New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-30
4 DAY or HOPE.
witnesses

The child gives thanks easily when its hands
are filed with sweets. But the grown man or
nation may he able to give thanks with hearth
ness even when there Is not Il riot OF pros
nerity The solid and enduring gains which
assure the means for many thnnksgiyings some
times come with present sacrifices ana SAD
ness. For many years Thanksgiving has Deeh
closely associated in the minds of the people
with Il material prosperity such az no o'her
land under The sun has enjoyed. Yet mat pros
perity has all the time been threatened by the
fanatical prciudiccs Of one large section anu
the Ignorance Of II great body OF voters III all
sections. Thirty years and more the land had
cnioyed a National policy. and an entire gen
Grafton of voters had grown up or arrived from
foreign shores without the enlightening expert
cnca of any other conditions here. Meanwhile
the one section in which the opinion Of the
working millions counts for nothing has been
obstinately hostile 10 the National policy. ana
has regarded every triumph OF industries IN
this country as Il new assault upon its obsolete
but still cherished theories.
ON such foundation prosperity was always
insecure There was always n possibility mat
at any general election some minor disagree
| uents among the friends of the National policy
might cause its overthrow. There had arisen
| AT the West. also, a strange species OF social
| ism. demanding class favoritism to the farni-
owners. Because they could not In the nature
Of things participate as largely as others i'll the
direct benefits of policy which made the whole
| Nation prosperous. some were disposed to reject
its indirect benefits and to try its defeat. Add
ed 10 this was the INSCRIPTIONS readiness OF
opponcnts TO be all things TO all men, Il superior
kind of Protcctionists in New England and
ultra Free Traders in the South. Prolonged re-
sistance 10 these combined forces ended III
1882 in a great defeat That collapse Of indus
tries came which had long been feared.
year ago the shadow of coming disaster
was perceived by men who knew the conditions
Of industrial progress To-day. notwiihstand-
I ing the gloom Of Il disaster greater than the
country had previously seen for forty years or
more the Thanksgiving tables are loaded with
promisc. Disaster has educated millions al
ready Great States have reversed their action
so surprisingly as TO make il plain that the isno-
rance Of Northern voters. and especially or
| working voters. is swiftly passing away. The
| monetary pcriis which change Of policy threat
| encd have been greatly reduced. Above all.
il is reason for profound thanksgiving that the
,rckery and evasion Of more than thirty years
| have ended i'm the framing Of n Tariff bill
which tells the country what ii has 10 expect
from The reactioDaiy party.
There may BE- hard times ahead. II is scarce
" possible that industries and business will
escape serious depression during months Of M
certainty. and if the pending measure becomes
Il law, education by suffering AMI trial may
proceed even more rapidly Yet The seed is
being sown, even in these November days. for
Il prosperity greater than the country has ever
seen and more certain 10 endure. For when the
country next has power TO decide between Il
National policy and it's opponents. the verdict
will be given in the light Of n severe but pc
culiarly instructive experience. The convic-
lions of the millions will by that time have
become 80 rooted and so clear that, we may
reasonably hope they will not be shaken again
for another generation.