Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1918-02-22

lHftfeftNht 10 Know NhetHcf the hAnk
Ia that particular city will be open
HAT day. Does any ose around the
/ isee know whether January 3 10
hank holiday IN Peklng or Athens or
Cape Town? Usually no one dues.
la hard enough Ia Keep tabs on the
"a holidays rampant IN these UBitrd
States II therefore becoinrs uereS-
snry TO send al expensive cshiesram
10 get the information. This sort Of
thing happens mol once. but many
times, Ia every banking house With
an extensive foreign business.
Among the hol.days established by
custom the occasion is generally the
anniversary of AN important political
event or the birthday of q national
Zero Such holidays are therefore %
cal. while church holidays are for The
most part general The former class
prevails IN the newer and more dem
ocraiie eoun ries. while the older ones
eonflue themselves largely to the
church fasts and festivals
Where Holidays Are Thickest.
Contrary IL the popular nofiuu he
new democracles 81 Tie west enjeg a
gfeuter uginoe- OF holidays ihau their
sister uailons of tie eastern hemi-
sphere. Of TIE - nations or depend
encles listed bralH leads. with 81
holidays Tie United States. with
81 IS close Sefand. although she.
unlike Brazil. practically ignores ihe
church days Another popular delu-
sion Is shattered wien we lind that
France has only 5 formally observed
days ana Italy only - We had SUP
posed tile Latins always outdid us in
tbs particular a-gr. the ofher Lei
listfehes Germany. 1t Is presume ].
will observe 20 days next Year. Great
Britain 10. japan ~ and Russia Il.
In most OF these countries Numerous
local holidays ordinarily observed
haze been abandoned during the war.
The study of holidays is fascInat-
ing to the historian. Those of our
field. IT one knew the meaning Of all
the half y hundred days celebrated in
tie United States, NTH The collateral
events connected With each. he weld
be well versed in the nations history.
One Of the first surprises in stere
for such Stndent 10 10 learn that the
United States has NO national heli-
day. The reader will al sRee think
Of Fsurth Of July sas Of Tie Pres-
dents Thanksgiving proclamation.
Hut not ewes these are safioHsL Acts
Of Congress ana Presidents pro-
asaneements In this respect apply
only 10 the District OF Colnmbis and
the territories The states ssssily
fellow suit. but as . matter of Gus
iofa only and Rot of law. Here 10 q
chzBce TO via soiss bets from yeur
friends
AnsrIes's Red letter Days.
American local holidAys are rich In
histsrical signiiicsAee. or such are
the commefaprations OF Bunker HiIl
and Remington and New Orleans and
San Jscinto: the all hut fargotleA
Fast Day OF New England. still sur
wing iR New Hampshire: Patriots
Day in Maine and Old Defenders lay
In Baltimore. Pioneer Day In Idaho
and the various Admission Days pop
uIsr With other western states. Con-
feirrxte Memorial Day in the South
Together with the birthdays Of Lee
and other heroes of the Confederacy
Two states have Independence bays
Of their own. Texas observes her sep
aratioR from Mexico on March 2
North Carolina commentaries the
Halifax Independence resolutions on
April u and the Aecklenburg dccla-
ration on May -
II remains for Frederick county.
Nd 10 celebrate all alone The repu-
diation OF the stamp act one OF the
most local ceehfafiens OF IN impor-
tsni national evenf on record
Among the favorite months for moi.
tdays the world over November leads