Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-11-28
Thanksgiving.

0Sts "a OuH2lSSS only nave NdIlulLN III
the District of Column ia and the terri
tories and if they be also celebrated in
any of the states it is only through
coincidence of legislation. What
gives real national significance to
Thanksgiving Day is the presidential
proclamation OF it. Yet that procla-
nation is of no legal force except, as
already stated, in the District of Col
umbia. in the territories and over the
civil and military services of the fed
eral government, To the people at
large it is only a recommendation
For this reason the chief executive of
each state, in accordance with the
state law, issues proclamation. and
it is this law which gives validity to
the observance of the day in the re-
spective states. The observance of
Thanksgiving began in Massachusetts
and grew from national day of hui
initiation, fasting and prayer. until
under the proclamation of the immor-
tai Lincoln it became day of nation
al thanksgiving.
The day comes in each year to re-
mind US of the happiness and prosper
ity we have and the debt of gratitude
we owe to The power which shapes the
destinies of the universe, and the
providence--the divine love and care
in which humanity lives and moves
and has its being. Never since the
civil war have the people of this ma
ton had so great cause for thankful
ness. We have come out of foreign
war triumphantly; we have won a
signal victory over the forces of tyr
amy, barbarism, inhumanity, greed
and cruelty. We have set an exam
pie of moral courage and of national
virtue for all the world and have add
ed immeasurably to the civilizing
forces at work among the nations.
We have cause for thankfulness, be-
cause the earth has yielded of its
Juices and its fruits in great abund-
ance; because prosperity has in
creased; because the heart of LABOR is
everywhere lifted up with content
ment and hope; and because all over
the land the evil forces which make
for civic and political corruption have
been re buked in the late elections.
In material conditions the country
finds this year enough of bounty and
of revival to give rest and appetite as
well as abundance to the festive board
on Thanksgiving Day. Its generous
crops, its swift recuperation in many
industries, its freedom from CONNER
cial disasters or great alarms, are all
the more welcome after years of sore
trial. On these cheering aspects of
the time thousands will dwell with
gladness who found little occasion for
rejoicing in the conditions of business
one or two years ago. But the ma
tions true life is not IN the abundance
of things possessed. and the deeper
reasons for thankfulness this year are
not dependent upon the filling of ele-
vators or the price of stock.
The first step of infancy is short and
hesitating, but brings delight by its
promise OF other steps to come. If
the steps the nation has taken towards
a purer and better life have not been
wholly interrupted and infrm, they
are full of promise. The best lie of
the nation comes with the growth.
concience and a patriotic feeling. 1t
begins with definite steps toward hon
esty IN elections and in national. state
and local administrations in the re-
preston OF government by alliance
with vice aud crime; in the awaken
ing of public concience which will
not tolerate barter with evil even for
the sake of success; in the examples
which honest and faithful officials are
able to give, and in the answering
support of a revived public demand
for uprightness and fidelity in all
things. When one looks over the
record of the recent elections and sees
what has been done in this and other
states and municipalities, there is in
deed cause for profound thankfulness.
The year work, taken as a whole,
has been a long stride toward purer,
cleaner and more hone st government.
A national life without patriotic
feeling without sincere and strong de-
sire to uphold the interests, right and
honor of the nation cannot be worth
much. 1t has seemed for a time. and
in many localities besides our own, as
if patriotic feeling might almost be
submerged. But there has come a
change. The revolution ia public
feeling has been so powerful that in
Of communities and in many
states dishonest officials have been re-
tired from public life. never to be re-
turned and the whole system Of POI
litIcal scoundrelism has received a Sc