Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-09-07

From time immemorial certain holy
days have been observed by Christian
nations but the one holy day OF sun
day has obtained such firm hold upon
the minds of the civilized world that
in our law, without any statute, 1t Is
a dies non iuridicus-not legal day
upon which no acts can be perform
ed except those of charity and neces,
sity, and many or nearly all Of the
states of the union by statute forbid
its desecration, or enforce Its obsef7
vance as day Of rest by forbidding
its employment in secular pursuits,
The observance Of Sunday as holy
day, or one for purely religious deso-
.tion ana meditation, has possibly, OF
late years begun 10 decline, especial
" in the great industrial centers
where Sunday afforded the only op-
portunitv for relaxation and recrear
tion after six days of unremitting and
grinding labor, and we now find this
day, and other religious festival CT
feast days, formerly given entirely
to religious observance, employed in
the enjoyment of recreative activity
and heaithful sports which secures
that protoplastic regeneration when
is the enemy of death and decay.
A holiday as we understand 1t in
its secondary or general sense, is an
occasion of mirth and gaiety, or as on
this occasion, a day OF exemption
from work. While holidays have
been generally observed according to
custom, the congress of the United
States finally declared, as have many
of the states, the following legal holi-
days:
January first, or New Years Day,
marking the beginning of new start
along the journey of life; the day
upon which we take a new lease,
open now books in business, and
above all other days is noted for the
resolutions we make to do or refrain
from doing many things which we
have been accustomed to do. And in
this connection it is significant
fact in evidence Of the good inten.
tions and moral balance Of the world
that all these resolutions are of an
affirmative character for good--either
resolving to do better or refrain from
doing i'll. The next day Is December
25th, or Christmas, eemmemoratins
| the nativity OF Christ, who has exert
ed more influence unan the life Of
Il men than any other. and may re-
mark in this connection, that to my
mind the calm, peace and quiet Of his
! life, and his undisturbed demeanor in
the face of persecution and death, his
unperturbed spirit, are most remark.
able of all the lessons which history
presents to us.
Next was July 4th, observed In com
memoration of the grandest day OF
American history, when the American
colonies threw off the yoke OF the
mother country, and threw down the
| gauntlet to George H., and when
the early pilgrims embraced the eter
nal principles Of liberty and dared
tynrany TO do its worst: they rocked
the cradle Of liberty In which lay
the infant republic. now standing q
i giant among the nations Of the earth
when the early pioneers. the persecut
ed of England, determined to estab
i lish an asylum for the oppressed oi
the world. landed upon foreign
shores and carved civilization out o.
& a wilderness; and fellow citizens
when | think Of their early courage
achievements and sacrifices, and the
worth Of Them To their posterity,
would rather he one Of them than the
prondest Norman that t-er planted
his staff OF blood In the hall OF thu
Saxon, or the noblest paladin tha
ever quaffed wine In the Nails D
. chariemagne,
Then We have Inauguration Day
, March fth, when one or the other O
| the great parties, or the Triumphant
party. by which governments like
eurs Hust he conducted, takes hol'
i * the pilot wheel and guides the shil
! ns state until tbs people again express
| their sovereign choice and will and !
n testimony 10 the wiadom q on
, rofm of government and an augtiry Q
] It's perpetnitS, that this change q eS
] eali.4fes takes place amidst the plaud
, its of the assembled multitndes, with
i: out one disturbing ripple on the SUI
!. face Of the affairs Of our great gov
!. ernmant. One executive Of The mos
. powerful nation on earth retlres int
: the shades of private life. to be rem
embered or forgotten. 10 be loved 0
i Idagnioad Il aud onafbnr t,nfrind In q,