St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-27
BOLTING THE GATES.
A Distasteful Proposition Is That
To Shut Up the Fair
Sundays.
w. f. Phelps Analyses the Rea-
sons for and Against the
Move.

L
In your editorial Worlds Fair Sun
day." you are right in saying that "the
proposition to close the gates of the
worlds fair on Sunday is inimical to
the cause of education and enlighten-
ment, and therefore 10 the cause OF
Christianity ITSELF" and ian outrage OH
morality and Christianity" 1t was also
I an outrage upon the good sense of the
American people. 1t was a virtual re-
pudiation Of the principle upon which
this government is buIlded: repudla
ton of the principles set forth in the
first amendment to the constitution it.
self.
That amendment reads: Congress
shall make no law respecting the estab-
lishmeht of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof" This, accord
ing to Judge Story, one of the most able
of Judges, was not alone designed to
prevent an establishment of a state re-
ligion or state church. but was to pre-
vent congress from in any way leglSlat-
ing upon the subject or religion.
The right of private Judgment in mat
tiers of conscience in this country has
been the boast of the nation. But let
congress continue in the course already
begun, of listening to the demands in
cited by the 'fanatical spirit OF colo
NAL, WITHDRAWING times" and these
rights will soon be disregarded entirely.
The senate report of 1S29isaid: "EX-
tenSlve religious combinations to effect
political object are always
dangerous. All religious des-
potism commences by combination and
influence, and when that influence be-
frin ffNA q
tutions Of a country the civil power
soon bends underit, and the catastrophy
of other nations furnishes an awful
warning of the consequences"
The people of the United States have
witnessed the growth of religio-pOlitical
organizations, and have heard them pre-
sent their demands at the doors of COLI
gress. They have heard their insOlent
demands, under a threat of political
boycott. Some have demonstrated
against these demands. warning con-
gress to have nothing to do with the
wicked thing. We have watched the
effect of the influence of this extensive
religious combinations" and we have
seen the civil powers bend, and at last
grant the request for closed gates to the
worlds fair on Sunday.
Will the catastrophe of other ma
people OF today? Had it been the men
of 1929, the Twentieth congress. who
had had this question to deal with, they
would have made answer as they did:
"Be it kept in mind that the proper OBJ
ject of government is to protect all per-
sons in the enjoyment of their religious
as we'll as their civil rights. and not TO
determine for any whether they shall
esteem one day above another, or esteem
all days alike holy" Instead of this, we
have heard these men say: ut would
not be wise craftsmanship" to refuse
these demands. And they did put to
themselves the question. "How many of
us will get back here again il we refuse
the demands of the churches ?" Thus
for the sake of getting "back" again,
they have consented to take the first
step in the union of the civil and the
ecclesiastical power, which has, in past
time, made it possible to torture men
and women in the name of religion-a
union of church and state, the blithing
scOurge of the ages past. Do the mill
ions of the people of this nation desire
to see a repetition of like horrors in
this boosted land OF liberty? And will
they tamely set by and allow their own
hands to be bound. and their liberties
wrested from them? Then let them
speak. 1t might have been well if
congressman had asked, ''How many of
us will get back if we do grant the de-
mands of the churches?" Mr.. Bryan,
one of the Chicago worlds fair direct
ors, puts it thus:
From harsh DEGREES there may come recoil,
This CRY goes up from he ranks of toll,
Let congress guard its next debates.
Well bolt the men who bolt the gates.'
N E PHELPS