New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-11
HTDDLED BIRTHDAYS.

Among other things which are giving the law
piyers of this momentous period In the history
Of tho race more or less trouble are the accidents
of birth by which the natal days Of our great
men have become so huddled together on the
calendar that proper and legal observance oi
them on their legitimate dates tends in some IN
stances to confluence Of celebrations ana sup
puraton of holidays, the logical result OF whlcn
is either proracted oratOry or prolonged de-
bauch. each of which is unwhoesome. For IN
stance. George Washington was born on FeDru-
arv %. which has for long been legal holiday
and very properly. Abraham Lincoln was born
ON tho 10Th of the same month and that date in
many States has also been made a holiday by
law The two come so close together mat tue
ardent patriot has hardly finished the dinner
with which he has paid suitable respect TO the
memory OF the Great EmancpatOr before he Is
called upon TO tax his digestion and distend his
stomach with another in honor Of the Father OF
His Country If the ardent patriot does justice
10 both these festal occasions he is liable TO en-
ter upon the trying month Of March with we'll
deveoped dyspepsia And, as Caesar remarked
when entering the Senate House just ahead OF
Bru,us: "The Ides of March are full enough Of
trouble without the dyspepsia" If, moreover,
the ardent patriot is at all blbnlous, as he FREE
ouently is. he has scant time TO sober up between
the 18th and the ODD
Two wears ago the Connecticut Legislature,
animated by a patriotic desire to commemorate
the virtues Of Mr.. Lincoln by setting apart
day to be devoted exclusively to that purpose
which would naturally be the day OF his birth
found itself suddenly confronted by the en-
barrassng circumstance that the selection or
that day would impose upon the citizens OF the
Commonwealth the duty Of observing two Holt
days within a fortnight OF each other. and though
their patriotism might be equal to the sacrifice
of their habit of thrift upon such demand. it
was feared that the popular head and stomach
might not be able to stand the strain. So. with
the fertility Of invention and readiness Of re-
source characteristic Of the snug little State they
decided TO move the celebration over into n part
of the year little more barren OF birthdays
than February-not, Of course to make 1t a NOV
able feast. but to move 1t just once into place
where 1t would be less crowded and have a bet
ter chance. SO they provided by law that OctO-
Der Is should be observed as Lincoln Day and
kept as legal holiday. We do not understand
that this was intended as a reflection in any
sense upon the lack Of provision which led TO
the Lincoln birthday being located near that
Of the Father Of His Country. although. as Mac
| beth remarked concerning the demise Of Mrs.
Macbeth, "She should have died hereafter"
There is certainly an intimation that in the opin-
| ion Of the Connecticut Legislature Mr.. Lincoln
| should have been born later
In accordance with the law, October II has
! been observed in Connecticut for the last two
years as Lincoln Day. That Is to say, the banks
have been closed and the game of baseball which
is in the height Of the season in October has been
played with great assduty in the smaller towns.
But there has been much discussion over the ap-
propriateness Of it. Notwithstanding. The real
reason for putting Mr.. Lincoln's birthday In
October when he was actually born in Febr1i-
airy was probably because October is the chest
nut season, and more chestnuts have been at
trbuted to Mr.. Lincoln than to any other char
acter in history. The present Legislature, how
ever. seems disposed TO make a change A bill
Is pending TO repeal the statute making October
10 Lincoln Day, and locate that celebration at
some other point In the calendar. Possibly il
may be decided to bunch Washington and Lin
coin and celebrate both of them somewhere be-
/ tween the 10Th and 22d-say about the 18th. This
would be an easy way out. The situation sug-
gests one Of the endorsements likely to arise
from the accident Of birth on the part Of eminent
men. But the quite original treatment Of the
| subject by the Connecticut Legislature. fortu.
nately, points out way OF escape from the en-.
| tanglement OF huddled birthdays Legislation
nowadays is equal to anything Whenever any