South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-12

AN ATTEMPT or THE SALOONS
OF INDIANA TO CAPTURE FOUR
MORE BUSINESS OPPORTUNI-
TIES BY DESIGNATION OF LIN
COINS, WASHINGTON'S, COLUM-
BUS DISCOVERY, AND FATHER
TIMES BIRTHDAYS. CALLS FOR
PATRIOTIC OPPOSITION.
While in practically every state OF
the union today the people are cele-
brating the birth OF the great eman-
cipator, il is a peculiar circumstance
that there should be pending in the
Indiana legislature, a bill 20 remove
the occasion from the list of holidays
1t is. quite beyond question. a saloon
measure. aimed not at Lincoln alone.
but at Washington, Columbus, and
New Years day-a bid for four more
days. in which TO sell. unhindered,
their damnabls grog.
We wish 10 remind the liquor in
terests, as a part Of our contribution
10 the Lincoln birthday memorium,
that these are dangerous institutions
20 tamper with, especially for so ig-
noble "A cause. LiRcOln's birthday
Washington's birthday. and Discovery
day, are especially days OF national in
terest. They should be observed more
generally than they are. instead Of
less generally. Wipe them off the
slate of state recognition, and the lat
ter rather than the former end, will
at once be well under way. New
Years day is a holiday by nature re-
CARELESS of lava custom of apes,
and as much of a demand upon hu-
man nature as Christmas. or even the
Sabbath. Should the liquor men sue
coed in abolishing Lincoln's birthday,
Washington's birthday, Discovery day.
and New Years day, as legal holidays,
we presume July 4th, Thanksgiving,
Christmas, and even the Sabbath, will
be the next goal toward which they
Will move.
Discovery day is the anniversary of
the day on which Christopher Column
bus first sighted American shores. Not
so many years since the United States
celebrated the 4OOth anniversary of
the year. with the great Columbian
exposition in Chicago. Since then
twenty-nine states have recognized
the particular day, as one especially
tit for cOmmemOration on account of
its marking the beginning of American
history. Indiana took the step in
1913. It has come to stay. We are
going 10 have more holidays in the
future instead of less holidays. We
are an overworked, brain tagged race,
and we are not going To take any steps
backward in order that the saloons
may have a few more days-in which
to overwork and brain-fag us
Legal recognition Of the birthdays
of Lincoln. Washington and of the
Discovery of America by Columbus.
is essential 10 their patriotic bearing.
In all the schools OF the land. public
and parochial the youth of America
again hears of these great men and
their work, and new applications are
made 10 the philosophy of the work
a-day world. Your liquor dealer-if
YOU have one,-wiu tell you that this
can continue just as well without the
legal holiday, but il can't. The sanction
of the state carries with it a psyche
logical influence which nothing else
in the world can supply. and after all
the purpose Of our schools is 10 fit
our youngsters for patriotic citizens,
rather than for bar-hies.
With the rapid growth of the pro-
hibition movement it would seem
about time for the liquor interests to
be satisfied 20 keep what they have,
rather than 10 provoke further agita-
tions by endeavors TO get something
more. SOONER or later we are going
to have a half holiday on every Sat
urday. and the saloons might better
not agitate the question of less hOl-
days or they may have to close a
half day every week. IL is always
bad for the general sobriety for public
idleness and the open saloon TO get too
close together. The people are wax
ing up. Mistake them not. They
are not asleep.
You owe these holidays 10 Lincoln
and the rest. There are dozen-and-
one reasons why the legalizing Of
these holidays should not be repealed.
We are for everyone Of them-but
the fact that the saloons want it done
for their monetary advantage over
shadows all others. The democratic
party, in control of the legislature.
cannot afford 10 be monkeyed in any
such manner.
&. q. =. BOMBS HURLED AT ANTI