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Show JOHNSON IS NOW AN UNPOPULAR FIGHTER (By W. W. Naughton.) . , When Jack Wren, the far-famed sports promoter of Melbourne, Australia, Aus-tralia, cabled the writer that he would glc Jim Jeffries "ten thousand pounds, win, lose or draw," to box Jack Johnson in Melbourne next November, No-vember, he concluded his deep sea dls-1 patch with the remark, "Australians are anxious to see Johnson defeated." It was thought at the time that Wren in cabling that way merely wanted to impress Jeffries with : the belief that he would not feel like a stranger in a strange land If he made the trip to the colonies. A letter just to hand from Wren makes it plain, however, that Johnson's victory was anything but popular in Kangarooland. For that matter, the various accounts of the fight published in tho Australian papers pa-pers go to show that there was practically prac-tically no rejoicing over Burns' downfall. down-fall. One paper described the crowd around tho ring as a dejected ono, while a Melbourne dispatch to a Sydney Syd-ney Journal says that the throngs who daeh that some Rood men can put in against an opponent who looks like smothering them. The day after the fight saw all Australia Aus-tralia ablaze with Indignation at Johnson's flashness pity and praise for the game white man; nothing but abuse for the conqueror who taunted and insulted his fallen foe but I fear that the blame for the mouth fighting was not Justly apportioned, Both men fought with scrupulous fairness but for the use of billingsgate. I am sorry to have troubled you, but we were anxious to get that big fellow from Los Angeles. AH sporting Australia Aus-tralia would have opened Its arm to him, and in the ecnt of him doing what was so fondly hoped for In tho proposed match well. James J. would have been enthusiastically. If not figuratively, fig-uratively, crowned king of white Australia. Aus-tralia. Thanking you for the trouble I took the liberty o"f imposluR upon you and with kindest regards, I remain yours faithfully. JOHN WREN. read the bulletins of the contest placed plac-ed on the advertising boards In Melbourne Mel-bourne just melted away in silence when the result was announced. Wren'6 letter, which follows, speaks for Itself: Melbourne, (Australia), December 30. 1908. W, W. Naughton, Esq., Examiner Ex-aminer Office. San Francisco: Dear Sir Two days ago I took tho liberty of cabling you with a view of arranging with J. J. Jeffries to visit this state to meet Jack Johnson In November No-vember next. The reason for mentioning men-tioning a date so far ahead was twofold: two-fold: I wanted to give JeffrieB ample time to prepare after her long retirement, retire-ment, and I also desired to select a date for the meeting on which some big public function would Insure an influx of country and interstate visitors visit-ors to this city, so I selected our "cup" day that Ib, the biggest day of a great racing carnival and tho most popular holiday w e know In Australia. At the time of cabling I had to-solved to-solved upon a limit that I was prepared prepar-ed to go In order to obtain his presence pres-ence here, but I refrained from mentioning men-tioning it at that tlnie. thinking that Mr. Jeffries might make a demand for a lesser sum than I was prepared to offer, and In that case the premature mentioning ot a sum by me would have been unwise from a purely business busi-ness viewpoint. On receipt of your answer, and despite its discouraging tone. I cablod you an offer for Jeffries of "ten thousand pounds, win, lose or draw." The only condition I would have imposed In the event of its acceptance ac-ceptance would have been that ho should satisfy two doctors selected by you of his fitness to enter upon a severe se-vere course of training with an average aver-age man's chance of facing tho black sound and well. I left the boxing game some months ago, for I found that my connection with It encroached upon the time that should be devoted to the management of the racetracks and theatrical enterprises enter-prises that 1 am concerned In, but the result of the Johnson-Burns contest so stirred the very strong party here who claim that Australia Is and must remain a white man's country that I was waited upon and a6ked to find a white man who could re-ostablUh the superiority of the white race. I could think of nobody but Jeff for the task. Falling blm. I think you'll have to get one made to order. Burns never had a million to one chance at any part of the business. He fought gamely, but In a sullen, dogged, despairing fashion, wlthoue oue single sin-gle flash of brilliancy or that do-or-dlc |