The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-24
SUNDAY LEGISLATION AND OPENING OF THE
PAIR


questions in regard to the worlds fair
and Sunday opening thereof, which we
will briefly answer.
The purpose of the fair, as stated In
the act of Congress providing for it, is
Ito celebrate the ur-hundredth ami
versary of the discovery of America by
Christopher Columbus by holding an
! international exhibition of arts, indus
tries, manufactures and the products of
the soil, mine and sea in the city of
Chicago, in the State of Illinois" The
preamble of the act provides that,
whereas the exhibition should be of
national and international character.
cit should therefore have the sanction
| of the Congress of the United States"
| The act created a national commission.
| to consist of two commissioners from
each State and Territory, to be ap-
| pointed by the President. and author
lied the commission to accept a site and
buildings for the fair "to be erected for
such purpose at the expense of and ten
! dered by the corporation organized
under the laws of the State of Illinois
known as The Worlds Exposition of
1927 In this act Congress did no
more than give its sanction to the fair,
the preparation of the grounds and
buildings being left entirely to
the Illinois corporation. The act
| provided that "the United States
shall not in any manner nor under any
| circumstances be liable for any of the
acts, doiDgs. proceedings or representa-
tions of the said corporation organized
under the laws of the State of Illinois,
| its officers. agents, servants or employees,
| or any of them" The whole tenor of
the act shows very clearly that it was
not the intention of Congress to assume
the control or become responsible for
the management of the fair. An appro-
| priation was made for the erection of a
government building, the preparation
| of a government exhibit and the pay
ment of the national commissioners, but
| further than that Congress expressly re-
pudiated all responsibility for the man.
| agement or the expenses of the fair.
| We think the act shows that the entire
fair, including the grounds and all the
buildings, except the government build
ing and exhibits, are under the control
of the Illinois corporation and the Chi
cago directors.
Mr.. Allen asks if the directors "can,
after accepting a conditional appropria-
ton from Congress, change the condi-
| fiopc m anti fhair nwp oxvaaf mill W.
answer no. Neither had Congress any
right to change the conditions, but it
did. The only pecuniary aid given by
| Congress to the fair was a gift of two
| and half millions of souvenir coins,
and that gift was made on condition that
the fair should be closed on Sum
| day. The local directors accepted
the Sunday closing obligation, and.
on the strength of CONGRESSES gift,
went ahead and made certain financial
arrangements. subsequently, Congress
! passed an act withholding $50, $50 of
the souvenir coin gift and declaring that
| it should not be paid over to the local
directors until they should give bond
for its return to the treasury on or be-
fore Oct. 1. 1898. As the Sunday closing
requirement was conditioned on the
| gift of two and half millions of souve-
mir coins, how can it be claimed that
the requirement was binding after Con-
gress called back large part of it's
gift? But the legal right of the local
directors to open the fair Sundays rests
I'll -
of contract by Congress. 1t rests on
the fact that the local directors have
entire control of the grounds and build
ings except the government buildings.
If every building in the grounds except
the government buildings were to be de-
stroyed by fire the loss would fall on
the local directors, and they are also
responsible for restoring the grounds to
their original condition and for the imam
cial outcome of the fair in every re-
spect.
Mr.. Allen asks if the Journal is GER
tain that Sunday opening would be a
blessing to the laboring people. We
are certain it would be source of HARM
| less recreation TO them, and that an
overwhelming majority of them earnest
ly desire it. The scriptural injunction
| to crest" on the Sabbath mot Sunday
does not necc ssarily imply going to
church. Walking through a picture
| gallery or a collection of the wonders of
nature and art is no more a violation of
the injunction to keep the Sabbath mot
Sunday holy than is walking through
the woods or fields.
Other questions asked by Mr.. Allen
show that he holds to the erroneous
view entertained by Sabbatarians gen.
orally, viz, that Sabbath legislation
rests on divine authority. This is
mistake. All such legislation has it's
foundation in the police power of gov
eminent by which it assumes the right
to prohibit what Is hurtful To the COM
fort, peace and welfare of the COM
munity. Sunday as a day of rest is a
civil, not religious. institution. I'm
der the constitutions of the States and
of the United States" says a writer on
| this subject, Sunday cannot be made a
religious day, Eor can the people be
compelled to observe il as such, but it is
competent for legislature TO prohibit
| Sba DarforroDca Of hna;uass IN 10 ~