Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 January 1893 — FAVOR CLOSED GATES. [ARTICLE]

FAVOR CLOSED GATES.

World’s Fair Committee Hear Arguments of Sabbatarians at Washington. Fourteen men and one woman addressed the House World’s Fair Committee in opposition to the pending joint resolution authorizing Sunday opening of the Exposition. About fifty spectators and three members of the Durborow committee were present at the opening, but before the close three more committeemen dropped in and got the benefit of a few speeches. Col. Shepard led off in a ten minutes’ address, in which he claimed that the opponents of Sunday closing represent the Christian sentiment of the whole United States; that the Secretary of the World’s Fair Commission has certified that there are on file petitions signed by more than 25, - 000,000 citizens asking for the preservation of the Sabbath by Sunday closing. The Rev. Dr. Ramsdell said he wanted the Exposition to be a grand success and every dollar paid back to those who have advanced it. The managers should respeot the prejudices of religious people, else they would be in conscience bound to refrain from giving their patronage to the Exposition. He made a calculation of the number of preachers In the United States, the officers of the churches, and the members of their families who would not go to Chicago if the Fair is kept open Sundays, and comparing this aggregate loss with the estimated revenue of twenty-six Sundays figured out a very large net loss. Besides, he predioted that the $900,000 asked for medals will not be appropriated. Joseph Cook, of Boston, considered it dishonorable to ask for Sunday opening after having accepted the $2,500,000 on condition of closing the Fair. He thought thieves, thugs, gamblers, and all kinds of undesirable people would flock to Chicago, and certain parts of the city would be overrun by them. He also gave the World’s Fair managers a sharp rap for violating the trust reposed In them in respect to the sale of liquors. The Rev. Dr. Mott, of New Jersey, pleaded for preservation of the good name of this Christian nation by observance of the Sabbath, and incidentally criticised the directory for granting catchpenny concessions. Dr. Coffin, of lowa. ex-Railroad Commissioner, spoke as the representative of the farmers of that State and the railroad trainmen of the whole country. Dr. Crafts, of Pittsburg, Pa., said there were no petitions from liquor dealers except one favoring Sunday opening. He expressed surprise that the Mayor and Council of Chicago should ask Congress to help them violate the State laws against amusements on Sunday. He read to the committee letters from Bishop Potter, of New York, and Cardinal Gibbons, of Baltimore.