cos.
tune. They go through a ceremony
OF receiving from the president the
KEYS to the gate where the bull en-
tiers. though usually the gate is no
locked. The picador Is the surviva
of the cabellerOs who fought OF
horseback. with lances. From the
matador, literally the master of hi:
own cuadrilla. or troupe of banderiI-
leros and picadors. TO the wise mon.
keys as the attendants OF tn,
horses are called. the place of par.
Elephants in line is as fixed as IN,
precedence at a diplomatic recep
ton: and the costume of each is a,
rigidly determined as American
evening dress.
Three Acts I'm Drama.
Always there are the three act
10 the drama. First is the hazard
play OF the picadors. then the atfx
ing OF the darts by the men afoot
and finally the combat Of matadol
and bull. In the major league cor
idas this last is the real conflict o
the tragedy, which has many oppor
tulities for an O. Henry quirk. al
when an enraged bull cowed all tn,
matadors and their aides, and trri
fed the crowd until resourcefu
spectator held out some Jumps o
sugar. which placated him Al leas
that Is story told OF a Mexico Cit,
exhibition. But I'm a great majorit,
OF the fights the bull was permitte,
20 gore SO many horses and was 81
thoroughly tired Out that the avne