New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-15
TU4NRSGTVTNG.

The THANKSGIVING proclamation of President
Harrison challenges serious thought. Not con-
tent with the customary and sometimes almost
perfunctory expression Of gratitude for National
well-being. in this remarkable paper the Presi-
dent speaks of the prosperity of the country and
the exceptional blessings Of Providence this year
in such strong terms as to fix the attention. His
official declaration is in almost startling contrast
with the wailing and woe of cheap politicians
and labor agtatos, and forces upon thoughtful
men of the country the inquiry whether ne Is
indeed right. For if he is. the complaints ana
lamentations Of these agitators and politicians
and of the money fanatics throughout the land
are false and base in the last degree
1t is the wel-known fact that the land has
been blessed with an extraordinary yield OF agrl-
cultural products. The crops OF wheat and oats
are much the largest ever grown. The crops OF
corn and cotton have been exceeded but once, II
at ALL and the crops of hay, of tobacco, OF pota-
toes and other vegetables, and of fruits, are I'M
usually abundant. This fact cannot be contro-
yerted. and it may well be remembered in con-
nection with the Thanksgiving which was in its
origin an expression of gratitude for the harvests
of the year. But as the annual festival has taken
on broader meaning and spirit with the prog
ress of years, so the language of the President
plainly refers to prosperity by no means lin
tied to the agricultural interest, or to those
directly dependent upon it.
It is the fact that other industries are on the
whole wonderfully active, and employing the
labor of great number of men. The facts nave
Just been published showing that the output OF
iron furnaces in blast on the 1st OF November
was much the greatest ever recorded, lS',6oo
tons weekly, against 1858 tons on the Isl
of October and 1873, SAG tons December l, 1881,
when the production was larger than at any other
time prior to the last month. 1t is true that the
stocks of unsold iron on hand increased TO some
extent during the month OF October, but those
interested in this industry are looking for great
EXPANSION in the demand for iron, although tho
consumption is even now nearly, if not quite, as
great as it ever has been at any other time in
the history of the country When it is consid-
cred that this industry employs directly vast
number of men, and that in the use OF iron and
steel in their various forms probably half a
million persons are also employed, and that the
activity of hundreds of industries is indicated by
the consumption of iron, it will be realized that
in these branches of manufacture the country has
more labor employed at this time than ever be-
fore in its history.
Perhaps as much cannot be said Of the woollen
manufacture, and yet there is evidence that the
consumption in this great department OF industry
is but little smaller than in the previous year,
when it was greater than ever before The sales
of wool at Boston, Philadelphia and New-Yorll
for the year thus far have been 211,0OO,OOO
,o,rds against ooS OOO 600 mounds for tho
same part of the previous year In the cotton
manufacture also the consumption appears, from
all indications now attainable to be greater than
ever before. Last year it increased about per
cent, and this year the quantity taken for con-
sumption by American spnners has been even
greater than it was for the same time last year.
Similar comparisons by the score might be made,
all tending to indicate that the President speaks
words of truth and soberness. The labor OF the
country is on the whole more largely employed
and more proftably employed, not merely in
agriculture only but in other departments also,
than at any other time in its history.