Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-02-23
NO FAIR GATES AJAR
Defeat of the Columbian Expo
sition Sunday Opening
Bill.
The ClOsers Have Wm-The
HOuk Bill Will BE
rope
DurborrOW'S Committee vii, Not
Report the Measure
Ended.

opening fight is over and the Sunday
closers have won. The final struggle
took place this morning in the Dur
borrow committee room, whittier the
mem bers had been called by the chair
man to discuss the Houk compromise
bill. Mr.. Durborow had intended to hold
the meeting tomorrow, but having
secured assurance from the Sunday
opening members of his committee to
be present to-day he called the meeting
for to-day. There were present Messrs.
Durborow, Dingley, bolivar, Reilly,
McCreary and Lagan, all of whom, save
Durborow and Lagan, are strong Sun
day closers. The rest of the commit
tee, all openers but one-Robinson-
lost their nerve at the last moment, and
fearing to run the risk of angering their
Sunday closing constituents, they
staid away. Even Houk, who intro
duced the bill, was not present. The
outlook was gloomy, but Mr.. Durbo-
row took the bull by the horns and did
his best. He presented the Houk bill,
which provides for opening the Fair
after the Sunday noon hour, subject to
the laws of Illinois and such rules as
the Exposition authorities may
lay down. He expressed himself
strongly in favor of it and
showed that by not opening
till noon it met the objection that
it would, if it opened all day, keep the
people from church. He referred to
the thousands of petitions for Sunday
opening and declared that they fully
answered the statement that there was
no demand for Sunday opening. He
personally favored an all-day opening,
but he was willing to compromise on
half day and hoped that his col
leagues would be equally liberal with
their views
Gov. Dingley said he couldn't see any
special gain by adopting the HOuk
resolution. Closing the fair till noon
would do no good. People would spend
all the morning getting ready to go to
the Exposition in the afternoon. The
Sunday trains, to which ne was par
ticularly opposed, would be more
numerous than ever, as the people
would make special effort to get in
early He was not in favor of such a
traffic and he couldn't vote for the
Houk bill. The people of Maine OBJ
jected to his doing so.
Kentucky Favored Closing.
Governor McCreary, of Kentucky,
said that while he admitted that the
petitions for Sunday opening repre-
sented a great many people, his dis
trict was practically unanimous in
favor of Sunday closing. In conse-
quence of such a state Of things at
his home he couldn't consent to
vote for the Houk bill. And Repre-
sentative Dolliver, of Iowa, echoed
the sentiments of Dingley. He wished
Chicago and the exposition well.
He believed the Exposition would be
an immense success. He even thought
| it would be a greater success if closed
on Sunday than if opened. He couldn't
vote for the Houd bill. Representa-
tive Reilly from Pennsylvania also OBJ
jected to the idea of opening the gates
on Sunday and charging for admission.
He, too, and in fact all the members OF
the committee, had the best wishes of
the Fair at heart. But he did not see
how they could be furthered by open
ing the Fair on Sunday.
Representative Lagan from Louisi-
ana changed the drift of the speeches
by coming out heartily in favor of
opening the Fair on Sunday. He be-
| lieved that every reason existed for al
lowing the people to see the beauties
it contained and he saw no possible
harm in their doing so. But il the
Sunday closers objected to an all-day
opening he would agree to compro-
N Sc.
The fate of the Houk bill was sealed,
and realizing this Chairman Durborow
asked the Sunday closing committee
men if they would consent to bill
simpl, authorizing the opening of the
gates of the exposition, but keeping all
the buildings closed. The Sunday
closers shook their heads. They wanted
everything shut up. They wouldn't
consent to the people even walking
about the grounds, and, greatly dis
heartened, Mr.. Durborow adjourned
the meeting.
That settles it, he said afterward
to your correspondent. sit settles it
at least so far as my committee is con
cerned. Out of kindness the opposers
agreed not to make an unfavorable re.
port, so that there will be no report al
all I deeply regret it, but there was
no help for it. We have done every.
thing that lay in our power. Every
possible influence that could be brought
to bear was secured and used. But the
Sunday closers secured their repre-
sentatives. The committeeman who
oppose the opening were not actuateo
by any feeling of dislike for Chicago
They are all friendly to Chicago, but
they seem to look upon Sunday open
ing as being of more benefit to Chicago
than to the Exposition, and while, as
l have said, they do not dislike Chi
cago, they like themselves more, and
fearing to brave the resentment o.
their Sunday closing constituents, they
refused to give US what we wanted
If there is anythir" more to > @rn
perfectly willing to put my shoulder
to the wheel and push with all my
strength