The New York herald., 1921-07-01
GOV. EDWARDS RAPS
RAVNG FANATICS
Calls RefOrmers Who Tried to
Stop Big Fight a Crowd
Of Yelpers.
MAYOR HAGUE AGREES
Both Laud Rickard at Dinner
in Promoters Honor at
Hotel Commodore.

Gov Edwards of New Jersey ami
Mayor Hague OF Jersey City seized the
opportunity afforded by a dinner in
honor OF Tex Rickard at the Hotel Com
modore last night to say that fanatics"
could not stop the tight: that 1t would
surely be held. and that Richard and
the Jersey authorities would handle it
and the crowds so well that the rest of
the country would turn on the blue law
folk and ask for boxing contests too.
Frank Hague" said the Governor.
is Mayor who will not be browbeaten
by any raving fanatics AS for me, only
tonight | was besieged by letter ask
ing me to stop the contest lit was from
DR.. Wilbur Crafts, head of the Inter-
national Reform Bureau, but | haven't
time to answer such fanatical things.
Neither this man nor any one else can
come to me at this time and stop a per-
fectly lawful contest such as this will
be. L tell you we are not carried away
by crowd of yelpers. II there's any
thing in the world detest it's Internal
hypocrisy. We can win this fight for
personal liberty all over the country If
we talk 1t all the time. and our flag
will then really represent the land of
the brave and the home of the free"
Mayor Hague reported that some
time ago. when a committee of clergy
men called on the Governor and were
told that the Dempsey Carpenter af-
fair was within the law. the ministers
said: Then we don't like the law"
Then go to some other State where
you do like the law" the Governor ad-
vised them, according to the Mayor.
"Our Governor" Mayor Hague went
on, "is not an orator not William Jen-
nings Bryan or Woodrow Wilson. but a
time / ever saw Rickard he came to me
and asked for my approval for the con-
test. l told him If the Governor ap-
proved it was all right with me. and the
Governor did approve. And now Rickard
has erected an Incompatible arena. He
has displayed courage. he has spent
great deal of money. he has overcome
many obstacles. and on Saturday, despite
the reformers, this contest Will take
place Every man who holds ticket
for seat will have seat.
'"rhe reformers are trying to prove
that this Is q prize fight, not boxing
contest. My advice to you all is to come
over and see for yourselves. It will be
handled in such a way that the contest
will be black eye to this reform asso-
citation, for other States will say: If
Jersey City can conduct such a clean.
COHltsl, DOAiliB 10 d NitehA SPoi -
and why can't we have it?"
The dinner, arranged by the American
Peoples League, an anti-blue law al
lance, was called a true sportsman
ship banquet" given In honor of the
boxing promoter. II brought together
about $50 men. many of whom Will be
headliners among the spectators ut the
fight. and one woman, Mrs. Owen Kill
dare, who sat at the big table.
Among those who praised Rickard
were william Muldoon OF the New York
State Boxing Commission, James J. Cor
bett, who said. The only thing / re-
gret is that Dir. Rickard was not active
in my time in the ring so that L could
have got in on these half million dollar
purses; A. J. Drexel Biddle of Phila-
delphia, who described the Hon Tex
as "the greatest sportsman IN the
world" Mrs. Kildare. with an opinion
that II women knew more about sports
they would know less about cosmetics
At midnight Richard, the freshest
looking man In the room, despite
fanatics" and such, made reply the
same consisting wholly of:
You know how l feel tonight"
Charles Thorley was chairman of the
dinner committee, and George #. Wilson
toestmaster. In recognition Of the ma
tionalities Of the contenders In to-mor-
rows scrap. American and French flags
were hung side by side and toasts were
drunk TO the United States and France.