The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-05-09

IL ri 10 object to any 12FoTaple
action by your Committee and
by Con gress upon House Bill no.
14947 for making the 18th Of Octo-
Der in each year q public holiday and
naming it COLUMBUS Day.
For grounds Of objection your
protcstants respectfully submit the
following:
/, The power to legislate upon
such subjects resides i'll the States,
and can consGituti0ually lie exercised
by the United States only over places
which are under the exclusive jurjs-
diction Of the United States. The
extent Of this Federal jurisdiction
outside OF the District Of Columbia
is necessarily small, if Alaska and
the oversee possessions are
excluded In the District Congress
has prescribed as follows in regard
to hoiiGays:
section 1889. The fol
lowing days in each year, namely,
the first day Of January, commonly
called New Years Day: the twenty
second Of February, known as Wash
inRt0n $ birthday; tie Fourth Of
July; the thirteenth day Of May
known rs Labor's Holiday; The
tWenty-hfth Of December, commonly
called Christmas D0~; every Sunday
after twelve o'clock noon; and any
day appointed or recommended by
the President Of the United States IS
a day Of public fasting, or thanks
giying, and the day Of inauguration
Of the President in any fourth year,
shall be holidays in the District Tor
all purposes.
In addition to the 50 Sundays Of
the year, which are holidays by The
common law, Congress has added for
the District Of Columbia seven addi-
tional days in each year IS hoH-
days, and III every fourth year an
additional one is superadded. This,
it is believed, is all that Congress
has ever done in the way Of eatab-
fishing holidays in any part Of the
national domain under it's jUrisdic-
ton.
The appointment or recommends
ton by the President each year of q
day for observance as q general day
of fasting or Thanksgiving f0r ali the
people is not duty imposed upon
him by statute, though when such q
day is appointed it is given by Con-
gress the status Of a legal holiday in
the District Of Columbia only.
Some States have by law made
October IL, the so-called columbus
Day a legal holiday within their
respective Jurisdictions. A very pro-
nounced religious UNCONVENTIONAL
character has already by preemption
been given the 'public dem0nStra-
TONS" and the "suitabIe exercises
which take place under these laws,
and these occasions are acCentuated
by great pomp Of religious activity
and display under the Suapices Of a
strictly religious and seni-military
organization into which only mem
bers Of the sect to which the organi-
aztion belongs are admitted, known
as the "Knights Of Columbus"
House Bill No. 14947, which aims
to make the so-called "Columb bus
Day" universal throughout the terri
torial limits of the United States, so
far as Congress can make it SO, COM
mands the President TO issue annu-
ally a proclamation commanding the
observance of the holiday by means
of public demonstration" and
suitable exorcises''-an administra-
tive direction, as to the manner in
which the proclamation shall issue
and the observance be made, which
is not imposed with reference to any
other day declared a legal holiday.
The so called columbus Day" falls
On the 18th Of October. The Presi-
dents Thanksgiving day falls on a
doV some Sly CnVpr Lot