Evening star., 1900-11-29

Seldom mas IIle UdN diiiudHs
by national custom for giving THANKS
dawned in this country al season Oh SUI,
universal gratitude for blessings receive"
and disasters ayerted. There have peeh
November Thursdays. thus designated
which fnInd the country despondent, III ''ie
midst nf serious political or social or COM
rnerciaI crises Some have found the peopie
mourning for great losses. Sometimes 'hes Sc
disasters have happened with such ire
oucncy that the day has seemed mocHery. ..
or at least an occasion OF thanks only ioF
the comparative blessings which have light
ened the burden of heavy national grief
Rut in this wear of grace 1900 Thanksgiving
DaV finds the country well and prosperous
and apparently assured of an even and un-
interrupted period of prosperity for an IN
definite period. No cloud dims the national
horizon. No menace is at hand in either
domestic or foreign relations to mar the
prospect.
Looking backward over the past year one
perceives that our country has prospered
materially as probably never before. Our
people have found their labors fruitful in
every branch of industry. Our farmers and
manufacturers have found the markets
eager for their products and the prices
satisfactory. Our artisans have found en-
ployulent even beyond the capacity of the
trades to supply the demand. Our business
men have encountered very few obstacles
to uniform success. Our national credit
has remained high and the balance of trade
has settled toward these shores to ensure
continued abundance of money.
The country has passed through great
political campaign. which involved a pos
sible menace to the prosperity of the land
and the foreign prestige of the government.
The result has justified the expectations of
the friends of sound currency and wise
expansion. The people have ratified with
unmista hable emphasis the acts of the ad-
minfstratiUn. thereby preventing reaction
which would probably destroy the good
works of the past and render impossible the
achievements which are even now taking
form for the betterment Of the republic
The election was verdict by and for the
good sense. the conservative Judgment and
the patriotism of the American people
Locking abroad. there is every reason for
congratulation and Thanksgiving. \ terri
bic crisis in China imperiied the lives of
many. Americans. including the minister to
the Tekin government. For weeks the
country was shaken by great fear.
Steady hands in charge of the governments
machinery. however. brought the threat
ened ones out of their peril and greatly en-
hanced the country's influence beyond its
own borders. There We're losses in China,
for which there is now and will remain deep
regret. But out of the great trial the
United States has emerged with a record
for steadfastness and courage which is
worthy of a special day of Thanksgiving.
:, serious labor crisis at one time threat
ened the peace Of one of the largest of the
states and even disruption Of the relations
between employer and employe in other
lines of labor and in other states. But
tioral management brought order out of the
thu ca tened chaos and what might have been
a blot upon the years record was avoided.
This gives additional cause for national
gratitude, for great evil was averted.
The year has brought one great affiiction.
the disaster at Galveston. which swept
away thousand of lives and millions of
property values II was an unparalleled
calamity. which, however evoked the lat
ent generosity and charity of the American
people in way to prove cause for con-
graduation. The spectacle of the whole ma
tion rising to the relief of the stricken city
was illustrative of the unmeasured force Of
pubic sentiment which, when rightly d.
rected. has heretofore made the United
States a great power and has carried the
Union through perils and temptations
We'll indeed. Is the custom of Thanksgiv-
ing preserved. 1t bespeaks the sober sense
of responsibility of the people 1t offers op-
portunity for expression of devout graft
1ude to the powers above 1t centers ma
uonal attention for at least one day in the
year upon the blessings enjoyed the trials
safely Fl ssed and the opportunities for
betterment grasped which in combina ton
are the factors of true national greatness