The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-26
New Years Eve License.

|
Mayor mitchell has decided that New
York is to be as wide open on next
Thursday night and Friday morning for
New Years Eve celebration as the de-
mands Of good order and proprlety will
allow. All night licenses are to be
granted TO all respectable houses of en-
tertainment, so that 1915 may be ush-
cred In with eating and drinking. music
and dancing. with mirth and jollty at
their highest pitch.
This decision Is as wise as It is ge-
Mai. 1t is, no doubt, in accord with the
wishes OF the great majority Of New
Workers.. 1t provides for a wholesome
explosion of animal spirits which will
put all the participants and those who
enjoy the fun VIGOROUSLY as well in
good humor TO resume on Saturday,
after full days rest, the .workaday
| obligations in whose monotony the sue
cession of years brings no change.
II would be hard world and a dull
life that brought no period OF joyous
| effervescence 10 the people collectively.
New Years Eve is one of the annual
occasions that have been chosen by
common consent for giving vent to nat
ural instincts of enjoyment. The pres
ent custom OF seeing the new year in
replaces. after an interval OF years but
now with sufficient sanction OF eStab-
lishcd usage. the older custom OF New
Years calls. Time out of mind the
neeu for some characteristic celebration
Of the day has been recognized, and in
| other countries much is made OF II
according TO national impulses. In
| France. for instance, II is the great day
OF calling aud present making, of re-
newing ties OF friendship and acQualnt-
| ance.
The calling system in New York he
| came subject TO grave abuses. A beau.
| tiful custom in q small and simple com
munity, it grew TO be n nuisance aud al
most a social danger in the vast promis-
Guilty Of big city with a mixed popu
latlon. In the years after its decline,
however It was distinctly recognized
that New York had lost something. II
had a great holiday of universal observ-
ancc hut without any definite pro.
gramme. This was often commented
on by the bored idlers Of January |.
| Then came the appearance of the
overnight iollification. How II began
II might now he hard 10 say. hut AT any
rate some fifteen years ago 1t emerged
into the pnhlic consciousness as a
clearly defined feature of New York
| life. II has held its own ever since,
soured spirit looks forward with pleas.
urc. True. abuses may have crept into
the nights doings. especially in the ear
lier years of the celebration when II
grew into popularity with unexpected
leaps. But these have never been very
serious drawbacks. and in recent years
successful efforts have been made 10
check such as took on collective
character-Some street bosterousness
"roughhousing by somc of the more
turbulent youth who always take ad.
vantage of such opportunities. Any.
way, IL Is the task of the police to sup
press incidental disorder.
As to individual conduct, there are al.
ways those who carry their pleasures
10 excess. BUT no extra license. all
night or otherwise. Is necessary to their
purposes. They are to he taken for
granted as the inevitable discount Ia
all activities Of life. The people 10 con.
slider In looking forward to this occa.
sion are the hundred thousand people
or 50 who take their enjoyment with an
ebullition tempered with discretion and
who resort to the public places of en-.
! tertalnment 10 see the new year IN
stimulating each other with the infec.
ton Of JOY and hope. There is no good
reason for ba liking or curblng this grea
movement of good humor. and the city
at large will approve the Mayors course
In giving free rein to II.