The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-16
No Such Thing As a National
 Holiday
LABOR DAY IS NEAREST
Washington, Lee, Lincoln and Davis Are the Only Men Whose Birth days Are Observed by States.
 Growth of Memorial Day.
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

1
 With the attempt of Senator Hopkins
 of Illinois to have the date of the dis
 covery of America made a legal holiday
 in the District of Columbia, and that of Representative Sulzer of New York to
 have a like law enacted in the memory of
 Lincoln, comes the realization that in the United States there is really only one na- 1 tional holiday. That is the only general l statute enacted by Congress making any
 one day a legal holiday is that passed in
 the second session of the Flfty-third | Congress, making Labor Day public hol- I iday in that particular territory over
 which Congress has jurisdictioh-the Dis
 trict of Columbia. Not even the Fourth of July is a national holiday, nor is Thanksgiving Day. for though the procla-
 nation naming the day is issued by
 the nations chief executive, that only
 makes it legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.
 The making of legal holidays lies with
 in the province of each commonwealth, and the list runs wide range from the
 state of Mississippi, which has no statu-
 tory holidays, to those states that observe ! with patriotic punctuality every great na-
 tionaI 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, Washing tons birthday. Fourth of July, Franks giving Day and Christmas are generally | observed throughout the union. Decora- ton Day in the north and Memorial Day in the south have made these ceremonial ] days, though of varying dates 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 observance 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 somo
 local orator, other speeches followed and
 seeds of patriotism were sown, to be fos- tered by the later years. Now the small
 boy, the firecracker, the picnic basket and the trolley car have the day in their
 keeping, and much of it's significance is
 lost
 A few years after the independence of
 the nation had been won, Massachusetts folk began an observance of April 19, the anniversary of the battle of Lexington.
 They set aside the first Thursday in April
 for fasting and prayer, but soon the re-
 liefous significance of the day began to
 fade out Then the date of the Lexing-
 ton victory was chosen by law for an-
 nual celebration, and was called Patriot s
 Day. This Is also holiday in Maine. In
 Louisiana January 8, the anniversary or
 the historic battle of New Orleans is a
 legal holiday, a grateful state holding in
 honor the memory of Jackson and his
 squirrel hunters" from Tennessee and
 Kentucky, who won so signal victory
 over the troops that the Iron Duke him.
 self had trained for England's defense.
 Vermont with pardonable pride, has set
 aside Bennington Battle Day. August 16, the anniversary of that day when General Stark, with small body of mili- tia, defeated in turn two attachments of
 Burgoyne's army and saved the American
 supplies that had been left in his keep ing
 Texas is the only state that can cele-
 brate a personal Independence Day in ad-
 dition to that commemorating national in-
 dependence. On March 2, 1836 conven- tion of Texas representatives was held
 at Washington on the Brazos river. and a formal declaration was drawn declaring Texas a republic, free and Independent
 from the rule of Mexico. A bitter contest followed, and some tragic pages were
 written in the history of the southwest
 before Mexico learned her lesson. But
 the now republic was recognized, and re- tained her own autonomy until her ad-
 mission a state of the union in 1S45. This is not the only red letter day on
 Texas calendar of legal holidays. for
 while Independence Day is red with the
 hope of newer things, April 21, known as l San Jacinto Day, owe it's red lines, not to the joy of gladness, but to the hue of 1 hero blood. It perpetuates the memory of | that. day when the redoubtable Sam Hous- | ton led 7S3 men in the field, and, routing Santa Anna's army of 1900 Mexicans, | avenged the massacre of the Alamo.
 | North Carolina, claiming a declaration | of independence older than that framed l by Thomas Jefferson for the Philadelphia | convention, observes May 20 in honor of the courage of her colonial people, and there near the Hornets Nest'' an ap- | preciative commonwealth has erected a statue to their memory. California, with | nardonable pride in the achievements of her pioneers in building up state in wear. celebrates the anniversary of her admission, September g, and Nevada has set aside October 31 for the same patriotic nurpose. Montana's Pioneer Day is set on the last Friday in May for convenience to the schools
 Recause during the war of 1872 the British under General Ross and Admiral Cockburn failed in their attacks on Bal timore. both by land and by sea, that citv celebrates with due pride Septem- her 12 as "Defenders' Day. It was this ldefense of the city that inspired Francis Scott Rev to write the national hymn, | for with the dawn of morning light there was still seen the star-spangled banner, proudly waving in the breeze a solaee 1 to the beleaguered city and an 1nspira- | ton for all the years to follow
 On the 24th day of July, lS47 cara
 van of Mormon people, after long and
 wearying journey, paused on the noun tain crest overlooking a great valley and it's shimmering salt sea with ever-reced- ing shores. sick man pushed aside the flap of his wagon, looked on the scene and announced that this was the l promised land for which they sought.