The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-12-29
Bull Fights Return
To the Capital
BY RALPH H. TURNER

UNITED Press Staff Correspondent |
CITY OF MEXICO. (By Mail. -
Bugles blared, eighteen thousand
Mexican throats tested the full ca1
pacity Of eighteen thousand pairs Of
Mexican lungs, a gate swung up on
one side Of the pit and snorting
bull, its head describing vicious cir
Gle, rushed out into the full glare of
an afternoon sun. The bull fight had
returned to Mexico City.
Back in 1915, the Carranza govern
ment barred the bull fight from the
Federal District, in which the Mexi.
can capital is located. And for four
years the public had been clamorous
for its revival. The authorities final
" relented. A propitious time for its
return, they decided, was during the
first visit here Of the marines and nal
val officers from Argentina, Uruguay
and Cuba, who came to Mexico with
their warships as an escourt to the
body of the Mexican poet, Amanda
Nervo, who died while on diplomat
is mission to South America. So the
bull batting, in way, was in theia
honor.
But more than that it was TO APP
pease the demand of the Mexican
public. The public, however, has net
been appeased. In an effort to be
humane, the authorities ruled that the
battle should contain all the TRIM
mings at regular finish fight--ex-
cept that the bull should not be killed.
And anybody knows that to spare the
bull removes all the thrill from any
toreo. Anyway, the bull escaped the
slaughter house, but in their crusade
for humanity the authorities overlook
ed the horses. Three of them, pitifu'
victims of bulls savage horns, were
killed during the afternoon. But
that's part Of the game, and always
has been, so the paradox caused nc
comment here. What Mexico City
wants is dead bulls.
Dead or alive, the bulls and the
sport they provided presented to an
American all the picturesque fea.
lures which had been promised by
stage and fiction. The bull ring, said
to be the largest in the world, not ex-
i cepting the one in Madrid, can ac-
commodate $4,000 persons. Rising
from the circular arena, tier afte1
tier of seats were filled with fans
with the dignitaries occupying boxes
at the top. The dyed-in-the-wool
fans, the bleacherites of Mexico's ma
tional sport, filled the 'sun section
Here are the cheap seats, from one
to three pesos, for one half Of the
amphitheater is in the suns glare
the high priced seats are in the shade
i Proceeding the fight was the usual
procession of performers-just lik|
the opening scene under any big
TOP" in the States. Banderillos, ma.
tadors, picadors all appeared in an ar
ray Of color and fancy costume that
dazzled the eyes.
This over, the arena was cleared
Bring on the bull! AS the bovine
rushed out, small, thin dagger, with
colored ribbons attached is planted
between his shoulders. This is to pro
woke the bull. Then the boys with the
red flags get busy. The bull lowers
his head, snorts and charges. He
misses. But finally he gets a horse
maybe two. When the animal APP
pears sufficiently weary and angry
the first act has ended.
Next, the banderillos. 1t is the
duty of these gentlemen, armed with
sticks two feet long, the end of the
stick containing barb, to drive theil
weapons into the back of the bulPs
neck, behind the head They comply
three banderillos, each with pain
of barbs. If by this time the bull
hasn't displayed sufficient fury, some
sort of TINT charge may be attached
to one of the barbs. This explodes ir
4 the animals hide; that gives him pep.
Finally, the matador, the execu-
toner who first toys with the bull,
waving his cloak under his nose, the
bull charging one way then another.
After thoroughly proving the super
iority Of man over brute intelligence,
the matador places himself in stra-
tegic position, raises his arm and
drives home the death sword, at the
vulnerable point on top of the neck.
But on this occasion the sword was
a 'idud."
The bull was spared. His fate in
the future is now in the hands Of the
federal authorities.