The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-02-13
IN HONOR or LINCOLN.
How Lincoln's Birthday Was Observed in


New York.
| New York, Feb. 12.--Over all the pub
lie buildings and school houses and
| hundreds of private houses in the city
to-day the Stars and Stroipes fioated
In honor of Lincoln. 1t happens by the
fortune of circumstances that in the
month of February the state of New
York celebrates the birthdays of two
OF the greatest of national heroes
Washington and Lincoln.
| Lincolns birthday Is a new legal holt
day in this state. 1t was an experiment
last year but now it is a custom es-
tablished by legal enactment, The
idea thus to honor the statesman first
obtained favor in the west, Illinois,
Minnesota and the state of Washington
| some Years ago set apart February y
for special observance. The other state
| which observes the day is New Jersey,
An effort to cause the Fifty-third con-
gress to make February u national
holiday was not successful.
| However, this city has always been in
the van so far as the observance of
the day is concerned In 1887 the Re-
publican club of this city gave Lin
coin dinner. Some of the speakers at
( that time were Benjamin Harrison,
Joseph r. Hawley, Joseph Benson For
aker, Richard Oglesby, then governor
of Lincoln's state, and personal friend
of the president; Frank Hiscock and
Chauncey M. Depew.
The Republican club gave dinner at
the Waldorf tonight to celebrate the
eighty eighth anniversary of Lincoln's
birth. Arthur l.. Merriam presided and
distinguished men spoke. Four hun
dred men sat down, and seventy women
overlooked the banquet from the bal
cony of the Waldorf ball room, where
the dinner was held. National airs
We're played by the Seventh Regiment
band, and elaborate floral decorations
| We're arranged.
| General Horace Porter made an adj
d1 ess tonight regarding Lincoln to the
members of the Union League club of
| Brooklyn
THE BANKS-A NEW QUESTION
RAISED.
To-day's holiday closed all the banks
and the various Wall street exchanges,
but some brokers' offices We're open to
receive the cabled stock quotations
from London. The custom house was
open for business for only one hour
from to 10 oclock-for the entrance
and clearance of vessels.
Considerable interest has been dis
played in banking circles regarding the
payment Of notes which mature to-day.
The statutes designating holidays make
| obligations maturing on those days
payable on the day following. Since
/ the enactment of these statutes the
Saturday half-holiday law has been
passed and also a law, which is IN
REALTY an amendment to that act, pro-
| viding that obligations maturing en-
| Saturday are payable on Saturday OF
on Monday.
! Lincoln's birthday was first observed
as a legal holiday last year, but as the
day following was a full business day
there was no question raised as to the
payment Of notes then maturing.
The point has been raised this yea1
4 as to whether notes due to-day are
payable on Saturday or on Monday
Counsel applied to by some of the
larger banks have not been willing te
venture a positive opinion. The result
is that the larger downtown banks
have, as rule, decided to present fol
payment on Saturday items falling due
to-day. The banks that have decided
upon this course include the Chase Ma.
tional bank, the Importers & Traders
National bank the Hanover Nationa
bank, the National Bank of Commerce
the First National bank, the American
Exchange National bank, and the THIRD
National bank.