A National Holiday for King

But not without rancor

All 100 Senators were present for the vote. Vice President George Bush made one of his extremely rare appearances to preside, though there was not the remotest chance he would have to break a tie. Rather, the upper chamber was acting with all possible solemnity to confer an honor previously granted to only one American citizen, George Washington. As the honoree's widow watched proudly from the gallery, the Senate voted 78 to 22 to establish the third Monday of January, beginning in 1986, as a national holiday commemorating the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The...