Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-05
NO NATIONAL HOLIDAY
ONE THING THAT THE UNITED
STATES HAS NOT.
Many Are Celebrated in Different
States, but Not by Congress
sional Action.
Written for The Evening Star.


The United States has no NATIONAL
| holiday. 1t is popularity supposed that
Thanksgiving day, Fourth of July and Me-
mortal day, May 30, are national holidays,
but they are not, and are not even legal
holidays except as legislatures or govern
ors 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 a national holi-
day, but such is not the case. The United
States Congress has never made any at
tempt to legslate on national legal holi-
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 legal holt
day in all the states of the Union, but
not by Congress. 1t comes the nearest to
being a 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
ernOrs of states, without exception, follow
with their own proclamations SO that the
day has a national significance as a holt
day, yet it is not a national legal holiday.
Some of the states have made it a legal
holiday. Christmas is also one of the pop
ular holidays legally recognized by all the
states.
Legal in Various States.
The holidays of the United States, legal
in the states that have legislated to that
effect, are as follows:
Memorial day is a legal holiday in all
the northern states, as follows: Arizona,
California Colorado, Connecticut, Della
ware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michi-
gan. Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Ne
vada New Hampshire, New Jersey New
York, North Dakota Ohio, Oklahoma, Ore
gon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennes-'
see, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, Washing
ton, Wyoming and the District of Column
bia. The popular belief that Memorial day
was made a national holiday grew out of
the fact that Congress passed resolution
making it legal holiday in the District
Election day in the various states is
legal holiday.
February %, Washington's birthway, is
a legal holiday in all the states except
Iowa. Mississippi and Arkansas.
Labor day, September Z, is a legal holt
day in California, Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indi-
ana, Iowa, Kansas Maine, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Montana Nebraska, New Hamp-
shire, New Jersey New York. Ohio, Ore
gon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Ten
neSSee, IeXdS, west Virginia, Utah, Nir-
ginia and Washington.
Every Saturday afternoon is legal hoi-
day in New York, New Jersey, Pennsyl-
vania and Maryland. Also In the city of
New Orleans and from June / to Septem-
Der 30 in New Castle county, Del.
Arbor Day, April %, is legal --oliday in
Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, Rhode
Island and Wyoming Colorado observes
the third Friday in April, Montana the
third Tuesday in April Utah first Satur-
day in April and Idaho first Friday after
May first.
The birthday of President Lincoln, Feb
ruary II, is legal holiday in Illinois. New
York and Maine. That of Jefferson Davis,
June 3, is legal holiday in Florida. Janu-
airy 10, Gen. Lees birthday, is a legal holi-
day In Georgia, North Carolina and Vir-
ginia.
The southern states observe memorial
day as follows: April 26, Alabama and
Georgia: May 10, North Carolina. Vir-
ginia, May 26
New Year day is legal holiday in all
the states except Massachusetts,, New
Hampshire and Rhode Island.
Special Holidays.
Special days in states are legal holidays,
as follows: January 8, anniversary of the
battle of New Orleans, in Louisiana; March
z, anniversary of Texan independence,
Texas; March f. Fireman's anniversary,
New Orleans; April 10, patriots day, Mas
sachusetts; April p, anniversary of the bat
tie of San Jacinto, Texas; May 20, anniver-
sary Of the Mecklinburg declaration of in
dependence, North Carolina; July "a pio-
neers day, Utah; September 8, admission
gay, Callfornla; October 81, admission day,
Nevada.
Good Friday is a legal holiday in Ala
oama Louisiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania
and Tennessee. All the foregoing days ex-
cept those personal to the individual 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
s SIMPLY the survival of pagan custom civ
liizeo. AT the beginning of the nineteenth
century, there were so many church festi-
vans ana holidays In Rome that 1t was said
work.
In 1549 the English Church struck nearly
, po holidays from the list that the church
nau peen Observing retaining only those |
tnat We're particularly reverenced by the |
people. The fixed Christian feasts are: All
SAINTS. November L: Candlemas, February
Z; Christmas, December %; Epiphany, Jan
uaTy q; 1nnocents, December %.
The movable Christian holidays are:
easter, Ascension Day, ASH Wednesday, |
se ooa Er1aay sn Palm Sunday penteeost
depending on the date ofaEaster.
II Is said that Christmas Easter, Assem- |
SION ana Whitsuntide were ordered to be |
world as early as the close of the first CEN
fury Christmas had many dates before |
rope julius l, in A. D. 337-52, settled on |
DecSmber p. The days that were former |
~ celebrated were January 1, January 6, |
Mareh ~, the date of the Jewish passover. |
ana September %, the date of the Feast of |
Tabernacles
1t has been stated and is doubtless true |
tnat every day in the year Is a holiday |
somewhere.
ISABEL sWORRELL BALL.
Active.
From the Philadelphia Press. ]