The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-15

IuIUIsAouI buu SouAtFy tSS"'Nlnk NHS
question OF opening the Worlds Fair
gates on Sunday, During the agitation
OF the subject a large majority OF the
newspapers of the country, among
them the INTRLLfGEEcRR, favored Sun
day opening for one reason or another,
They were OF tho opinion that Sunday
opening was desired by the laborlng
people in aud around Chicago because
Sunday was the only day in the week
on which they could afford to visit tho
fair. 1t was also argued, when the NOR
al phase was discussed, that open gates
at the fair would afford the thousands
OF visitors in Chicago a place to spend
their Sundays where they would bc
surrounded by a moral atmosphere, in
stead OF forcing them to spend their
time among the questionable amuse-
ment resorts Of the city. The Worlds
Fair managers also urged that Sunday
opening was necessary to the financial
success OF the fair,
There has been q great change. The
Chicago papers that clammored for Sun
day opening are now demanding closed
gates; the laboring classes for whose
benefit they were opened refuse to pat
ronize the exposition on Sunday be:
cause they say that with this day spent
in viewing the wonders Of the big show
they are too tired to work on Monday;
tho managers find the on Sun.
day scarcely payexpenses; and in short,
everybody, satisfied that the expert.
ment has proved q failure, is now will
ing to see the gates closed on the
Sabbath, and they will accordingly be
closed without a protest
With one or two exceptions, the Chi
cago papers frankly acknowledge the
failure OF Sunday opening, These OK.
captions, as u last resort, argue that the
slim attendance on Sunday is duo to
the fact that the people will not pay the
full admission fee to sec half the show,
many of the exhibits being closed on
that day, and advocate Sunday opening
still, with the admission reduced one
half. The suggestion is answered by
tho statement that the Worlds Fair
directory, to make itself whole against
the loss OF the congressional appropria-
ton they must forfeit If they keep open
on Sunday, must take in S00,000 every
Sunday. To do this at half price would
require an attendance OF 100000 people
each Sunday. This Statement, of course.
kills that suggestion,
But there have been other remarkable
developments since tho Sunday open
ing policy was adopted. One is that
the Chicago people themselves, who
were the most industrious in securing
open gates, have failed to avail them.
selves OF the privileges. Another, and
one which was least expected, is that
the foreign exhibitors have been among
the first to recognize tho mistake and to
advocate closed gates. They and their
employees, they say, have studied
American customs since they arrived in
this country aud have como to the con.
clusion that the American Sunday is q
human necessity-that, outside OF the
moral and religious consideration, it is
good business policy to have one day Of
rest and recreation out Of seven. There
are several thousand Of them on
the grounds, and they would be Obliged
to work every day Of the ak months OF
the fair Ii the gates are opened on
Sunday.
One firm OF Turks, in Midway Plais-
ance, Expresses the continents Of many
other foreigners by writing as follows
to the Inter. Ocean. The Language is
quaint but oxpressivet
We don't ourselves take now this question
from u religious part US we take II from the
point o fhunian necessity.
know that the law Of America tn regard to
Sunday closing Is right, because there arc SO
many foreign wOrkmen and exhibitors III both
] Midway p~lRlsaucO aud Jackson park who arc
daily mutIluring lnd grooming uuder tho heavy
burdenot working seven days without u day Of
rest, and now even they IN themselves gt0Rn
| within thGmsety Os waiting for the adoption, to
wit. the redemption OF their bodies from tho
| hardy work Otseven days aud cry from tho deep.
est rcccsscs OF their hearts to have d dayo rcst,
Experience is u good teacher. The
lesson Of Sunday opening will not DO
forgotten, Tho Worlds Fair Is too big
on institution to run seven days in tho
week, II soems, although We all thought
II wal not. 1t needs u day Of rest,
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