Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-10-27
aancaster fntelligencer.
FRIDAY EVENING. OCT. ~. ioe2.
Lameattpg Shopkeepers.

FRIDAY EVENING. OCT. ~. ioo2.
Lameatipg Shopkeepers.
The Philadelphia store.keepers do not
altogether enjoy the Bi-Centennial, not
withstanding the immense crowd of peo-
pie it has brought into the city. In fact'
they object to the crowd, which has no
business IN the stores and which prevents
people who have from getting into them.
Doubtless it is disgusting to find that an
occasion which was looked forward to by
the shop.keepers as harvest time, turns
out to be starvation party. But the
shop-keepers have the consolation OF
knowing that it is patriotic feeling that
leaves their stores unentered. The peo
pie who have gone to Philadelphia must
be credited with a desire to drop
all consideration of filthy lucre,
and to unite in q pure Offering to
the memory of William Penn, the
founder of our great state. They have
zone from our workshops SO generally
as to leave them idle, and their hard
earned money Is spent in testifying their
reverence for the great founder. Just as
crowds 20 to the funeral Of distinguished
and beloved men, to show their respect
for his memory, these crowds have gone
to Philadelphia to attend the Bi-Centen.
nial and it would be quite as much out
of place ON the one occasion as the other
to embrace the opportunity to do shop
ping. 1t may be that this consideration
will not bring much satisfaction to the
lamenting hearts of the disgusted Phila-
delphia shop-keepers. 1t may not
be balm to their souls to know that
all men do not think only and
always Of making money. But if their
hearts are open to lesson they may feel
reproached that while they were looking
forward to the hi. Centennial to Gil
their Golfers, those who celebrate it did
not debase it with any money-making
thought.
The shopkeepers, whose doors are
barred from customers by the crowd,
should calm their feelings of annoyance
and philosophically contemplate the Sit
uation. Now that they cannot make
money anyway, they can afford to be pa
triotic aud to give their clerks holiday
and take one themselves and 60 out
and Join the pageant. and get jammed
ard squeezed along with the throng and
eat peanuts and drink lemonade and do
all the other things that the people are
wont to do who mass themselves
together on public occasions and thipk
they are enjoying themselves when
they are as uncomfortable as possible.
The great and good Wanamaker, We ob
serve, has special plan of his own to
reconcile his business to his conscience
and his patriotism to his shop, which he
is very fond of doing. He declares that
as his store is one of the great attrac
tions Of Philadelphia. it would be sin
and shame to close it; and, therefore
at great sacrifice..of his feeling to his
duty, he has determined that it shall be
in full swing on the Bi-Centennial Occa
sion for the particular delight of the
participators in the pageant.
We are truly delighted with the dis
appointment of the Philadelphia shop
keepers over their invisible profits from
the Ri Centennial celebration. There
has been no rhyme or reason in TIE
whoe performance, and it has not heer
Of any more benefit to the visitors thar
to the shop-keepers, for whose benefit II
was got up. There has been nothing
worthy to see or hear. The Centennial
celebration was grand and beneficial. I,
was school. The Bi-Centennial IS q
sham Of the first water.