The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-03-16

With the attempt Of Senator Hopkins,
OF Illinois, 10 have the date OF the dis
covery OF America made legal holiday
In the District Of Columbia. and that Of
Representative Sulzer. OF New York. 10
have q like law enacted IN the memory
Of Lincoln. comes the realization that in
the United States there is really only
one national holiday That is. the only
general statute enacted by Congress max
ing any one day legal holiday is that
passed in the second session Of the Fifty
, third Congress making Labor Day pub
lie holiday in that particular territory
over which Congress has jurisdictlon-the
District OF Columbia Not even the
Fourth OF July is a national holiday; nor
is Thanksgiving Day. Tor. though the
proclamation naming the day is issued
ny the nations Chief Executive, that only
makes II a legal holiday IN the District
OF Columbia and the Territories.
The making OF legal holidays lies within
the province Of each Commonwealth. and
the list runs a wide range, from the State
OF Mississippi. which has no statutory
holidays. to those States that observe
with patriotic punctuality every great
national and State anniversary, and throw
in an Arbor Day. a Memorial Day. Flag
Day, and some religious feast day for
? good measure. Whether legalized by
State statute or not, New Years Day,
Washington Birthday, FOIrth Of July,
Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas are
generally observed throughout the Union
| Decoration Day in the North and Memo
rial Days in the South have made these
ceremonial days. though Of varying 51tt@s
and OF local application, rather widely
observed.
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas are
the two oldest in the long list Of holi-
days, the North making most Of Thanks
giving in olden times, the South most Of
Christmas Then came Independence Day.
first observed in the Continental Army,
! and since followed by a general observ-
ance. North. South. East, and West The
earlier celebrations had more dignity
than now. Then the great masterpiece
OF colonial politics and literature was
read By some local orator. other speeches.
, followed. and seeds Of patriotism We're
soNn. 10 be fostered by the later years.
Now the small boy, the nrecTackeT. the
picnic basket, and the trolley car have
the day IN their keeping, and much Of
/ lis significance is lost
A few years after the independence Of
the nation had been non Massachusetts
, folk began the observance OF April -.
the anniversary OF the battle OF Lex
ington. They set aside the first Thurs
day IN April for fasting and prayer but
soon the religious significance OF the
day began 20 fade out Then the date
OF the Lexington victory was chosen by
. Jaw for annual celebration. and was
called Patriots Day. This is also hol-
iday In Maine. In Louisiana January
} 6 the anniversary Of the historic battle
Of New Orleans. is a legal holiday, a
grateful state holding in honor the mem
ory Of Jackson and his squirrel hunt
ers'' from Tennessee and Kentucky. who
won 50 signal a victory over the troops
that the Iron Duke himself had trained
. for England's defense. Vermont with
pardonable pride. has set aside Ben
nington Battle Day" August IS, the an
|, niversary Of that day when Gen. STARK,
with a small body OF militia defeated.
in turn. two detachments OF BurgOyne's
army, and saved the American supplies
: that had been left IN his keeping.
Texas is the only State that can ceie-
brate q personal Independence Day in ad-
dition 20 that commemorating national in
dependence. On March ., 1886, a convention
= Of Texas representatives was held at
} washington. on the Brazos River. and a
: formal declaration was drawn up declar-
} ing Texas q republic. free and independ-
ent from the rule Of Mexico A bitter
contest followed, and some tragic pages
were written in the history Of the South
west before Mexico learned her lesson
, But the new republic was recognized, and
, retained her own autonomy until her
admission as State OF the Union, in
lS45. This is not the only red letter day
on Texas calender OF legal holidays. for
while Independence Day Is red with the
hope Of newer things. April 2. known as
san Jacinto Day. owes its red lines not
10 the JOY Of gladness, but 10 the hue
of hero blood II perpetuates the mem
ory OF that day when the redcubtable
Sam Houston led 7S men in the field,
and. routing Santa Ana's army Of L6o
Mexicans, avenged the massacre OF the
Alamo.
North Carolina, claiming a declaration
Of independence older than that framed
by Thomas jefferson for the Philadel-
phia convention, observes the 9th OF
Nav in homer Of the courage Of her
colonial people. and there. near the ''Hor-
lnets' Nest" an appreciative Common
wealth has erected statue to their
memory. California. with pardOnable
pride in the achievements Of her pioneers
in building I'D a State in a year. Cele-
lbrates the anniversary OF her admission
September 6. and Nevada has set aside
October 81 for the same patriotic purpose.
Montana's Pioneer Day" is set on the
last Friday in May for convenience to the
schools.
Because during the war of 1872 the Brit
ish under Gen. Ross and Admiral Cock
burn failed in their attacks on Baltimore,
both by land and by sea, that city cele-
brates with due pride September p as
Defenders Day. 1t was this defense Of
the city that inspired Francis Scott Key
10 write the national hymn. for with the
dawn Of morning light there was still
seen the Star-Spangled Banner, proudly
waving in the breeze, sOlace TO the be-
ieaguered city. and an inspiration for all
the years 20 follow.
on July "A, 1S47. a caravan Of Mormon
people, after a long and wearying jour
ney, paused on the mountain crest over
looking great valley, and its simmer
ing. salt sea with ever-receding shores.
A sick man pushed aside the flap OF his
wagon, looked on the scene and an
nounced that this was the promised land
for which they sought. His people
thought Of the weary march. behind them
and saw little Of promise on the desert
floor before them But the sick man saw