The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-11-26
r.. Na,ionnI Thanksgiyina.

To such as may not have sustained any re-
cent private loss the Thanksgiving of 1868 may
properly be much more enjoyable occasion
than that of last year, Then it was uncertain
whether the nation would during the ensuing
year undo all that the labors aud suferings of
the last seven years had accomplished, or
whether it would go on to finish the work that
had been begun; but now it is certain that the
latter course will be taken, and this is surely
enough to thank God for.
Yes, we have many things to be thankful
for, no doubt, some of us. But the great OBJ
stacle in the way OF general rejoicing is the
old perplexing and deporable division of the
people into rich aud po)r. This is thing to
be regretted, let our sleek and wel-fed opti-
mists reason as they will. Our Dombeys may
SIMULTANEOUSLY quote, to ease The twinges of
not altogether quiet conscience, the scripture
that says 'the poor We have always with you"
A perverted text of scripture is inadequate
compensation for the poorly-clad body and
empty stomach of many a poor Tom who is
"a-cold" this Thanksgiving day.
Once upon time a statesman OF some re-
pute who is still in active public life made
speech in remote Western town in which he
gave free expression to the idea that the inc
quitable division of this worlds goods which
everywhere prevails is not so beatifc a state
OF things as ms ny-especially those VINO are
abundantly blessed-would have us believe.
He was encouraged BY his remoteness from
the great centres of intelligence to deal more
frankly with the question than in this coun-
try a prosperous statesman ever did before
He no doubt gratifed for the nonce his con.
vctions of right by the utterance of Red Re-
publican theories as some sort of reparation
for the conformity of his words and actions to
the established order of things when he was
once more off the prairies and snug in Wash
ington. So he attacked the system of LARGE
landed estates and spoke approvingly of level
ing up in some way the chasm between the
aristocracy and the mud-sls. But some pry-
ing "chieP was there with reportorial pencil
and pretty soon the Senator's words were car
ried by the telegraph to men who straghtway
pronounced him an "agrarian," Socialist"
Communist" and an abandoned rogue who
was hacking away at the very foundations of
societ
As for the Senator-though man of firm |
ness and far more than average pluck-he re- |
canted.
He probably meant no more than that in le- |
Ultimate ways, by wise conforming of laws to /
the gradual attainment of the purpose by |
bring into activity all the CO operative schemes
that are calculated to improve the condition
of the laborei and OF the poor, the distance be-
tween rich and poor might be lessened by i'm
perceptibie degrees.
But he dare not stand by his convictions. /
2or, Tina A.
Senator's power who will dare, and /
then after time Thanksgiving day will not !
be monopoly in the hands of the rich and of /
the "well-to-do"
CoTToN.-It has been believed by MANY per
sons that the United States having lost DUR |
ing the Rebellion the control of the cotton |
markets of the world could never regain the |
lost position. II the fear had been realized it
would indeed have been a serious blow to the /
commercial standing of the country. The d
American war stimulated the cultivation of Il
the cotton plant in chimes where the natural 4
conditions its growth were not so favorable /
as here in Mexico. Brazil, China, Egypt and /
British India. But the war having ceased, /
King Cotton bids fair, after all, to set up bis /
throne again in South America, only he will /
never again usurp political power. A cable /
dispatch reports the aggregate crop in Egypt \
at Ga, 500 four hundred pound bales; but very /
little of this will reach the looms of Manches- /
ter In time to be included among the receipts Il
Of 1885, The imports into the United King
dom, up to September 80, have decreased 49,
548 bales over the corresponding period last |
year; the receipts in the nine months of 1867 h
being 2,211 .O56 bales, and 2,073512 bales in
1865 The deliveries from the United States /
have increased to ,OSO,746 bales to September /
80, over 1,047,0 bales in 1867, and 99S ,92O 4
bales in 1866, for the corresponding periods.
The receipts from Mexico and China appear to
have ceased altogether this year: the crop in
British India has greatly declined, and all the
other countries whore cotton is produced have
lost ground, except Brazil, which moro than
her own,