Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-11-18
errors of New England, proclamations
were issued making that day the regu-
LIZ. Il, alrc.1n is1ir

were issued making that day the FeSu-
lar Thanksgiving.
In the south Thanksgiving, as an
annual festival, remained practically
unknown until, in 1856, the curious
! Virginian controversy on the subject
was precipitated. This controversy
which is not generally known, deserves
a brief notice. The governor Of Vir-
ginia at the time was one Johns, a pa
triotic and broad-minded gentleman,
who had always entertained rever-
ence for the Puritan anniversary
which was by no means common below
Mason and Dixon's line. Gov. Johns,
in letter to the state legislature, ur-
gently recommended the recognition OF
Thanksgiving in Virginia, and offered
in case his recommendation proved
satisfactory, to at once issue proc
lamation.
But the legislature Of Washington's
state did not look upon the New Eng
land holiday with favor. Gov. Johns
was advised not to make the Thanks
giving proclamation; and, as he did
not do so, the matter was allowed tenn
porarily to drop. But public interest
had been awakened, and before long
fierce debate was raging in Virginia
between the opponents and supporters
of the proposed southern Thanksgiy-
ing. At last in 1857, Gov. Wise
Johns successor-took the metaphori-
cal bull by the horns, and issued a
proclamation setting apart a day for
the feast. His action caused much
angry criticism, and several southern
ern newspapers declared that Thanks
giving was simply "a relic of Puritan
ic bigotry." In spite of this, the in
novation was warmly welcomed. The
hospitable southerners greeted gladly
another holiday, and the northern feast
soon ranked among them as second in
Importance only to the glorious
Fourth itself In 1S5S-the year after
Wises proclamation- no less than
eight governors of southern states pro-
claimed Thanksgiving in their Sec
tions The war, however, coming
shortly afterward, practically extin-
guished the popularity of the holiday
| in Dixie
But it has become loved institu-
| ton in the middle, western and north
| western states. Exiled Americans,
too, cling to it's celebration, and every
November sees Thanksgiving dinners
in London, Paris, Berlin, Rome-or
| wherever some of the scattered chill
dren of Uncle Sam may chance to So
! journ. Indeed, Mr. William Astor
Chanler, the well-known explorer, tells
OF Thanksgiving dinner which he en-
ioyed in the very heart of darkest Al
RIGA.
| An extensive and highly interesting
volume might be compiled on the sub
ject of Thanksgivings and the events
which have signalized them. For in
stance, on Thanksgiving day, 1888, the
British army evacuated New York
while Washington and Clinton march
ed into the city at the head of the con
tinental army and took formal posses
sion in the name of the young repub'
lie. Festivities and grand display
OF fireworks closed that memorable
day. Thanksgiving had fallen that
year on December Is, and the combin'
alton Of evacuation day and that fes'
tival were long jointly honored i'll New
York.
The Thanksgiving day of 1916 is
memorable as the occasion upon which
an American theater was first sllum-
mated with gas. This event happened
in Philadelphia. The experiment was
a complete success, and the manager
of the affair was DR.. Kugler. During
the war, of the battles and skirmishes
fought on Thanksgiving. the most no.
table was that of Lookout mountain
(1S63).
A few odd and distinctive methods O.
cele brating the great holiday still sur