Evening star., 1922-01-01
Fifty Years Ago
i'm The Star

observance of Christmas fifty years
ago was considerably different from
that of today. IL
How Christmas was much noisier
Was Observed. e,IIa,%a, e,nls.ian ~,f" of srs me
works and, sad to relate much eyi-
dence Of overindulgcnce in spirituous
liquors. In The Star Of December 20,
1871. is the following comment on the
i occasion:
hriStmaS was very generally and
as "a rule very appropriately observed
yesterday. though, we regret to say.
an unusual amount Of drunkenness
was visible on the streets~a there
was little or no falling off IN the dan
gerous and foolish use of firecrackers
and pistols. The practice of giving
presents seems to be growing every
year. both in extent of observanr-
ana eNtraNagance III the cost of gifts.
| This latter feature is 10 he regretted.
since II places many persons in thu
predicament of taxing themselves be
yond their means if they undertake t".
remember all who feel that they ought
to be thus remembered. or of being
considered misery or selfish il they do
not do so. Besides. the fashion of Civ
ing costly presents often leads their
recipients to esteem them according
to their intrinsic value and sometimes
TO indulge in comparisons which are
as unjust as they are improper, for
getting that liberality is not at all a
matter of quantity. but purely one Of
PROPORTION. Far better the good old
times, when gifts were few and sim
pie. when they were valued for th.-
glVer and not because they were hand
somer than some one else's. or repre-
sented so much in dollars and cents on
the invoice books Of the dealer"
The prospect OF the early establish
ment of the merit system in the MAX
ing of appoint
Sudden Rush for nnents 10 public
Patronage. @ bnys "a % ~ ~,
feet fifty years ago of stimulating the
patronage seekers. according 10 the
following in The Star of December
26. 1871:
positions in the government service
before the first of January has been
much greater. il is said. since the
adoption by the President of the rules
prepared by the civil Service Com
mission tnan at any time v ithjn the
memory of men now living. Not that
the numerous applicants will not h.
able to stand III" tests imposed h'
those rules: oh. no, but il would be
such a nice thing. YOU know to COM
mencc the new year with an appoint
ment safely in ones pocket. EaSides.
il would crafty their member and
generally their senator also 10 know
that they have been successful with
out his being obliged to come down
personally to see about it,.
The tendency toward Indulgence in
strong drink on Christmas day fifty
years ago Was fol
Drinking on lowed seven days later
New Year. degree Of ;n,oxirs,ion
on New Year day. The Star in its is
sue of December 80. 1871, said:
From what we hear there is pretty
general disposition Oh 4 he part of tn"
ladies prominent in Washington So
ciety 10 dis"ountenauce the use OF
liquors AT the receptions on Monday.
There is absolutely nothing TO be said
in favor of dispensing intoxicating
drinks on that day. and when we come
to look at the matter closely there j.
something almost shocking in the
idea of wives. mothers and sisters
holding out TO young men the tempta
tion TO become drunkards in form
SO much more dangerous and seduct-
i've than that presented by the ordi-
nary grog shop The great sufferers
by intemperance are women. 1t is the
wives and mothers who spend the
anxious midnight hours and shed the
bitter tears while their husba nds and
sons are abroad wasting money and
destroying health in drunken orgies
Ii must be bitter reflection 20 such
wives and mothers that the taste ana
thirst for drink may have been ar-
quired from the temptai ions Of fh,
New Year refreShment tables, Offered
by themselves or other wives an6
mothers. Let the ladies take the lead
in reforming an evil that comes homt
| SO directly to them