(coTswoRTH] THE NEED OF A " RATIONAL ALMANAC " 238 



We have not the grave difficulties in the path of refoiTa that con- 

 fronted Julius Caesar who had to expand the year 45 B. C. by 80 days 

 amongst the uneducated peoples of Europe. Neither have we to deal 

 with the awkward case which Pope Gregory the Great had to decide in 

 1582 A. D. when ten days had to be deducted from that year, nor the 

 11 days which Protestant England foolishly deferred deducting until 

 1752, when few people could read or write, nor get the 13 days which 

 Russia must from necessity leave out within tlie next few years. 



The proposed almanac neither requires additions to, nor deductions 

 from the regular 365 days year. — On the contrary every day therein 

 would become fixed and regular. 



That most vital consideration makes this reform infinitely easier to 

 carry into effect, although the practical advantages that can be derived 

 by the adoption of the " Eational Almanac " are believed by competent 

 authorities to be very much greater in public convenience than those greait 

 and wise reforms, which after all simply adjusted the length of the civil 

 year and anchored January 1st to begin on the same solar date. 



The practical convenience Europeans derived from Constantino the 

 Oreaf 8 substitution of the quarter-moon by the seven days week in the 

 year 321 A. D. has probably preceded that of the combined reforms 

 of Julius Caesar and Pope Gregory Xlllth. It was the fixity they gave 

 to the yearns length and the settled order of dates therein, that gave those 

 reforms pre-eminence. 



In the reform now proposed, the object is to fix the date and name 

 for every day permanently and remove all uncertainty by three successive 

 governmental operations well within the powers of the representatives of 

 all countries to accomplish for the good of all, as no selfish interests are 

 involved. 



1. The governments will be asked ito assemble an international con- 



ference to decide the best method of reforming the months and 

 locating the " Dies-non,^' also to determine the date upon which 

 the new almanac shall begin. 



2. Next each country will in accordance with these decisions pass 



their own Acts of Parliament to carry the solutions of the con- 

 ference into effect and regulate their national holidays. 



3. Finally the almanac makers and printers in their respective coun- 



tries will under the powers of such Acts print and circulate the 

 new almanacs as we do now, but with permanent week-day and 

 other names attached to the 365 days individually. The 

 Farmers' Almanacs will record the dates for sowing, etc. Law 

 and University Calendars will have fixed term dates ; whilst 



