Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-05-26
THE WORLDS FAIR.
To be Opened on Sunday by Major
ity Vote of the Commission.

When the Devil was sick, the Devil
Saint would be, when the Devil got
well, the Devil Saint was he. So
also with the Sunday opening of the
Worlds Fair When the national
commission saw no hope of raising
money for the great project, its men,
bers hesltated not to apply to the
Congress of the United States for
greatly needed funds, and while the
nations mint was busily engaged in
affixing the effigy of this Government
to the five millions of silver, half dol
lar coins, the obedient lips of said
commissioners were continually utter
ing promises of obedience to the
sweet will of SO wise, thoughtful and
generous a Government. At that
particular time, be it observed, the
Worlds Fair Devil, was a very sick
Devil indeed. The great and costly
exhibition halls were all yet to be
built, and thousand and one things,
all more or less expensive, were in
complete. Hence the disease of
downright impecuniosity held full
sway, and when Congress said, your
majesty (Satanic) must close the
gates of your fair on each Sabbath
day, in accordance with spirit Of this
age of enlightened christianity,
Mephistophiles answered and said,
the gates shall, as you command, be
hermetically closed, the grounds shall
be cleared, the buildings remain as
dumb as an Arkansas oyster, ON each
and every Sunday of the fair, and
not all Of the shekls combined which
eager pilgrims of the land may offer
for peep into the forbidden grounds.
But now q change has come over, not
the spirit of the age, but the body of
the Devil, and the once unfinished ex-
position halls are now complete. The
money coined at the nations mint
has been transferred into capacious
pockets, and the Worlds Fair is now
complete and consequently indepen-
dent creation. No sensible, well in
formed man will therefore be surpris-
ed to learn that the Sunday opening
has easily carried day and that thirty
members Of the National Com
mission have placed themselves
on record as voting therefor.
Twenty-seYen commissioners voted
to substitute the minority of Sunday
opening report of the Judiciary COM
mittee for the majority report which
favored closing. The question then
came up on the modification of the
directors rule with the same vote.
Acting chairman, Commissioner d. L.
Young, then announced the rule
would not be modified by tho COM
mission.
In the debate that preceded the
votes Chairman Massey of the iudicia-
ry committee, who formulated the ma
jorlty report, led the Sunday closing
advocates, and was seconded by Com
missioners Hundle and Turley. The
minority report found advocates in
Commissioners st. Clair and Burton.
After Commissioner st. Clair conclud-
ed his speech in favor of the minority
report Commissioner. Elbock called
up the motion that the minority re-
port be substituted for the majority.
1t was the first test vote, and everN
Commissioner present was recorded.
Commissioners Massey and Allen,
New York, who were compelled to
leave, were given unanimous consent
to go on record against Sunday open
ing on every vote taken In theirs alb
sence. The vote was so to ~ in favor
of adopting the minority report.
immediately after this Commission
er Massey arose and rendered his re-
signation as amember Of the judiciary
committee. In giving the reason for
his resignation Mr.. Massey said the
commission had not adopted . single
majority report Of any Importance
submitted TO it by the committee
since he had been a member. The
only local conclusion was the commits
sion lacked confidence in the integrity
and ability Of the committee. AS
chairman Of the committee he felt
bound to resign. lie had considered
the matter carefully and ne amount of
persuasion could induce him to con-
tinue as a member Of the committee.
Attorney-General Qlney is known
to be in favor of enforcing congress-
Sunday closing law, aud II Is said he
will instruct Attorney Mllchrist 10
apply for an injunction,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.