Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-01
SUNDAY AT THE WORLDS FAIR.
The Action of Congress Was n Snap
Judgment and IL should BE Reverse d.
Napp Vnrk Eyanino tnot

The Action of Congress Was Snap
Judgment and IL Should BE Reversed.
| New York Evening Post.
The decision of Congress at the last
session that the Worlds Fair at Chicago
next year must be closed on Sunday is
now seen to have been a snap Judgment.
| The Sabatarian fanatics We're the only
people in the country who took much
interest in the matter They saw the
opportunity to make an effective show
ing, and improved it. Their chief re-
lance was the petition, which they
worked for all ii was worth" Play
ing upon the readiness of the average
American to sign his name to any sort of
document in order to oblige u friend,
and utilizing the machinery of churches
and other organizations, they succeeded
in getting together great number Of
signatures to petitions for Sunday clos
ing. Meanwhile there was no organiza-
ton on the other side, and nobody made
it his business to collect and present the
| contrary opinions of the host of people
who wish to have the fair opened.
When the question came before Con-
gress, therefore, it seemed as though
popular sentiment was overwhelmingly
in favor Of Sunday closing Shrewd
politicians, in both Senate and House,
strengthened this impression by seiZing
so pat an opportunity for "paudering a
| little to the moral sentiment of the com
munity." The leader in this sort of
tactics wasi" Matt Quay, whose term in
the Senate was approaching its close,
and who saw here good chance to
"make himself solid" with clcrgymen
and church members who were disposed
to question his claims to n reelection.
| True to his instincts as boss, he utilized
| the familiar methods of the wire-puller
and pipe-layer in his new role as "the
defender of the Christian Sabbath. :"
This delightful exposure of the lodges
which he employed in the campaign was
made at the time by the Chicago Id
otacc, an organ of the congregational
denomination:
Senator Quay believes in securing the
| moral influence of ones associates to
bolster up ones principles He sent mes
sages to his political supporters telling
them to telegraph him to stand firm ON
the Sunday-closing question. Tho plan
succeeded admirably. His instructions
were literally obcyed. One telegram read,
you to stand firm" But why did the
senators smile?
Thus it happened that Congress was
inveigled into a decision against Sun
day opening before the country really
appreciated that there was any danger
of such Il verdict. But no sooner was
the result announced than arguments
on the other side began to be made, and
the respectful attention which they
secured soon showed that the country
would Insist upon reopening of the
question. Even while the Presidential
campaign was at its height, such papers
as that of Bishop Potter in favor of Il
rational system of Sunday opening
commanded hearing, and since cleo
ton the newspapers are everywhere
| giving more and more space to the dis
cussion.
The tone Of the press shows that the
trend of intelligent public sentiment is
now strongly in favor of Sunday OPEN
ing Representative newspapers in Yari-
Gus states which are always cOnserva-
tive on such qucstions--lille the Des
MOincs State Register in Iowa and the
Topeka CdpitaS in kansas---are out
spoken and earnest on that side News
papers like these do not take a pro-
uounced position on such question
without full consideration. They are
published in states whence come many
petitions in favor of Sunday closing,
and they are not likely to take ground
on the other side unless they believe
that the people upon reflection will also
be on that side. The Iowa and Kansas
newspapers just mentioned are not ex-
ceptional in this respect. In all of the
states there are journals Of the highest
standing and greatest weight which take
the same position.
Even more significant of the drift of
public sentiment is an editorial article
Just published by the Kennebec journal
OF Augusta, Me-, atypical New England
newspaper The Journal begins by re-
calling the fact that when the question
was hrst broached, it took strong ground
IN favor OF Sunday closing, believing
mat there could be no just objections to
TINS course; but it frankly confesses that
subsequent considerations have some
what moderated our views upon this
matter" II comedies that the advocates
OF Sunday opening have forcible reasons
Tor urging their views, reasons
which, If not accepted us sufficient
| ground for the course they sustain, are at
least entitled to respectful hearing and
candid consideration. The journal
| goes over these reasons, with which our
readers are entirely familiar as that the
| most Jealous advocates of Sunday clos
ing are the salooh-keepers and dive
Keepers, who expect to reap golden
harvest II the gates are closed; that the
army of workingmen and women with.
in II few hours reach Of the grounds
ought not to be denied the opportunity
to enjoy their weekly holiday in so
educating and elevating place, and
so on. While granting that the advo.
| Gates of Sunday closing are actuated by
| good motives, the JoUrRdG thinks that at
Is worth while to ask, in all seriousness,
whether or not the end they seek can be
best attained by the course Of action
they SO earnestly and consciuntiously
advocate, and prOnounCes ii "uscless to
! deny that there has been revulsion Of
| feeling upon this matter since its first
crystalIzed into public purpose" Its
| own conclusion Is in favor of the plan
advocated by the management of throw
ing the Exposition open for inspection
on Sunday, but suspending tho opera
ton of the machinery.
This change of base is significant and
important, not because tile Kcnnebec
| J0HrnM is y newspaper which com
mands national hearing, but because
II is so good type Of host Of news
papers which mould the public senti-
ment of Congressional districts through
out the country, and thus furnish
| Representatives and Senators with the
local support which they always want