The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-12-02
Thanksgiving.

The Philadelphia Record:
For weeks past we have observed
the southwark flight of our sum-
mer friends, the feathered tribes of
warblers. Now they have all de-
parted. Tha fallen leaves are haard
rustling as they are whirled in the
early blasts of approaching winter.
The naked trees are seen with their
dark limbs stretched imploringly
upward against a cold, steel grey
sky, and lonely feeling comes over
us as we stand face to face with
Nature fast sinking into her win
ter's sleep. The time was we'll
chosen for that quaint New En-
gland custom which has since de-
veloped into the national holiday.
1t is an ideal season for a day of
Thanksgiving. 1t is the season
when the mind of man bends nat
urally to solemn thoughts and self
communion. II is the time when
the promise of the year will have
been either blasted or fulfilled,
and when man can reckon the good
or the i'll that has befallen him. If
he cast up his account honestly his
heart must be inclined to thanks,
for he must be pessimest, indeed,
who will not admit, that, after all,
the good always and evermore far
overbalences the evil.
Of individual misfortune there
has been no lack. Death has come
riding on the whirlwind along our
coasts. Unto ward disasters have
claimed many of our less robust
brothers have fallen by the way
side. But for us who survive, is
there not cause flor Joy? If all
should be gone save life and hope
there would still be reason enough
for Thanksgiving. When, accord
ing to the Grecian fable, the Gods
breathed life into the statute of
Galater the cold marble was thrill
ed to the verge of madness with
the joy of mere animation. We
who are inspired by diviner spirit,
who are not merely animated but
imbued with reason and the capa-
pacity to love, should we be less re-
sponsive than was the rock-hewn
image, or:should our joy be lesss
Thanks, that we still walk in the
sunlight and breathe the air of life!
Thanks, that we have been spared
to comfort those whom we love
and cherish!
Whether as individuals or col
lectively as u nation, our inheir-
tance of hope and our reason for
Thanksgiving are great, indeed.
The harvest has been garnered, and
Mother Earth has not been mig
gard toward her children. Our
granaries are heaped with the gold
en- fruit Of the soil; the beneficent
sun has caused the cotton balls to
ripen, burst, and yeild their wealth
of snowy whiteness. Out of our
abundance will come to us by ex-
change the choicest good things of
the world. We continue in the en-
joyment of the blessings of peace
and Of political, religious and in
dustrial freedom. There is moth
ing which impedes us in the work.
ing out of our high and noble des-
tiny. Here be a combination of
blessings vouchsafed to few-nay,
to none other-of the peoples OF
this earth. Where else is the re-
ward of industry so great as among
US? Where else can it be truly
said that "every man Is the archi-
tect of his own fortune?"
True enough, even among our
people, the development of modern
industrialism to higher and even
higher planes of living does not
progress without interruption
Economic folly, the following Of
false lights and prophets, carry
their own punishment in their train
The laws governing commerce and
trade can no more be disregarded
with impunity than can the laws
of health. Experience keeps deal
school; but if we shall mark hel
teachings all will be we'll. Tenn
porary setbacks will then become
but milestones In the onward
march of civilization. AS 1t is, the
world is surely and steadily bocom
ing a better place to live in. Wher
we look back little way into the
past we see how real and how grea
has been the progress of humanity
Our Ii yes are richer, fuller ant
nobler than those of our fathers
and never before in history have
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