The National tribune., 1891-11-26
THANKSGIVING DAY.

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readers in the remote sections of the country
their Thanksgiving dinner and It's associa-
tions will be a memory. We sincerely hope
1t will lie a very pleasant memory, and one
that viii sweeten and cheer all the years TO
come.
To hundreds Of thousands of other readers
TIE NATIONAL TRIBUNE will come as they
are preparing to gather with their kindred
and friends around boards that, plain or
luxurious, are garnished by that best Of all
cheers, and which can make the scantiest
table better than a royal feast-mutual love
aud affection.
Thanksgiving Day is The time TO specially
remember how favored our land is by
Heaven. Much has been said Of the senti-
mental side Of this. Let us consider for
once the purely practical-the common,
everyday side.
In the FIRST place. every man in this coun-
try sits down-not only on Thanksgiving
Day, but every day--to better dinner than
he could possibly get anywhere else in the
world There is a great deal Of nonsense
talked and written about living being
cheaper in Europe than here. Common
sense says that the only way the people
there can live cheaper is by living on less
much less-than we do II is absurd TO say
that they can have more--or as much-as
we do for the simple reason that they must
/ buy all Of the substantals OF food from rs,
and these must sell for more there than
here, because Of the cost Of transportation
and the profits Of the middlemen. Bread
and meat are the great essentials Of daily
food II a man does not have sufficient
quantity Of the best quality OF bread and
meat, he simply cannot be well fed-that is
ALL The cheaper substitutes employed by
the poorer and middle classes Of Europe are
not SO good as the things that they replace,
and no skill in cookery can make up the
defect The American workingman who
sits down to a meal Of plain American
bread, meat, potatoes etc, has simply the
best that the world can furnish. The Car
OF Russia or the Queen Of England cannot
have placed upon his OF her table better
loaf Of bread or roast Of beef than is acces-
sible TO every man in the United States
These must be placed on our tables cheaper
than on any tables in the Old World for the
sufficient reason that the farmer the butcher,
and the miller must sell their products at
as much less than European prices as it will
cost TO take those products to Europe and
sell them there.
When il comes TO other furnishings Of the
dinner, the same reasons for cheapness and
excellence prevail Sugar tea, and coffee
are sold here as cheaply as they are and can
be anywhere in'Europe. Sugar, which forms
so large a portion OF an American house
holds expenses, is cheaper here than any
where except in England, for the reason
that the protective systems Of Germany,
France, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark,
Austro-H Hungary, Italy, and Russia tax the
sugar consumed by their own people very
heavily in order TO make up for the draw
backs allowed 10 push the sale Of their
sweets abroad.
Then as TO the variety. Owing TO the
great extent Of orr country, the djyersiiies
Of our soil and climate, aud the cheapuess
Of our system Of interchanging products the
tables Of the common people show an array
Of tempting edibles such as would be only
possible to the very rich in Europe. Every
one can have fish, poultry, and tie greatest
variety Of fruit This is wholly different in
Europe Fish may be SO plentiful and cheap
along the seacoast as 10 be mOnotonous aud
tiresome, while being rare luxury at little
distance in the interior Grapes, peaches,
and melons are abundant and cheap in
Italy, and costly luxuries IN England which
is not 20 far away as Chicago is from New
York Splendid apples, pears, and grapes,
the like Of which the traveller would have
TO 90 halfway across Europe 10 find, are
sold at moderate prices in every one Of our
towns. The price Of days labor in this
country viii give any man a feast that only
the wealthy in Europe can afford This il
something that our people are far from ap,
} preciating. Things that are luxuries il
Europe are 80 common with as that we for
, get how fortunate above all Others we are
and we have constantly on our tables foot
, daiuties that the bulk Of the people in Eu
G rope scarcely have an opportunity 10 enio!
e from the beginning 10 the end Of thei
s lives.
= This variety and cheapness were onl.
b made possible by the successful termination
IS Of the war for the Union. Had the rebel
g lion been successful, the country would hay
t. split up into number Of discordant an
a fighting Governments. The fruits Of Cal
Il fonia, the oranges Of Florida, the melons
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