Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-03-31

Hsll-Notes and Gossip.
Easter sunday.
The % of April will see Boston, and,
presume, every other place in Christendom,
| decked out in handsome and becoming col.
ors, for this year the Easter fabrics art
peculiarly rich and new in cOloring. Fol-
the most part they are of lilac tint, either
plain or mOdestly figured, aud present a
most agreeable contrast to the loud fabrics
OF former years. Flowers, also, are not so
flashy as formerly, and the Easter belle this
year will be more attractive than ever If she
has an olive complexion. Easter cards and
eggs are profuscly displayed in the shop
windows, and present many unique fea'
lures peculiar to the present season. The
church decorations, Of course, will be made
more attractive than ever, for as
the years roll by Easter seems to be
returning to the old customs OF Northern
Germany so far as its popular observance is
concerned; but the German celebration had
no Christian significance whatever, the sea
son being observed by those people simply as
the opening OF spring. The Germans were
pagans In their early days, and at this season
worshipped the goddess Ostara (Eastrc), the
personitication of the morning or east but
the church, with her keen sense of policy,
later gave Christian significance to the sea-
son by the adoption Of such rites as could not
be rooted out. Hence, joy at the rising Of
no nd AZ 4 I,a In, ~ al
from the death of winter because Joy at the
rising OF the Son OF lShteOusness-the res
direction of the Savior from the grave.
Easter never occurs before the 22d OF March
nor after the 25th Of April In l76l and ISIS
Easter fell on the 22d Of March; but neither
In this nor the next century will this occur
again. In 1913 it will fall on the I'D OF
March, as 1t did in lS4j and 1886. The lat.
est Easter in this century occurred in 1856,
being on April -, and this will be the case
again In 1913. In ls4S II fell on the 23d of
April, and in 1859 on the oath of that
month.
The Single Tax.
II seems that Hon. Charles Francis Adam.
has become Il convert to the single tax theory
OF Henry George. One day recently, in his
remarks before the legislative committee on
taxation, he said that he was fast coming TO
the conclusion that the single iax system
would be the most equitable for the state Of
Massachusetts,, and would no doubt draw
the largest amount of capital to the common
wealth. A bill has accordingly been intro
duced in the legislature to put the theory TO
practical test in the case OF the province
lands, which, according to the act Of incor-
poration over "a century and half ago
were to be used in common the tit les to re-
main in the province. 1t will be a curious
coincidence il this little patch Of land on
Cape Cod which the people under a pro-
vincal act OF 1856 years ago were permitted
to occupy in common should be the means
of establishing throuS Shout the country the
theory of Henry George. hnt it looks now as
though II might
A Sort of Press Censorship.
1t has been proposed to establish here in
Boston, and eventually throughout the state,
press reform league, which, while not eX.
actly a censorious affair would practically
mean the same thing. The idea is to appoint
committee of well educated aud impartial
men whose duty shall be to read all the
leading publications for month. At the
end of that period the committee is to report
the blunders made in the editorial depart
ment of such publications, those which have
contained the most disgusting reports OF
murders, prize fights and other disreputabe
things, as well rs those matters which have
been served up the most commercially. At
the end oEeach month the committee is TO
report the paper having the highest standing
and all members OF the league are pledged
to support such publication in preference
to any other.
The GOthenburg System.
| said In my last letter that there would
probably be no liquor legislation this session
OF the legislature which would prove OF any
importance, but in this staten mt | may
have been mistaken, as bin now before
the Great and General Court looking to the
adoption OF what is known as the Gothen-
/ burg system. This plan of dispensing liquor,
II is said by its supporters, would ft per-
fectly into our local option system, as every
community would be left, as at present,
to decide whether or not 1t will grant Ii
censes. Wherever licenses are granted, under
the Gothenburg plan these must be given
to a corporation, which is bound to apply all
the profits of the business above per cent.
on the capital stock to those objects of gem
eral public utility which receive no aid from
| 4 "a. Ia aail ia
have worked well in Sweden and Norway,
where 1t has brought the control Of the Iiq-
uor traffic under the best men of those coun'
tries, but whether such would be the case
In this state remains to be seen, should it be
ado pted in Massachusetts,.
The Latest Rnpid Transit scheme.
Among the innumerable schemes pro-
posed for solving the problem of rapid tran
sit for Boston is one which conccives the
idea of an avenue from the North End to
Dover street at the South End. This ave.
nue. IL is proposed to cut through the bust
ness blocks between Washington and IRE
mont streets sufficiently wide to accommo-
date two tracks, the avenue to be arched
over the entire distance except
where 1t would be intercepted by
lateral streets, the tracks to be placed
on the top Of the arch. This, it is claimed
would divert teaming from Washington and
! fremont streets, as well as the street cars
and would entirely abolish the congestion
complained Of on these thoroughfares at the
present time. II Is said that the avenue
could be built for about Sl2 900 900, but who
is to foot the bill or get the benefit Of such
colossal piece of work does not appear In the
plan.