The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-01-25
The House Committee Holds Another
Session to Discuss the
Matter.
Apparently Little Prospect Tha
Worlds Fair People VIII Get What
They are After,
Though II Is Possible That Partial
Opening May be Recommended by
the Committee.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-The house
committee on the worlds Columbian
exposition wrestled for two hours with
the Sunday opening proposition, and
when it adjourned to attend the meet
ing of the house neither the Sunday
openers or the Sunday closers had Sc
cured decided advantage The result
of the meeting, however, was not salts
factory to Chairman Durborrow, nor
was it very promising of success in his
efforts to have congress rescind its act
in closing the gates ON Sundays. The
disposition of the members of the COM
mittee was to leave the subject alone
and not to
Stir UP Further Agitation
of religious bodies by bring any recon-
mendation to congress. The adjourn
ment of the committee for week at
this stage of the session when time Is
precious, and over the protest of Chair
man Dnrborrow, who wanted to hold
another session at once was indicative
of this feeling on the part of the mem
bers of the committee. A letter read
by Representative Houk, of Ohio, who
has all along been one of the most en-
thusiastic supporters of the fair and is
even now in favor of partial opening
Sunday afternoon, to President Higgin-
botham, in which he suggested that the
agitation against Sunday opening on
the part of religious bodies might in
juriously affect the receipts, with the
intimation that perhaps it would be
better to withdraw the Sunday opening
proposition, was also in the same line.
Discursive Discussion.
The discussion in the committee was
discursive to considerable degree, and
frequently was not directed with defin-
iteness to the proposition as it was em-
bodied in the resolution before the COM
mittee, members offering suggestions as
to the manner in which it might be
possible to have Sunday opening insome
modified form, which would be less OBJ
noxious to religious sentiment. Rep
preventative Houk, of Ohio, was one of
these members, who favored partial
Sunday opening. His idea in a general
way was that the gates should be
opened on Sunday afternoon, but that
the public should be admitted only to
the art galleries and to other kindred
exhibits. He also favored the proposed
religious hall in which all denomina-
tions should hold devotional exercises.
There was
More support to This View
of modified Sunday opening than to
the kind of opening proposed by the
fair managers. Mr.. Houk's plan also
involved sacred music and strict re-
quirement that employees should not
work more than six days in the week.
Much of the time he occupied during
the session was taken up by reading the
long letter heretofore referred to, ad-
dressed to President Higginbotham.
This letter was largely in the nature of
suggestions, and asked whether or not,
in view of the opposition shown by re-
ligious organizations, it might not be
that receipts would be diminished by
continued agitation, and if it might not
be well on the whole to withdraw the
proposition. A letter was read from
Fred Douglass, favoring Sunday open
ing. The discussion became rather
general.
The Vote viii BE Close.
There are eleven members of the COM
mittee and it was made evident that the
vote will be SO close as to require full
attendance to show which side has the
majority in the committee.
Chairman Durborrow endeavored to
yet vote on the matter, but the ma
jority was against him and did NOT
want one. He then suggested a session
at once, but it Immediately became evif.
pent that most of the members did not
want to act while the agitation was
still going on and an adjournment fo1
q week was carried without negstive
vote, save that of the chairman. 1t ii
possible, hut hardly more than possible,
that at late day there may be got out
of the committee, by bare majority, a
proposition favorable to partial Sunday
opening.