Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-12-31
New Years Day
Not Celebrated
as in Olden Days
BY Associated Press.


New York. Dec. 3l.-New Years
day isn't what 1t used to be. This is
In a small way attributable to the
addition to the constitution OF some
dry reading matter. In still greater
part 1t Is because the international
obsession for celebrating whenever
Father Time takes a fresh start In
plotting the earth around tho sun is
thousands of years old. The manner
OF observing the day has changed
greatly thru the centuries.
The urge to give presents at least
once year was felt even before
Christmas and Santa Claus came IN
to the scheme of things. and the an
Gent Greeks. Chinese. Egyptians and
Romans rendered their gifts to one
another on the first day OF the year.
Kings got into tho habit OF receiv-
ing extra gifts from their subjects
on these days and liked II so well
they began extortins larger and
larger sums. This practice got so
bad In Rome under the Caesars that
Claudius called n halt.
1t spread to other countries. how
ever. and the English had their New
Years celebration spoiled annually
by rapacious sovereigns until Queen
Elizabeth's modest demands of her
subjects cut gifts down to a min.
imum. In those days tho celebration
OF New Years day had become
worldwide. With variations to suit
all nationalitics. 1t consisted ever, :
where OF eating, drinking and mot
ley merriment.
Christopher Columbus. SO far as
is known, was the first white man to
5ubilate on New Years day in the
western hemisphere. While his ships
were undergoing repairs OH Jan. !,
1893. he enjoyed sumptuous din
ner with two savage monarchs on
the island of Haiti. After this meal,
history says. the discoverer Of Am
erica had his first smoke of tobacco.
Whether he enjoyed IL Is not reco1d-
ed, but he left It to a later genera
ton, Sir Walter Raleigh II generally
credited with the function--to in
troduce tobacco in Europe.
The Pilgrim. Fathers and tho hrst
families OF the older states OF the
union enjoyed a quiet holiday az
each year came around. They feast
ed but not until they had attended
religious services. In the 18th cen
fury people with big houses and
flowing sideboards held open house
on New Years day and from all over
friends came afoot, on bicycles and
in surreys and stanhopes to pay
| short visits and sample the contents
OF vino cellars. hTen they went off
to call on othes friends. Popular
maidens In those days witnessed
traffic jams in front OF their homes
| SO prevalent was the penchant for
short calls on young women during
| the afternoon OF the years first day
This custom began to pass quietly
with the dawn of the Twentieth
century. automobiles, and cabarets
1t was succeeded by nothing but
wine" habits amid the thousands
who freauented cafes and grill
rooms in the cities OH New Years
eve.
For twenty-five years up, to the
dawn OF 1920 and the era of war
time prohibition. the celebration ir
New York became holster and mere
expensive each year. Thousand
used to crowd into places Of mer-
riment while Broadway was packed
with a surging throng of merry
makers with squawkers clappers
bells, ticklers and confetti.
Every hotel and most OF the res
taurants were jammed with gay
diners. In 1908 II was estimated tina,
/ q t. 4 4 -
light district on New Years eve
After that statisticians gave up try
ing to figure cut the sum.
The din and probably the cost o.
the celebration was greatly dimin.
| ished under wartime prohibition II
the New Years demonstration o
1920. Old timers said all the ginger
had departed with John Barleycorn.