Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-12-30

which was the proper date to recognize
| as the beginning of the year. This
| naturally would cause more or less diff
| ficulty in arriving at the proper time
| for settlement of accounts, renewing
their obligations and determining the
dates for holidays, feasts, ETC., which
were strictly observed by various kinds
Of religious and other organizations.
| In order to more clearly illustrate the
state of affairs and the possibilities of
what could arise from such condi-
ton from which they were obliged to
base their calculations a momentary
glance at history will be necessary. In
those ancient days, the friction of
thought relating to these conditions
well served its purpose in bringing
about q much needed reform. How
ever, like most other innovations on
methods which have become stereotyp-
ed on the minds of the people by GUS
tom and long usage, it required CEN
turtles before the change was univer-
sally adopted and used as it is at the
present day. The uncertainty of ac-
curacy in the Julian or old style meth
cd of computation of the year had long
been noticed by ancient astronomers,
consequently in October, 1882, Pope
Gregory XIII. undertook to reform the
Roman calendar. The alteration made
by him created what is commonly
termed the new style, which recognizes
January first as the beginning Of the
year in nearly all civilized countries
After great consideration that pontiff
published his calendar, by which he
ordered that ten days should be de-
Quoted from the year 1882, by calling
what, according to the old calendar,
would have been the fifth of October,
the fifteenth Of October. 1852.
Previous to this Spain had commenc-
ed the year for time on March 25th,
then Dec 25th, but since 1882 on Janu-
airy LIST. In Portugal the new style
calendar was adopted in 1852, but pre-
viously the new year came, first on
March 25th, then Dec. 25th. Some
provinces in Holland commenced the
year at Christmas, but in others it be-
gan at Easter. In 1875 the duke of
Requesens, governor Of the Low Coun-
tries, ordered that it should begin Jan
uary list. In Denmark the year began
January LIST, after having sometimes
commenced on Christmas, and on Aug.
18th, which was the date of the feast
Of st. Tiburce. In Switzerland, in the
fourteenth century the year began jan
uary list. 1t was later changed to
March 25th, which continued until the
adoption Of the Gregorian calendar.
In the greater part of Italy, during the
fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth CEN
turtles the year began at Christmas. In
1851 the Gregorian calendar was adopt
ed. In Germany, Christmas was gen
orally considered the beginning of the
year, but this was not universal. At
some places it began at Easter. The
University Of Cologne considered |
March 25th as the first of the year. The |
new style was adopted by the Catho-
lies in 1884 and by the Professionals in |
17C0. In France, it was the custom
obout the ninth century to commence |
the year with Christmas. From the
end Of the eleventh century to the year
1858 it began at Easter, or rather on
Holy Saturday Caster eve). The
Gresorian calendar was adopted in
1852. England and Ireland had been
commencing the year On March 25th,
bet in 1851 it was enacted that the first
of January, 1852, should be the begin
ming Of that year. and all fubfrs years. ]