San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-26
WHEN THE LAW" IS DESPOTIC

Those who think, or rather believe,
that "thc law" is more powerful than
the will of a sovereign people might BE
shocked into a realization of some vital
realities if they would read a certain
story to be found in the sports section
| OF last Thursdays issue of THE LIGHT
Sometimes one may wonder whether
blue-sky "reformcrs" ever read about
sports except to plan new schemes for
taking the JOY out of life. But let them
read this particular story for that pur-
pose, if they will it might make good
citizens of those of then-if there be
such-who have any latent intelligence
whatever.
The story describes a sport which, in
Chicago at least, has become such in
special as we'll as in the customary
sense. That sport is boxing. Thousands
of people in that city are having lots of
fun defying "thc law" as invoked by
blue-sky ''reformerS in addition to the
fun inherent in a boxing contest
Illinois has law forbidding such con-
tests. In fact, that statute defines as a
misdemeanor the mere act of putting
ones hands into boxing gloves, even
though the wearer should participate in
no boxing contest.
For a time no serious attempt was
made to enforce this law. Recently the
blue-sky "reformers' got busy, dug up
the statute, showed it under the prose-
cutting attorneys nose and demanded
action" They got more faction" than
they had bargaincd for. Peace officers
undertook to abolish boxing in Chicago.
Then, suddenly, boxing began to flour
ish, indeed. Interest in the sport was
stimulated to such a degree that one in
ignorance OF the facts might suspect
that the Performers" were fight" pro-
motors in Disguise
Suburban clubs sprang into exist
ence throughout the city. Although the
places where contests were to be held
were not advertised, thousands of peo-
pile have been attending the flights"
They got the requisite information by
the Underground route"
Prior to the particular contest de-
scrlbed in the story referred to, the
'rctormers' had become extremely ac-
tive. But so many fight fans" turned
out that the police were powerless to
do anything except to help keep order
and serve as ushers. The place of COM
bat was unknown to everybody in Chi
cago except some 5000 eager lovers of
the forbidden sport, who paid S. each
for the privilege of participating in the
wholesale defiance of "the law" In
addition to these, two aldermen and
a municipal court Judge had seats at
the ringsidc; the aldermen were intro
duced to the "crowd," and the Judge
made a speech.
. In principle, the story is very old.
When "thc law" undertakes to over
ride those by whose authority it was
originally created, "the law" itself is
ovcrridden. Whether the thing for
hidden is good or bad for the people
is an almost Independent question. If
it is really bad for them it can be
abolished through the medium of edu-
cation; to say that it cannot is to make
an extremely low appraisal of mans
rntelligcnce-to deny that civilization
contains within itself the elements of
progress.
On the other hand to forbid a thing
that the people want, even though that
thing may be bad for them, is to aggra-
vatc the very condition which the
authors of the forbiddance would abol
ish. 1t is to deny them the right of
sovereignty, and then they will go to
extreme lengths to assert their power.
The law" is their creature. They are
not creatures of "thc law"