The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-06-17

! important to know whether the bank
10 that particular city will be open
that day. Does any one around the
Tlace know whether January 5 Is q
bank holiday in Picking or Athens OF
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
thing happens not once, but many
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 10.
cal, while church holidays are for the
most part general The former class
prevails In the newer and more dem
ocratic countries, while the older ones
confine themselves largely to the
church fasts and festivals.
Where Holidays Are Thlckest.
Contrary TO the popular notion the
new democracles Of the west enjoy u
greater number OF holidays than their
sister nations Of the eastern heml.
sphere. OF the 81 nations or depend
encIes listed Brazil leads, with 81
holidays. The United States, with
"a, Is close second. although she
unlike Brazil, practically ignores the
church days. Another popular delu
| sion Is shattered when we find that
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, 1t is presumed
will observe 20 days next year, Greal
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 oul
own country offer a particularly riel
field. If one knew the meaning of al
the half a hundred days celebrated II
the United States, with the collateral
events connected with each, he woult
be well yersed in the nations history.
One of the first surprises In store
for such student Is to learn that thS
| United States has no national holl
day. The reader will al once think
of Fourth of July and of the Presi
dents Thanksgiving proclamation
But not even these are national. Act!
of Congress and Presidents pro
nouncements In this respect apply
only to the District Of Columbia ant
the territories. The states usual,
follow suit, but as matter Of Gus
tom only and not of law. Here 10 {
chance to win some bets from YOU
friends.
Ameriea's Red Letter Days.
American local holidays are rich II
historical significance OF such ar,
the commemorations Of Bunker Hi
and Bennington and New Orleans anC
San Jaclnto; the all but forgotten
Fast Day of New England, still sur
vivIng In New Hampshire; Patriots
, Day in Maine and Old Defenders Da.
, In Baltimore, Pioneer Day In Idah'
and the various Admission Days pop
ular with other Western states, Con
! federate Memorial Day In the South
together with the birthdays Of Lee
! and other heroes of the Confederaey.
Two states have independence Day
1 of their own. Texas observes her sep
/ aration from Mexico on March
t North Carolina commentaries tn
Halifax independence resolutions Of
: April II and the Mecklenburg decla
! ration on May 20.
( II remains for Frederick county
+ Md, to celebrate all alone the repu
diatlon Of the stamp act, one of tn
most local celebrations OF an lmpor
! tant national event on record.
$ Among the favorlte months for hol
5 idays the world over November leads