The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-28
WHAT WE HAVE TO BE THANK.
Full FOR.

There is no man who breathes Gods
free air, basks in His sunshine, and
has food to preserve life who ought not
to lift up his heartfelt thankfulness on
this good day. There may be sorrow,
suffering. disappointment, poverty on one
side of the scale but on the other are
Gods numbcrless mercies which outS
weigh, many times, any and all these
temporary Affections.
There is a time for all things. There
is a time for arraigning sharply and hon.
estly the evils of government and fight
ing strenuously to overcome them. 1t
is as much q duty at the proper time
to encourage discomfort and invoke Oppo-
sition to the ills we have as it is duty
at other times to give expression to the
good things that make us proud of our
country. The man who always looks upon
the evils becomes a chronic pessimist,
unable to help to improve them. The
man who habitually shuts his eyes to
the evils and locks only upon the good
is like the ostrich who buries his head
zen.
Today is the time to take an inven-
tory Of the good things We enjoy and
the blessings that are vouchsafed us.
Each individual ought to say on this holt
| day, in the words of Willis:
II have enough, 0 God,
/. My heart runs over with it's fulness OF
K content
AS a city, as a State, as republic
we have much for which to be thankful.
Raleigh goes forward in spite OF adverse
y conditions, adding to it's population daily
many of the choicest spirits OF the land.
It has known 10 failures in fall OF
4 short crops and low prices, has had no
\ falling Off in trade. has suffered 70 re-
:. verses, and rejoiees in better streets, good
government and happy homes.
As a State there is abundant cause for
thanksgiving in the fact that peace and
content rest upon all the people. The
agitations of the past are behind us.
Blessed by a State government that is
honest clean, frugal and progressive, the
people of the State are enabled to give
their best thought to their private pur-
suits freed from the necessity of exerting
their energies IS in late years to Sc
cure good government The religious
bodies. the schools and colleges, fne
charitable institutions are closer to the
hearts Of the people than ever before, and
there is cause for thankfulness in tilc
enlargement and prosperity Of the bust
ness and manufacturing enterprises. Many
new enterprises have been born during
the year and are thriving.
AS republic there is profound graft
tude that it is buildod upon rock. The
foul assassination of the beloved Presi-
dent Mckinley, which shocked the world,
showed the strength OF the republic. The
assassin was tried without passion and
executed by due process Of law, and what
in some countries would have produced
a revolution served with us to add to
the reverence for law and devotion to
our free institutions. The news from
the marts of trade show continued pros
perity, and the balance of trade shows
that the products of our farms and
factories and mines are sought in every
cline While there are differences OF
opinion upon governmental policies, there
is cause for thanksgiving that men OF
every shade Of opinion are growing more
tolerant of the views OF others-that men
have clearer ana larger vision.
"And / doubt not through the ages one
increasing purpose runs,
And the thoughts of men are widening
with the process of the suns"