The Washington herald., 1909-02-13

The people or the District OF Columbia
and Of the Territories Of the United
Estates are wondering whether they had
a holiday OF not yesterday. They know
that Il was the centenary Of the birth of
Abraham Lincoln. and that Congress
Thursday passed a joint resolution aU-
thorizing the President Of the United
States TO proclaim yesterday a special
legal holiday in the District Of Columbia
and the Territories. and that the Presi-
dent signed" the resolution by tele-
graph while in Ohio on a railroad jour
ney. but they do not know whether 1t
was a legal holiday, an illegal holiday.
a holiday By royal edict, or no holiday
ar all
The mix-up is probably without example
in the history OF the country Congress
did pass the joint resolution, and il was
+ properly signed by the Vice President
and the Speaker Of the House. but when
Ii came 10 getting the signature Of the
President 70 make il law he was sew
eral hundred miles away. speeding on a
railroad train toward HOdgenViile. Ky
and getting farther away from the seat
iof government and the joint resolution
every minute.
signed cIamatioa.
Prior 10 his departure at noon Thurs
day. however. the President had signed
t a proclamation in advance declaring Fri
day, February L. 1863. a special holiday
and left Instructions that the proclama-
ton was 10 be published in case Congress
should put through the joint resolution
AIr. Roosevelt also left word that he
would sign the joint resolution, which
was his only authority for issuing the
proclamation, upon his return from Ken
lucky.
Divers persons in the District OF Co
lumbia who have a regard for the Con-
stitution and the laws questioned the
strict legality OF this arrangement. Even
the heads OF the executive departments
Of the government were IN doubt as ID
what should be done, and the anxiety
was increased by the fact that the resO-
luton was not passed until just before
the departments closed.
Some OF them notified IN haste the sew
eTal divisions. but the word did not reach
all Of the employees. and although gov
ernmeHt clerks are not generally SLOW TO
avau themselves Of a holiday. some Of
them decided 10 take no chances. bUI re-
ported for duty as usual
State OF Confusion.
The officers Of banks and trust com
panies were IN a fne state Of mental con
fusion and uneasiness. Hurried confer
ences were held. and every banker con-
suited his lawyer. Some Of the lawyers
decided that It was a legal holiday, bat
others weren't 50 su-e. while still others
said II wasn't legal al all Speaker Can
non was quoted as saying that yesterday
couldn't be considered 4 legal holiday in
= strict business sense. Several banks
opened their doors as usual at o'clock.
and then decided 10 close them One or
Two OF them opened. then closed. then
opened again. SO complete was the mud
die regarding the holiday question.
! The Riggs National Bank. one Of The
largest and weaithiest financial institu-
tons IN Washington, closed its doors in
Observance OF the holiday, upon the ad-
vice Of counsel. but wher c. c. Glover.
its president. came down he directed that
the doors should be opened again. Some
/. Of the banks we're open and some closed,
and others sent cut word they were both
open and closed. in a sense-that is. they
stood ready - JraQsact necessary busi-
ness
It is recognized that troublesome law
suits are among the possibilities Of the
. situation. Il was said at che Of The larg-
est banks in Washington yesterday that
il had not been decided whether 10 pro-
test paper OF not.
Question of Notes.
II yesterday was really a legal holiday
in the District Of Columbia and the Ter
ritories. & man who had a note payable
: at a bank in Washington may require the
bank TO wait until Monday for payment.
This Is because notes falling due to-day,
which Is half holiday in the District Of
: Columbia, are not payable until Monday.
The public schools in Washington were
closed. but the merchants did business as
usuai-most Of them The courts were
/ IL a state Of uncertainty, bit Justice An
derson. Of the Supreme Court Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia, announced in the
morning that he would hold court as
usual
Telephone messages deluged the White
House yesterday. The messages came
from bankers and others VINO wanted 20
know where they were at" They were
informed the day was really q bona fde
legal holiday, for the President had tele-
graphed from Denis0n, Ohio. where his
train stopped. his approval OF the joint
. resolution OF Congress.
~SigneG'' by Wire.
This Is believed 70 be the first time d
{ President ever signed a bill or resolu-
ton OF Congress by wire. but a banker
remarked that ''the Presidents arm Is
long"
The message from the President reach
. ed the White House after midnight
Thursday. but il was explained that the
r President was IN another time belt. so
that he really signed the joint resolu-
tion 10y telegraph between the hours OF
! Il and y ,. m, Thursday. February j.
This incident has given rise to inter
esting questions. among whichNare Can
the President sign" bill by telegraph
II SO. should the signing be dated as
February u or February L. It having
been prior 10 midnight in Ohio and sub
seqUent 10 midnight in washington when
this long distance signing" was donee
VIII the President sign the resolution
with q pen when he returns 10 Wash
{ ington, and, If so, what date viii be af-
fixed2 VIII the date be the same as that
Of the telegraphic signing2 Also was
yesterday a legal holiday in the District
. Of Columbia and the Territories. or not
And. when is a law not a law
FOR Q
- - 80 -