New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-26
CIVIC BLESSINGS.

Thanksgiving for material blessings Is not
difficult. When Nation has crops never sur
passed in magnitude, aid demand which in
sures sales at fair prices, and an army OF aboreis
well employed, it would be strange indeed If
JOY and gratitude did not spring from the heart
spontaneously, and in full measure But for
blessings that are not entirely material, genuine
and hearty thanbfulness requires larger under
standing and more developed appreciation. IL
Dives fails in gratitude, with bountiful harvests,
swelling trade and solid bank account, his sin
is palpable. But the poor working girl, whose
strained face and scanty raiment tell of strug-
gle to keep the wolf from the door, needs a
keener comprehension of the real value of those
mercies which train pure and heroic character.
The intangible and impOnderable blessings
granted to the people of this country as citizens
during the last year have been of rare value.
Perhaps the greatest of these is the lesson they
have received in the virtue of fidelity and cour-
age. year ago neglect of their duty by many
and cowardly failure to maintain their convic-
tons by some brought singular defeat to the
uphoders of the American National policy. III
the counses of the timid had then prevailed, free
coinage would have been voted and the new
tariff would have been radically changed in the
DISAGREEMENT of disaster Instead, those who
contend for honest money manifested courage
and firmness which many considered rash and
fatuOus. They stood to their posts manfully,
and the sober second thought of the people IS
now rewarding them. Wherever they have met
the questions of National duty most frankly, they
have been sustained by great increase OF
strength, and in Ohio, after the nomination of
Major Mckinley himself have been rewarded
by a splendid victory. These results are not OF
interest only to partisans or politicians. They
concern the development and training of the
National character They teach most impressive
" the lesson which it is always the hardest for
popuar representatives in self-governing coun-
try to learn, that manly fidelity is the only path
to a solid success.
1t is great blessing, also, that the mistaken
and essentially selfish schemes of the Farmers
Alliance have been confronted with earnest argyll
ment and manly resistance, until a great multi
| tude who at first favored them have seen their
error. When it is considered how dangerous
and really dishonest some of the proposals OF the
Alliance were, and yet how adroitly it appealed
to the selfish interests of large and powerful
class how it swept some great States as II with
a whirwind, and captured local and judicial
Offices only to Use them for the private gain OF
individuals against the welfare Of the public, it
must be accounted mercy OF the highest i'm
| portance that this popular fanaticism has been
so quickly checked, and the minds OF thousands
opened to appreciation of honesty in government.
| Here again fidelity has been rewarded, and the
! character Of American citizenship has been dis
tinctly elevated by the demonstration that dema-
gogues cannot hope to prevail long by dishonest
schemes and appeals to the selfish interest of a
| class.
This country has taken long steps forward
during the last year, and thus has done much to
prepare the way for better government in the
| future. But the education of its citizens haa
also been advanced by the Christening OF re-
verses. where the duties of citizenship have been
neglected No man can say how costly to the
people of this great State the laziness and in
difference Of a few thousand voters in the late
election may yet prove, since it has given to
the enemies of free government chance to
| steal the lawma1ng power. Another lesson oil
| incalculabe value is that the mere machinery
of an election law will not prevent corruption
nor insure fair elections Nothing can guard
and preserve the liberties of American citizens
except their own sleepless vigilance and constant
attention to their duties as rulers. III that lesson
only has been learned it is one for which day
of thanksgiving may well be celebrated.