The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-26

Washington Star
The United States has no national hol-
iday. 1t is popularity supposed that Thanks
giving day. Fourth of July and Memorial
day. May 80, are national holidays. but
they are not, and are not even legal holi-
days except as legislatures or Governors
of States may declare them so. or by
unanimous consent" of the people of the
country.
There is popular fallacy that Congress.
through a bill presented in 1885 by Senator
Logan, made Memorial day national holi-
day. but such is not the case. The United
States Congress has never made any at
tempt to legislate on a national legal holt
day, for the simple reason that it has not
the power to enter the States in that man.
ner and tell them that they shall or shall
not work, or play, on certain days Of the
year.
Even the Fourth of July is not a national
holiday. 1t has been made a legal holt
day in all the States of the Union. but
not by Congress. 1t comes the nearest TO
being national holiday. Thanksgiving
day, the last Thursday in November, comes
next. The President issues his proclama-
ton and requests that it be observed as a
day of fasting and prayer, and the Gov
errors of States, without exception, follow
with Inelr own prOcldmdt1OnS, so tndt the
day has a national significance holi-
day, yet ii is not national legal holiday.
Some Of the States have made 1T a legal
holiday. Christmas is also one Of the pop
ular holidays legally recognized by all the
States.
The holidays of the United States. legal
In the States that have legislated 10 that
Memorial day is a legal holiday in all the
Northern States. as follows: Arizona, Cali
fornia, Colorado, Connecticut Delaware.
Irn1f IN
Maryland. Massachusetts, Michigan. Mime
sofa, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada. New
Hampshire. New Jersey. New York. North
vania. Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah. YER
mont Wisconsin. Washington. Wyoming
and the District of Columbia. The popular
tional holiday grew out of the fact that
Congress passed a resolution making 1t a
legal holiday in the District of Columbia.
Election day in the various States is
February p. washington's birthday, is a
legal holiday in all the States except Iowa,
Mississippi and Arkansas.
Labor day, Sept z, is a legal holiday in
California. Colorado. Connecticut, Della
ware, Florida, Georgia. Illinois. Indiana.
Iowa. Kansas, Maine. Massachusetts. Mich
New Jersey New York, Ohio. Oregon,
South Carolina. South Dakota, Tennessee,
Texas; West Virginia. Utah. Virginia and
Every Saturday afternoon is legal holi-
day in New York. New Jersey. Pennsyl-
vania and Maryland Also in the city of
New Orleans and from June to Sept. 80
in New Castle county. Delaware.
Arbor day, April ~. is legal holiday in
Nebraska, Kansas. North Dakota, Rhode
the third Friday in April. Montana the third
Tuesday in April. Utah first Saturday in
April and Idaho first Friday after May l.
ruary ia is legal holiday in Illinois. New
York and Maine. That of Jefferson Davis,
June 3, is legal holiday in Florida. Janu-
airy 10, General Lees birthday, is a legal
holiday in Georgia, North Carolina and
The Southern States observe a Memorial
Georgia.; May 10, North Carolina; Virginia,
New Years day is legal holiday in all
the States except Massachusetts, New
Hampshire and Rhode Island.
Special days in States are legal holidays,
as follows: January g. anniversary of the
battle of New Orleans. in Louisiana; March
Texas; March 4. Fireman's anniversary,
New Orleans; April 49, patriots day. Mas
sachusetts; April p. anniversary of the
versary of the Mecklnburg declaration of
independence. North Carolina; July "a, pio-
neer's day, Utah; Sept. 8, admission day,
California; Oct. 81, admission day, Nevada
Good Friday is legal holiday in Ala
bama. Louisiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania
and Tennessee. All the foregoing days, ex-
cept those personal to the different States,
are holidays in the District of Columbia.
Nearly all festival and holidays had their
origin in some kind of religious worship.
Our observance of the Christmas holiday is
simply the survival of pagan custom civ
ilized At the beginning of the nineteenth
century there were many church festi-
walls and holidays in Rome that 1T was said
| that not two days in week were left for
work
| In 1549 the English church struck nearly
| 100 holidays from the list that the church
| had been observing. retaining only those
| that were particularly-re verenced by the
| people. The fixed Christian feasts are: All
| Saints Nov. L. Candlemas. Feb. 2; Christ
| mas, Dec. Is; Epiphany, Jan. 6; Innocents,
| Dec. 2
The movable Christian holidays are:
| Easter, Ascension Bay, Ash Wednesday,
| Good Friday, Palm Sunday, Pentecost
| Sexagesima Sunday, Trinity Sunday, all
| depending on the date of Easter.
| 1t is said that Christmas, Easter, Ascen-
| sion and Whitsuntide were ordered to be
! observed by the whole church all over the
world as early as the close of the first GEN.
| fury. Christmas had many dates before
| Pope Julius /. in A d. 337-52. settled on
| December % The days that were formerly
| celebrated were Jan. l, Jan. 6. March g.
| the date OF the Jewish passover. and Sept
| %. the date of the Feast of Tabernacles
| 1t has been stated, and is doubtless true
that every day in the year is holiday
1