The National tribune., 1902-11-06
THANKSGIVING DAY.


hymns to the popular music of the day, Il
don't propose that the Devil shall have
all the good music" Our ascetic fore
| fathers had something Of the. same idea
| in establishing Thanksgiving Day. They
were strongly opposed to the riot and was.
sail of the English holidays, particularly
Christmas, which had degenerated into
Saturnalia of drunkenness and debauch-
cry. They would have none of May Day.
and still less of Christmas. But in spite of
their rigid doctrine of the great responsible
ties of life, they had a keen appreciation
of the genuinely good things which God
has given to man, and they made OF
Thanksgiving Day the joyful but sober
recognition of these. 1t was made time
when men and women could feast together
upon the good things bountifully supplied
by the fruitful earth, under the blessing
of His sunshine and showers, aided by
their well-directed skill and industry.
Thus there entered into the occasion all
the elements of their wonderful philosophy
and training which has made them and
their descendants the greatest people on
which the sun shines. No matter what
the poets and romancers may say, no
richer boards were ever sat before mobiles
or kings, in castle hall or royal court, than
has been and is customary now in the
homes of the well-to-dO farmers of this
country ON Thanksgiving Day. There is
Il greater variety of good food, better pre-
%bo,, o1So
| in the world. There may not be costly
wines nor sumptuous novelties, but of the
substantials, of the breads, the meats, and
| the fruits, there is an uncomparably hne1
array than can be found on any table N
| Europe. The man who has set before him
an american apple, bunch of our grapes.
or dish of our Florida or California
oranges, has no reason to miss mild Fal-
| ernian" or the choicest vintages from the
sunlit slopes of Johannesburg. To such
feasts as these are brought the kith and
kin from far and near, sons who have gone
abroad to take unto themselves wives, and
daughters who have left the old home
steads to grace remote roof-trees. Coming
together to praise God for all His good
nesA to them. they enjoyed rich gifts in
tangible presence, and mingled with these
the sweetest affection the human heart
can know in the reunion of parents and
children, brothers and sisters, with others
no less dear, whom love brought into the
family fold. Our Thanksgiving Day,
therefore, has all the best of the festivals
which have dignified the lives of other ma
tions, past and present. 1t has the eleya-
ton and reverence of the old Jewish thank
offerings, mingled with the warm family
feeling of the Germanic and Latin peo-
pies. To all this we have added pa
triotic touch by making it a National ex-
preston of gratitude for the good that
God has bestowed upon this, his most
favored Nation.
President Lincoln was the first to make
the beautiful New England custom Ma
tional function, and to incorporate into it
the gratitude we owe to the Divine Being
for our National blessings. His success
sors have followed his example, and Presi-
dent Roosevelt's proclamation is particu-
larly thoughtful and dignified, since it
vividly reminds us Of the reasons why We
should be unusually thankful on the day
| that he designates. He says:
| According to the yearly custom of our
people, it falls upon the President at this
season to appoint day of festival and
thanksgiving to God.
Over century and a quarter has pass
ed since this country took its place among
the nations Of the earth, and during that
time We have had, on the whole, more to
be thankful for than has fallen to the lot
| of any other people. Generation after
generation has grown to manhood and
passed away. Each has had to bear its
peculiar burdens, each to face its special
crises, and each has known years OF grim
trial, when the country was menaced by
malice, domestic or foreign levy; when the
hand of the Lord was heavy upon it in
drought, or food, or pestilence; when in
bodily distress and anguish of soul it paid
the penalty of folly and froward heart.
Nevertheless, decade by decade, we have
struggled onward and upward; we now
abundantly enjoy material weIlbeing and
now through the favor of tile Most
High we are striving earnestly to achieve
moral and spiritual uplifting. The year
that has just closed has been one of peace
and of overflowing plenty. Rarely has
any people enjoyed greater prosperity than
we are now enjoying. For this we render
heartfelt and solemn thanks to the Giver
of Good, and we seek to praise Him, not
by words only, but by deeds, by the way
in which we 'io our duty to ourselves and
to our fellOw-nen.
Now, therefore, I, Theodore Roosevelt,
President of the United States, do hereby
designate as day of general thanksgiv-
ing Thursday, the twenty seventh of the
coming November, and do recommend that
throughout the land the people cease from
their ordinary occupations, and in their
several homes and places Of worship rem
der thanks unto Almighty God for the
manifold blessings of the past year.
/ In witness whereof l have set my hand
and caused the seal Of the United States
to he affixed.
Done at the City of Washington this
Doth day of October, in the year of our
Lord one thousand nine hundred and two,
and of the independence Of the United
States the one hundred and twenty
seventh.
By the President:
(Seal) THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
JOHN HAY,
Secretary of State.
-D
AS tine politicians of both parties in
Colorado are vigorously denouncing a new
r., acI I...t "a l. Al -