St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-29
MAY OPEN SUNDAY.
The Majority of the Worlds Fair
National Commission That
Way OF Thinking.
Mrs. Potter Palmer Will Drive
the Golden Nail inthe Woman's
Building Today.

CHICAGO, April 2S.-The Sunday
| opening question was vigorously dis
cussed this afternoon by the committee
| on judiciary for The worlds fair ma
| tional commission. Their decision will
not be made until next Tuesday. The
| advocates of Sunday opening are appar-
| emily in majority of the committee,
| but there is an exceedingly strong oppO-
| sition, headed by Commissioner Massey,
| of Delaware, which is confident of
maintaining the status quo, taking the
stand that congress has settled the
whole matter, and they do not wish the
commission TO go on record as opposing
the body which created it. On the other
hand, Commissioner st. Clair, OF West
Virginia, is making a strong effort to
have the Judiciary committee report
favorably on Sunday opening, and, it is
claimed, with some prospect of success.
1t is announced tonight that Mrs.
Potter Palmer Will drive golden nail
into the Woman's building at the
worlds fair tomorrow afternoon to
signify the completion of the building.
In presiding at the meetings of the
board of lady managers Mrs. Palmer
has become expert with the gavel, and
her friends think that the handsome
lady president will be able to hit the
nail Oh the head and drive it into the
arch of the assembly room with exactly
three well-dnected blows of the ham,
mer. The exercises will be simple.
Mrs. Eliza Richards, of Montana,
will deliver the precious nail in
its silver casket. and also a gold
and silver hammer. and Mrs. Palmer
will thereupon proceed with her own
fair hands to finish the Woman's build
ing herself. As matter of fact. the
golden nail will be Immediately with
drawn and returned to its place in the
breastpin of which it forms part, and
the pin will then be presented to Mrs.
Palmer.
There arrived at Director General Da-
vis' office this morning, by express, the
button which President Cleveland will
touch on Monday to start the machinery
of the exposition. 1t is in the shape Of
a modern telegraph key, and is of solid
gold, with an ivory button on the ham
die. 1t sits on pyramid of blue and
gold plush twelve inches high. The
colorS represent those of the American
and Spanish nations. On the base of
the pyramid are the figures 1492-1S93, in
silver.
No piano, unless made by firm MAX
ing an exhibition at the worlds fair,
will be allowed in any of the public
buildings on the grounds. The national
commissioner so decided today. The
commissioner also issued an order
requiring Director General Davis to
cause to be removed all pianos
now in any of the buildings which are
made by noE-eXhibitorS. This is the
outcome of the trouble between the
piano exhibitors and Director of Music
Thomas and Paderewski, who have
been insisting upon using a piano
made by a firm that refused TO take
part III the fair. The committee
appointed by the national commission
request to Mr.. Thomas to appear before
it and give his side of the case today.
He did not appear nor make and
reply and the committee was at
a loss to understand his action until
committee from the local di-
rectory appeared as his representative.
This committee argued that Thomas
had right to use any piano he desired.
The piano committee then called in the
piano exhibitors and heard both sides
together, and made its report to the
national commissioners. 1t recon-
mended that the commission order all
pianos for use in concert or musical eX-
positions during the fair, not manufact-
ured by an exhibitor or pianos for
award, be Immediately removed
from the grounds, and that the
further introduction of such
pianos be iuterdlcted and the director
general be required to execute the pro-
visions and conditions of the report.
What Theodore Thomas and Paderew-
ski will do now that the commission has
forbidden the use of pianos by nou
exhibitors remains to be seen. 1t is
claimed by some of their friends that
they will withdraw from the fair and
take no further part in it.