, 1892-10-11
THE CHICAGO FAIR.
Should 1t, or Should 1t Not be
Closed on Sundays?
strong Arguments for the Affirm
ative side of the QuestiOn-COn-
gress 10 be again Appealed TO.
GOOD Reasons why.

Good Reasons why.
Ought the worlds fair be closed on Sun
days2 Notwithstanding the vote of con-
gress deciding that the fair must be closed
or receive no national support, the ques-
ton may come up before the next con-
gress. It ought to be settled in a way that
will be most in accord with the spirit of
progress, liberty and intelligence of our
age. 1t ought TO be settled in such way
as will best tend to make the fair sue
cess that will enable it to reach with its ed
ucational influence the greatest number Of
people who otherwise would not be likely
to have another such opportunity to come
into touch with the representatives Of the
different races of the earth, and their best
thought and work in the fine and indus
trial arts. To close the fair on Sunday is
not to close the doors of Chicago's
churches. To open the fair on Sundays
would not diminish church attendance to
any appreciable extent. And who will say
that the Sunday closing will make the day
be regarded as more sacred by any one
whose opinion is worth a cOpper2 Is il in
the interest of morality or religion that the
gates are to be closed on Sundays2 Relig-
ion is certainly not helped by closing any
doors of instruction or by putting up bars
against the fraternity of nations. Rep
resentatives of all nations upon our invi-
tation will be present at the fair. Some of
them do not recognize Sunday as a sacred
day. A great many intelligent and respec-
table people in all nations do not so recog-
nize it. Shall we compel our guests to abb
sent themselves from the very thing we
have invited them from across the seas to
attend simply because some of us may
have puritanical notions about Sunday OBJ
servance We must remember that it is a
worlds fair. 1t is not an attachment of
the so called Christian church. To me it is
clear that the Sunday closing of the
fair would be against the spirit of Christ's
central teachings, would be against NOR
ality and crime against humanity,
Jesus said that to love ones neighbor was
the second great commandment and that
it was like unto the first. In order to have
civil regard for our neighbors in order to
/ feel kindly toward them we must be
acquainted with them. What better OPP
/ pOrtunity to get acquainted with our neigh-
bors the world around than the worlds
fair will offer2 Hence the worlds fair
/ will be the greatest service to the real
spirit of Christ's teachings that ourgenera-
/ tiOn has known. lt is a false Christianity
1 that demands that the gates of the fair
shall be closed on Sunday. The closing Of
the fair on Sunday is a sin against the
7 iihllNAAN Glhoctoa anu al AhlL AEdiucl hi
/ people Of slender incomes, for it will un-
/ necessarily increase the cost of attendance.
] To the wage earners IN and about Chicago
] it will mean the loss of a days wages be-
sides the expense of gate fees. To people
1 who come from other places it will mean
either more expense by one days cost Of
\ living, one days absence from business or
less attendance and consequently less good
from the fair.
Gambling dens and houses Of prostitu-
ton will give easy entrance to the ignorant,
innocent, curious and unwary, as well as
to ones who are determined to seek those
places. What is congress in league with
/ the saloon and the baWdy hOuse2 1t looks
4 that way when it is known that every sa-
/ loon-keeper in Chicago favors the Sunday
closing Of the fair. Sunday closing means
less money for tlIe fair and vastly more for
the saloon. 1t also means that thousands
Of young and innocent people will be drawn
into the saloon, the beer garden and worse
places, for all the seductiOns possible will
be brought to bear upon them and being
strangers in astrange city, they will fall
[ an easy prey. The same reason which
keeps open the museums and art galleries
in Philadelphia, Boston and New York
holds good in regard to the opening of the
worlds fair on Sunday. Indeed it would
be crime in the name Of decency, morality
and humanity for the fair to be closed on
Sunday.
But the closing Of the fair on Sundays
would mean that thousands Of visitors
would be left without adequate provision
for entertainment on Sundays. 1t may be
doubtful if they could all get into the
churches if they wanted to. Suppose they
could find room, where shall these thous-
ands of strangers spend the remainder of
the day2 it makes one shudder to think
of it. Where else will they go. where else
can they go but upon the streets The
gates of the great exposition will be closed,
I knaN rrfN1 rfala 4 anI
citizen of Olympia who in the light of the
facts and arguments here presented be-
lieYes that the gates shall not he closed on
Sunday is urged to sign a petition to con-
gress to that effect. A COPY Of the petition
may be found at the Capital National
bank, in this city.
NAPOLEON HoAGLAED.
October 10