Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-06-12
10 CLOSE OR NOR 10 CLOSE.


Perhaps II would have been ne we'll
II the arrangement between tho
United States aud tho state Of Illinois
had beon more explicit and a little
better understood all around. The
spectacle which IL now presented to
the people Of the world Of the two
sovereignties being at lcggerheads over
a matter which 10 many seems 10 adj
init OF no controversy, and 10 others
appears too trlfing to Justify squabble
Of any kind, ia decidedly humilialing
TO tho patriotic mind and not In the
least edifying to anybody.
The question at issue IL whether the
government or tho state IL paramount
In IL control Of the Worlds Exposi-
ton. The former has docrood that the
gates and all places within the gates
SHALL be closed on Sunday, while the
latter, holding the home control to be
the direct aud therefore superior one,
insists on the Sabbath day being only
an imaginary designation Of time aud
like all other days to be
considered but Ms a convenient
aid to checking up business. The
state authorities have therefore mp
pealed from tho order OF the circuit
court closing the Fair.
Tho act OF Congress bringing the
show into existence aud furnishing
the wherewith 10 set II In motion
ought, II seems TO us, TO settle the
matter. The government became
thereby the author aud custodian Of
the enterprise, not Of course TO the
exclusion OF the local authorities but
Jointly with them and entitled to pre-.
vail In all disputed matters. AZ least
one Of the directors who favored Sun
day opening was shrewd enough TO sec
this point aud admit It's force, for he
proposed 10 refund 10 the government
the money II had advanced TO start the
enterprise, In order that tho state
might properly assume complete con.
troll and open and close whenever IL
saw fiL II would seem that some
such course was a prerequisite to GUST
ing the Federal authority, and II IL not
certain that even then the end sought
could be accomplished.
May things plausible and seem.
ingly proper have been urged In behalf
Of the Sunday opening, but It Is plain
TO be seen that the other side have
made out very strong case. Laying
aside the question that appeals most
strongly TO the Christian mind In this
Christian land, that looks upon all
forms Of systematic diversion on the
Sabbath day Rs dissertation TO some
extent, and viewing the whole matter
as Equestion Of law pure and simple, It
still bears the appearance Of u strong
case tor the closers. Tho governments
control Ia co.nRtal with the enterprise
itself and the desire Of certain stock
holders in the corporation as agSins;
that Of the controlling power can
amount, II would seem, TO no more
than Intellectual opposition unless they
can either buy 1t out or buy II Of
neither plan seeming altogether prac.
ticable lust now. II IL urged, and
not without reason, that to shut of
labor by letting the machinery rest
and permit the people to pass through
and view the works aud grounds
cannot be essentially harmful at any
time, and 1t may be that some such
compromise plan viii be adopted; Ger.
tainly the gates were open yesterday,
and whether they will be hereafter OF
not We expect to know some time thi,
week.