Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-12-02
EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN IDEAS IN CON
NECTION WITH THE CENTENNIAL.

The direct antagonsm between ideas that pre-
vail in Continental Europe and those which have
fastened upon the American mind will be thor
oughly illustrated in connection with the Centen-
NAL. 1t has been understood that the Exposi-
ton will be closed on Sunday, that being the de-
mand OF the religious classes, generally, though
there is no little expression of protest and
probability that the question may not be settled
without more discussion. This will be in strong
contrast with the European custom. At Vienna
and Paris Sunday was the great day.
the time when the crowds in attendance
were immensely increased. 1t WAS looked to by
the Exposition managers to swell their receipts
and by the people as their favorite time of at
tendance. In both the French and Austrian
capitals this was in accordance with the estab
lshed customs and opinions, and not only ex-
cited no surprise, but any attempt
to interfere with or change it would
have been resented on all hands. The
Continental European idea Of Sunday-at least
in the Latin and South German countres-is
day OF recreation, and the opening of the Expo
stions at Paris and Vienna was perfectly natl-
raj. We need not say how this would be regard
cd, here, by large numbers of our people, who
consider the first day of the week a day to be
scrupulously devoted to the church and religious
school, and who look with horror on the tenden-
cies, in many Of our large cities, OF the foreign
population, who attempt-in st. Louis, Chicago,
New Orleans, and San Francisco successfully
to transplant the European customs, opening
the beer-gardens, the music halls, and the places
OF resort generally, with quite much spirit
and ABANDON on Sunday as any other day.
Another question, Though it has probably
been disposed off, is brought up by the Ameri
~ean Temperance Society, which has just adopted
resolutions against the sale OF wine on the Cen
tennial grounds. The authorities have granted
concession to French parties to open restau-
rant, in the style of one which they carry on in
Paris. OF course, they will have wine dinner
or other meals in Paris without wine would be a
wonder. The bottle Of rim ordinaire if not re-
placed by something more costly, is brought
on by the attendant without orders
But this is not an American custom ;
on the contrary our custom is exact
ly different. Wine is the common drink in
France, and beer is the common drink in Ger
many, whereas Americans for ordinary THIRST
swallow water. The habits of the Continental
Europe and Of this country in this one respect
are as different as difference can be. Not only
do our people not use liquor habitually for
quenchiug thirst, but great numbers of them
condemn and reject all liquors. upon all occa-
sions, as a matter of principle. A universal
habit OF wine and beer drinking excites their sur
prise and disapproval, while, on the otherl hand
their own strictness is simply incomprehensbet to
Frenchmen and Germans. At the Centennial
the two classes will meet. The visitors who come
from Continental Europe will see American tee
totalism with eyes of wonder. The puritan
Ism of which they have heard, and which an
occasional. traveller in Europe adhere4 to, at the
risk OF being considered a lunatic they will find
here very widespread, very earnest and very
tntuential threatening to make Prohibition the
law Of the world.