THE JAMESTOWN TERCENTENNIAL EXPOSITION.
By K. C. Russell
TWO bills have recently been introduced into Congress, one in the House and the other in the Senate, which provide for a large appropriation that may aggregate two million dollars for the Jamestown, Virginia, Tercentennial Exposition to be held in the year 1907. The particular feature in this bill against which every liberty-loving citizen should enter a most earnest protest, is embodied in Section 13, which reads as follows: That as a condition precedent to the payment of the appropriation herein provided for, the Jamestown Exposition Company shall contract to close the exhibits and places of amusement to visitors on Sundays. In the words of this section there is couched the wicked principle that is characteristic of all religious legislation. It should be remembered that we are not opposing the closing of the Exposition on Sundays; that is, we believe that the Commissioners have a perfect right to close it or not as they may choose. What we protest against is the interference of Congress in the affair; for in so doing she is legislating with respect to a religious institution, which is in flagrant contradiction to the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Congress has no more right to make appropriation to the commissioners of the proposed Exposition on condition that it shall be closed on Sundays, than it has to make an appropriation to any other religious institution. The Roman Catholics would have just as good a right to demand an appropriation on condition that they observe Good Friday, Easter, or any other holiday. Every public function possible, whether municipal, state, or national, is seized upon the promoters of religious legislation, with the hope of adding force and prestige to their unrighteous cause. All should be able to hoist the signal of danger when the enemies of liberty attempt their attacks against the original American ideas of civil government and religion which were first enunciated by Christ and incorporated into the Constitution of this government, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." K. C. RUSSELL.