New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-02
MOTLNG U1Y


Yesterday was sacred to the man that moves.
Sacred in the sense Of being Set apart for him. In
other senses he doubtless found it one Of the most
profane at least profanity-incitng, days in the
calendar. Over in England, under the effete mon
archical system, May Day is Obseryed-Or used TO
be-by dances around a Aowcr-bedeckcd pole and
similar frivolous exercises. Not so in or own
country, beneath the vigorous Democratic system.
May in the United States is not formally welcomed
by pretty young queens who furnish irresistible in
spIration FOR the poets. 1t is welcomed by people
with less nonsense about them. by the
noble army of carmen, carpet beaters,
whitewashers scrubbers, proprletors Of furniture
vans, and the like. 10 this army the first
of Nav marks the high tide the golden opportunity,
the ultima Hule Of the year No day 50 dear to
their hearts as May Day-and they charge accord
iugly
II Is believed that no student of the human race
ever succeeded in discovering why it is that so
many Americans invariably indulge IN moving
when May comes. Paradoxical as it may seem at
the first glance, there il ground for suspectng that
the man who moves docs not do so because be
wishes TO exchange homes, just as there is ground
for suspeciing. as the result of careful observa-
lions by an American novelist, that people
do not repair to a watering place for the
purpose Of drinking water. The chances are
that this annual May Day moving is merely
curious development of that spir' of unrest which
is a leading American Characteristic by the 10Th
OF this MONTH rs soon as tIey " get settled,
many persons who yesterday celebrated the advent
Of lovely Nay by transfer of th II hon e1Old gods
from one house to another will be tearing their
hair beating their breasts and sternly nquirng OF
their respective inmost souls" why didn't we
know enough to let well enough alone y For by
~ how Il al
the new house Is ahead of the old one on stationary
wash-tubs it is behind it on ranges; that, granting
the current dnng-rOOm to be vast
Improvement upon the one that was
Abandoned the fact remains that the current draw
ing-rOom cannot compare with the one that was left
behind seeing that its paper looks fearful upon
acquaintance and the cracks in its ceiling yawn
distressngy when the gas is lighted. As for the
gain that has accrued from an exchange Of neigh
borhoods the least said the better In the old one
was young man who learning the German
flute and ne indeed IS heard no more. But in the
new one there is a young Lady who owns a parlor
organ wherein, as sweet-tempeTed critic re-
marked Of another performer, she practises when
she hone thy believes that she Is playing"
All the same in spite of the large stock Of X
perience Of tins kind which they have accumulated
with the progress of the years these movers cannot
be deferred from moving. The 1st of May, 1850,
Will ind them at it again with unwasted courage
and hope. What shall we say. then, by way OF ex-
planning the phenomenon The theory we have
already referred to is the most plausible. The
movers move not for personal reasons but in
obedience the spirit Of the age the genius of the
country. They move annually for the same
reason that they jump of a Brooklyn or
Jersey City ferryboat before the landing
is reached -congenital restlessness. II. 7.
Willis once said that what this country needed was
an element which should teach it repose. When
such an element has arrived and has accomplished
is mission, moving day may become practically
dis noR But we appreheud that the transforma-
ton Will not take place until Uncle Sam is prepared
TO make an affidavit that he has fully achieved his
manifest destiny,