The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-27
Lincoln, Jefferson and Others.

Lincoln, Jefferson and others.
TT may seem almost like treason to
attempt TO place any obstacle in the
way of the movement that aims to
make Lincolns birthday national
holiday, yet there are objections TO the
plan. and these are worth the attention
of those who are asked to sign the pc
titions that are just now in circulation.
In recent years the number of legal
holidays has increased at ratio that
cannot long be sustained When IT en-
tered statehood, Montana inherited
good number of anniversaries that
rank as holidays with a good share of
the people of the country yet. for prac-
teal purposes, Montana has no holiday
that is distinctively its own-in the
sense, we mean, that April 10 is Patri-
OTIS day in Massachusetts,, September
Q Admission day in California, or
March 2 the anniversary of Texan in
dependence in Texas.
In fact, there are two distinct move
ments at this moment that contem-
plate national anniversaries. While
the Lincoln movement is seeking APP
prevail there is, as we remember. actu
ally before congress. or soon to be
there, a plan to make n national holi-
day of Jefferson's birthday. Were both
these measures to prevail the holidays
would come thick and fast in the early
months of each year; and If it comes to
4 af In in "a national
anniversary, the claims of jefferson
would seem to be strong. In Jeffer-
sons case however, there Is this con-
sideration to be taken into account,
during his lifetime he distinctly re-
fused to make public the date of his
birth when the request for it was made
in connection with the intention to
make a national holiday of that date;
he declared himself opposed to that
form of personal recognition.
| All the states observe Christmas,
Fourth of July and Thanksgiving day,
though Kansas and Nevada have no
statutes on the subject. Nearly all the
| states have made legal holidays of New
| Years. Washington's birthday and
May go or some other day. as Memoir
/ ial day. More than half of the states
have made the general election day, in
/ November, and Labor day legal holt
days Thirteen states have an Arbor
day some time in the year which is by
law a legal holiday. Seven states have
made I.incoln's birthday legal holt
observe Good E'pi1lN.
The birthday of General Robert IT,.
Lee is holiday in five southern states.
Louisiana observes April as Confed-
crate Memorial day. Florida and
Georgia have a holiday on June 3,
which is Jefferson's Davis birthday
and so the anniversaries run up, Penn
sylvania having the largest number of
any of the states. There is, technically
speaking no national holiday. As has
been shown, Lincoln's birthday is a
| Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota, New
Jersey, New York, North Dakota,
Pennsylvania and Washington. But
Jefferson's birthday is nowhere OBJ
served. and one would think that the
preface to the proposed holiday ought
at least To be found IN an observance
of the day in his native state. Virginia
has not thus honored Jeffersons name
The wise plan is to limit the number OF
holidays and live faithfully up to each
one of those that bring the secular
work of the nation To a pause.