St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-31
WHOSE OK IS GORED?
The Liberal Animal Thinks It
Is Getting 1t a Little
Too Hard
40 j. - ., q
In the Mattar Of Sentim ent
for Closing the Fair on ].
Sunday. j
~ Tg
A Picture Of What Chicago
Would Be With the Gates al
Closed. ~ Il;
Some Suggestions for Those
Who Took Part in the
Late Meeting. n

partial list published of those present,
that the audience included many to
whom the interior of the Peoples
church must have presented a strange
and unaccustomed appearance.
l have read with interest the remarks
of the various speakers. The sentiments
OF two of them, at least, must have
sounded strange enough to those of the
regular attendants Of the church who
were present, so utterly were they at
variance with the ideas of the moderate
liberal element of the community from
whom the church derives its support.
The addresses of Bishop Gilbert and
Judge Kelly contained SO much which,
from long continued reiteration. has
gained the currency of truth among the
unreflecting, and which is yet essentially
so erroneous and incapable of proof that
they furnish their own reIutatlOn. and
may be dismissed without further con-
SlderatiOn. In fact, Dr. Smith, in his
opening remarks, took pains to signify
his dissent from the obsolete views of
the preceding speakers on Sunday OBJ
Servance as being OF divine origin and
deriving authority from the law of God,
as set forth in the Scriptures. AS DR..
Smith is thinker and scholar, he
could not well, consistently with his
mental makeup and deserved reputa-
ton, give in his adherence to views
which ignorantly confOund the Sabbath
of Moses with the "Sun-day" OF Con-
Stantine. 1t is, therefore, to the argu-
mentS of DR.. Smith that wish to adj
dress a few words or criticism, without
making any pretenSe of covering the
subject exclusively.
His Introduction, in which he eX-
presses his Solicitude for his fellow man,
and portrays the uplifting of the com
mon people to plane where "hiS brow
may be Kissed by his Heavenly Fathers
glory" is eloquently expressed and ell
tirely cOmmendable; In fact, does credit
both to
His Head and His Heart,
and to his reputation as an original and
entertaining speaker. The fact that
little children have attained to s'the
sweetness, light and knowledge" for
which they have been crying will be
generally recognized as indicating a
much improved condition of affairs,
while his firmly expressed belief that
"these reforms will 90 forward and not,
backward until radiant and self-c0n-
trolled Democracy shall be master of
conquered world" is in every way
cheering and consoling, and calculated
to arouse the enthusiasm even of those
who are slightly hazy in their notions
as to what constitutes radiant dem
Ocracy." l'' o.
Assent may be cheerfully given to the
argument which seeks to demonstrate
that the chief factor, in, all this progress,
uplifting and enlightenment, has been
the observance of "Sunday rest day
which has for ages secured to the slave
as we'll as the master leisure if not lux
ury," and should be among the last to
deny that ''tne story or these Sundays
genius of history" The smile is we'll
conceived and ably handled, and is cal
culated to make the genius of history
think we'll of himself. In fact, do not
take exception to any portion of DR..
Smiths argument. as an argument,
either in its premises or its conclusions;
but simply wish to draw attention to the
fact that, like 1.-THE flowers that bloom
in the spring, 1t has nothing to do with
the case"
DIR. Smith entirely overlooks the fact
that none Of the supporters OF the Sun
day opening OF the fair have proposed
or contemplated the passage of law
enforcing compulsory attendance at the
exposition Sundays on the part of the
haraSsed wOrkingman. The latter is
entirely at liberty, should it so please
him, to remain in the virtuOuS SecluSion
of his home and suck his thumbs, with
out moleStationfrom the ungodly hordes
who are Subjecting themselves at the
exposition to the depraving influences
contained in the manifold treasures of
art and science and the various evil
dences of the God-directed mental.
moral and material development of man
kind. Or, Oh the other hand, the work
ingman may amuse himself by resorting
to picnic at a beer park, to the race
track, the saloon, the gambling table or
the brothel; as. he has been not intre-
quently known to do. The exposition
management
Will Not Interfere
with his liberty in these respects, and
the opening of their gates does not COM
pei him to enter, but leaves him as
entirely free to go to the devil Tor to
church, as the Sunday closing people
could desire.
1t Is surprising to find man of DR..
Smiths well-knoWn breadth of view in
IDdllGlS Vi l1S IlIIIlSClI
upon the side of those who seek, by a
law of more than doubtful constitution
atty, to compel the submission of a
majority Of their fellow citizens to their
own narrow views of cOnduct. 1t is
more than probable that a majority of
those who actively participated in Sat
urday nights meeting would favor the
passage of a law compelling people to at
tend church, if they thought it would be
capable of enforcement; but DR.. Smith
would certainly not sympathlZe with
the passage or purpose Of such amen
actment; and yet we find him giving
his support to measure which lis
equally in violation of the individual
liberty of his fellow citizens. One would
expect to find him, at the least, favOring
the eXtention to those with whom he.
does not agree as to the policy of attend.
ing the exposition on Sundays, the same
liberty OF action which they extend
to him. Should they in their turn
through congressional enactment, COM
pei him to close his church on Sundays
and graciously accord him in place Of
the usual services permission to attend
the exposition if he were well inclined,
or resort of vice if he felt evilly dis
posed, am of the opinion that the COM
munity would be favored by a soulfuli
and well-sustained howl from the rev.
erend doctor, and that he would meet
with
Very General Sympathy.
And yet such a law would be an ex-
act parallel of the one TO which he is
now giving his support. 1t makes a
great difference whose OK is gored, and
the liberal OK has been gored so con-
sistently and so long that, should that
meek animal retaliate upon his perse-
cutors, the unprecedented act would
probably arouse aStonlShment amo unit
ing to horror in the orthodox camp.
Dr. Smith knows, what the noble
army of fanatics has yet to learn, that
civilization and law represent simply
series of compromises between the ideal
and the utterly bad. The compromise
represents the practical and, generally
speaking, the best attainable solution of
affairs. AS rule, the decent element
IN a community is in majority, and
could hold in check the efforts of the
evil disposed were not the latter fire.