The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-03-05
TUESDAY, MARCH 5. 1919.
Abraham Lincoln
In the South.

All Tic OOuIIl.
A Detroit friend sends The Journal
the following clipping from the Detroit
Free Press OF Feb. Is:
To the Editor: / note In the Free
Press of February 10 that Rev. j. M.
Barl<Iey says he thinks 1.-THE south held
; the memory of Lincoln in as great
esteem as did the north" This is my
seventh winter in Florida and / have
yet to see the first postoffice or bank
or school closed February IL, Lincoln's
birthday. Neither the Pensacola jour
nal of February IL nor the Pensacola
News of the same date contained one
word about Abraham Lincoln.
1 did a little business at the Pensa-
cola State Bank, and took advantage
of the transaction to ask the cashier
IL the banks of Florida ever closed on
I.incoIn's birthday. He replied: No,
we celebrate JEFF Davis's and WASH
ington's birthday. Lincoln never did
anything for us down here"
- / also had business at the registry
department of the postoffice and asked
the assistant II the postofice ever
closed on Lincoln's birthday. He re-
piled: Il think so sometimes, but we
did not this year."
NV experience in Alabama is the
same as in Florida, and / see in the
Mobile Register that George e. Cramer,
of Mobile. informs the editor Of the
Register that he looked in vain foc
some expression on the character and
life of Abraham Lincoln, yet he adj
mits that he should have known bet
ter"
If Mr.. Barley is correct, how Is it
that southern newspapers, banks, post
masters, school trustees and others
ignore the birthday of the foremost
citizen of his time, the most unique
and commanding figure of his day,
the grandest personality of the age.
and the most exalted genius of all
times?
Beneath the outstretched wings Of
peace, he stood the foremost citizen
of the world, yet in this southland
they celebrate the birthday of JEFF
Davis, but ignore the birthday of
W. ]. BREWSTER.
Pensacola, February 10.
II is Just such exhibitions as the
above that makes a man lose patience
with human nature and want to say
things that would possibly sound un-
becoming in gentleman and would
certainly not look well in print.
The south does recognize the great
ness and esteem the memory of Abra-
ham Lincoln, though that recognition
does not always or necessarily take
the form of closing up business on
Lncolns birthday.
There are as well numerous places
all over the north and west where
business is not suspended on Lincoln's
birthday, yet we never hear any
criticism of them because of that fact.
In fact 1t has only been OF recent
years that Lincolns birthday has been
celebrataed anywhere and IT is now a
legal holiday in only IL states in the
Union. Leaving the southern states
out altogether, we still have the fol-
lowing northern and western states
where Lincoln's birthday is NOT Of
fcislly recognized: Oregon, Idaho
Arizona, New Mexico. Nebraska, Okla
homa, Wisconsin. Ohio. Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island. and Maryland.
Here are IA northern and western
states which do not recognize Lincoln's
birthday. Why does not our patriotic
friend jump onto them7 Why confine
his criticism to Florida and Alabama ?
The governor of the state of Florida
mas TWO IlneS, In messages to the
legislature, advocated making Lincoln's
birthday holiday in this state Does
that Indicate that Lincoln's memory Is
entirely ignored here? And have the
governors of any OF the northern and
western states. which stin ignore
Lincoln's birthday, ever gone so far?
II this distinguished envoy of peace
who has spent seven winters in Pen
eacola-and who may be here now for
that matter-comes here to find fault
he ought not TO have any trouble in
doing so. A man can usually make
himself obnoxious wherever he wants
to, and he can do it as easily in Flor
ida as he can in Detroit or elsewhere.
Our tourist friend admits that he
had business at the bank and again al
the post office on Lincoln's birthday.
IL he holds the memory of Lincolr
In such transcendent respect, how
comes 1t that he himself fell so far a.
to do business on Lincolns birthday