Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-09-09
We Have Enough.


some member 81 Congress to di>ting-
ui>h himself and win the favor Of Il
larg" class q; business men by intro
:lucing a resolution forbidding the
creation OF any more legal holidays
! That the time is ripe for such for
ward step is becoming more apparent
each recurring year. Especially i
this seen to he true by the business
men at large and those who stand at
the head OF all our great manufacture
ling industries Throughout the country.
Passing over the Christian Sabbath,
Thanksgiving and Christmas, which
by right Of priority and >anctity should
:ncNcr tr intcricrcd with, there ar"
some hali-dozcn holidays OF temporal
Significance only, and yet 50 cndeared
] Ia the heart OF every true American
that they Will I've likely to be observed
To- tlc end ui time. The birthdays OF
Washington and Lincoln stand in
baS relief when placed in comparison
with the natal anniversaries of such
men Is Longfcllow and Whittier, now
pretty generally observed with ap-
(propriate doings by many colleges
Throughout the land. Arbor Day and
Decoration Day are already enShrined
in the hearts OF the people and are
with lis to stay. The Fourth of July
Ii practically part and parcel, il not
bone and sinew, of our governmental
body itself. As TO the ultimate des-
! tiny of Labor Day, there is n wide
. field open to discussion. That it will
be Indefinitely observed, however, is
pretty certain, Judging from our
present standpoint of view. The
! batches of heros and veterans en-
stailed by the war OF the rebellion have
SO far been pretty efiectually disposed
sof with lasting honor to themselves
and ample justice to the genus of the
government whose bchcsts they so
faithfully obeycd.
The little brush just closed with
Spain has created the biggest batch
Sof all of genuine battle-scarred
heros, military veterans generally,
! diplomatic demi-gods and politica!
pettifoggers. Dewey and Sampson
and Schley and Shafter and Hobson
have been covered all over with glory ;
they have been fctcd, and Toasted and
sung to and kissed, in a way and man.
ner that ought to make Olden time
: celebrities rattle their bones for pure
jealousy.
+ And now, while this may be all we'll
eenough, in its way, let us call halt
at the golden mean and leave we'll
enough alone. Let lis have no more
= legalized birthday observances. There
are quite enough of these now. Let
us not establish precedent that will
load down posterity with holidays till
they outnumber the saints days in
the Roman calendar.
1t is estimated that baby is born
every second. Now what is going to
be done if all these babies become
: famous men and women-say heros
and heroines? Why, the world could
not hold them, to say nothing OF the
feasting and handwriting and kissing
with which they should be surfcitcd.
Counting New Years day, the
Merry May, and the various election
days, together with those now on the
list of legally established gala days,
There is abundant rest for the weary
samong school children, bank clerks,
and the generality OF wage-earners.
Let it be understood that should
some over Jealous member of Congress
Introduce bill for the creation of a
new national holiday, he be sum-
marially dealt with, just as We
would deal with the man who would
attempt to haul down the American
flag.
BATTLESHIPS FOR THE PACIFIC