Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-25

and natural gas has been of incalculab.e
benefit to the country.
Increased Production.
Along with all these things the area of
cultivated land has been increased 50 that
the wheat and corn and cotton ana other
crops of the present are enormously vaster
than they were in 1865. Manufactures of
all sorts have increased enormously also,
the total for 1865 being worth rather more
than two billions of dollars: this year the
total value of our manufactures will not
be far from fifteen billions OF dollars.
roughly estimating the figures from the
census of 1869.
Stimulated by the extension and devel-
opment of the railroads, and in turn stmu
lating their development, intimately inter-
locked and independent with the growth
of mining. agriculture and manufacturing;
there has been an unbelievable growth of
cities and towns in the forty years tha-
Will end next Thursday.
And, on that day, Uncle Sam. after
d light good dinner of turkey and pumpkin
PIE and other standard Yankee viands con-
templates the tremendous advance his set
Elements have made he may also dwell in
thought upon the fact that the total of
the countrys population has grown from
about thirty-three and a half millions in
1865 to more than eighty millions in 1895.
Now these material good things are all
well worth being grateful for; no other
people on the green earth have SO many
reasons of the sort for thankfulness as the
Americans but there are other things that
should not be forgotten in making up the
sum of the country's gratitude next Thurs
Gay.
Many, though not all. of the great labor
saving inventions have been developed since
1868: this is especially true of agricultural
machinery and the like. The development
of the sewing machine. prior invention,
has really taken place since 1865. The tele-
phone and the electric light are much less
than forty years old.
Mode of Living Has Advanced.
Americas mode of living has advanced
ircalculably. Many of the comforts which
tniee-quarters of the people enjoy today
were luxuries unattainable by any but the
favored few forty years ago. 1t would take
a volume to tell of what forty years has
done in that line, and for all of which we
should all be thankful.
The healing art and surgery have made
great strides. Many diseases dimly under
stood then are comfortable now. Even con-
sumption has had to yield measurably, and.
because of the immense strides medicine
mas taken, the average of human life has
increased appreciably since 1855, according
to careful compilations from official vital
statistics.
In the general raising of the level OF
intelligence, in the increase of schools col
leges and universities since 1865, the coun-
try perhaps has the greatest cause OF all
to be thankful.
In this respect the west has relatively
more reason for gratitude than the east
While nearly all the great institutions OF
learning were then in the east, today al
most every state has it's great university
besides several colleges and other credltabie
seats of advanced learning. the Pacific
coast being particularly strong in such
foundations.
This is the best possible augury for the
future of the republic, since it insures
constantly rising level of general enlight-
eminent, the one quality essential to the
continuance and advancement of free
government by and for a great and free
people.
On next Thursday we can all afford to
forget all causes for dissatisfaction with
things as they are, and spend the day In
feasting and expressing heartfelt thanks
for the good things the past forty years
have given us.