Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-02-14


in that particular city will be open
that day. Does any one around the
PLACE know whether January 5 is a
| bank holiday in Pekfng or Athens or
Cape Town? Usually no one does
It's hard enough to keep tabs on the
| "a holidays rampant in these United
States. 1t therefore becomes neceS-
sary to send an expensive cablegram
TO get the information. This sort of
times, in every banking house with
an extensive foreign business.
Among the holidays established by
custom the occasion is generally the
anniversary of an important political
event or the birthday of a national
hero. Such holidays are therefore To-
CAL while church holidays are for the
most part general. The former class
prevails in the newer and more dem
lOcratic countries, while the older ones
confine themselves largely to the
church fasts and festivals.
Where Holidays Are Thickest.
Contrary to the popular notion, the
/ IL" oSltfOSA d1iSS VI tic "CSl SlIJC1 d
greater number of holidays than their
sister nations of the eastern hemi-
! sphere. Of the 81 nations or depend
| encies listed Brazil leads, with "a
| holidays. The United States, with
! 81, is a close second, although she
unlike Brazil, practically ignores the
church days. Another popular delu-
| eli tc ha
France has only Is formally observed
days and Italy only %. We had sup
posed the Latins always outdid us in
this particular Among. the other bel
ligerents Germany, it is presumed
will observe 20 days next year, Great
Britain 16, Japan 10 and Russia II
In most Of these countries numerous
local holidays ordinarily observed
have been abandoned during the war
The study Of holidays is fascinat-
ing to the historian. Those of our
own country offer particularly rich
field. If one knew the meaning of all
the half hundred days celebrated in
| the United States, with the collateral
events connected with each, he would
NC " Gil hSi oCd III the IdJlOIl y Ills y.
One Of the first surprises in store
for such student is to learn that the
United States has no national holt
| day. The reader will at once think
Of Fourth of July and of the Presi-
dents Thanksgiving proclamation.
But not even these are national Acts
of Congress and Presidents pro
! +c f,o l.,
only to the District of Columbia and
the territories The states usually
follow suit, but as matter of Gus
tom only and not of law. Here is q
| chance to win some bets from your
| friends
Americas Red Letter Days.
American local holidays are rich in
historical significance. Of such are
the concentrations of Bunker Hill
! and Bennington and New Orleans and
San Jacinto; the all but forgotten
Fast Day of New England. still sur
viving in New Hampshire; Patriots
Day in Maine and Old Defenders Day
in Baltimore. Pioneer Day in Idaho
and the various Admission Days pop
ular with other Western states, Con-
I federate Memorial Day in the South
together with the birthdays Of Lee
and other heroes of the Confederacy.
Two states have independence Days
Of their own Texas observes her sep
aration from Mexico on March 2.
! North Carolina commentaries the
Halifax independence resolutions on
April Il and the Mecklenburg decIa-
ration on May 20.
1t remains for Frederick county
| Nd, to celebrate all alone the repu-
diation Of the stamp act. one of the
most local celebra tons of an impor-
| tant national event on record
Among the favorite months for hoI-
j idavs the world over November leads