Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-11-23
1T ashin9tpu Standard
OLYMPIA, WASH.
FRIDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER %, 1906.
Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving.
Once more, like the return Oi some
beautiful dream, We appoach this
prelude to the holiday season. 1t
matters but little what may be our
creed there Is n loved association
about the name alone that endears it
alike 10 all who live in Christian
lands and under the influences of
civilization. Purely American as is
the custom of an annual day OF
thanksgiving, religion and patriotism
are equal owners III all the abstract
servance implies.
As All institution Of our own land,
the conservation Of the last Thursday
III November to thanksgiving dates
back to colonial times. when every
manifestation Of divine providence
Was duly acknowledg, Il 10y some public
ordinance. and the staid people were
required to assemble in solemn con.
course, At their respective village
churches, and there listen to the
stories told of Gods wonderful dealing
with his people. The incidents which
probably served to establish it as Q
stated observance are thus briefly
narrated: The Pilgrims landed in
Massachusetts in 1920. At the close
of the harvest the next year, Gov.
Bradford sent four men out fowling
that they might after more special
manner rejoice together" and rs tur-
keys were the fowls to be found there,
they are by tradition considered the
only birds suitable to grace the table
now. But the event around which
centers the most interest occurred ten
years later, in 1851. Dame Fortune
had waited upon the weak colonists in
varying moods. Only handful OF
whites were gathered near the storm.
dashed beach of the Old Bay State.
All about them was tangled forest,
teeming with savage enemies. The
crops had failed. Death by famine
seemed inevitable. The Governor ap.
pointed day OF fasting and prayer.
On the appointed day, as the lean COL
onists we're going to their place OF
worship, they saw coming into their
harbor ship freighted with supplies.
The service was changed from q fast
to feast, and the people seem to have
celebrated the day thereafter at each
annual return of the season.
During the Revolution, Thanksgiv.
ing day was q national institution, be.
ing annually recommended by Con-
gress, but after the general thanksgiv-
ing for peace, in 1884, there was no
national observance of the day till
1889, when President Washington, by
request of Congress, recommended a
day Of Thanksgiving for the adoption
Of the Constitution. Washington is.
sued . second proclamation in 1895 on
account Of the suppression OF insur-
rection. President Madison, by re.
quest of Congress. recommended
thanksgiving for peace in 1915.
In New York the day has been an.
nually observed since 1917. In 1855
Governor johnson. OF Virgins, recon-
mended day for Thanksgiving, but in
1857, Governor Wise, being requested
to do so, publicly declined, claiming
that he had no authority to interfere
in religious matters. In 1858, thanks
giving proclsmatiOns were issued by
the Governors OF eight of the Southern
States. The day has been officially
recognized as a public holiday since
1858, when President Lincoln Issued
his proclamation for national thanks.
giving.
New England may, however, claim
the distinction of officially observing
thanksgiving day with religious cere.
monies. Tho day has been for more
than q century . principal holiday,
more renowned and sacredly regarded
than Christmas.
The practice of appointing a day Of
solemn canvocation, the feast of tab.
ernscles" or the" feast Of the ingather.
ing at the end of the year," however,
may be traced back more than three
thousand years. About $500 years
before the birth Of Christ, Moses led
the Israelitish hosts from the land Of
bondage, and when the wrath of beav.
en- was visited upon Pharaoh and his
army, the Children of Israel instituted
a season of feasts, jubilees and thanks.
giving, which were ever afterwards
most intimately interviewer with the
moral and social economy Of the He.
brews.
The custom, it will be seen, cannot
be justly claimed by sect or creed. It
results from the spoD taneous outpour-
ing of contrite hearts, and is the na.
tural offering of enlightened man to
his Creator. Regarded % il 10 by Us,
as an American institution, where is
there patriot who does not look for.
ward to the sppetizing odor OF turkey
and pumkin pies with the longing de-
sire of the King Of the Cannibal Isles
for the advent Of the missionary ship?
Who does not carry upon the tablets
of memory picture of the family re.
union on Thanksgiving day more fond
ly cherished than any which succeeds
il?
Hear the ringing voices of the artless
school children as they shout "No
school to-day; Thanksgiving! Hur-
rah!" So it with old and the middle
aged, though their spirits may not
effervesce quite 90 lively as to result
in 60 demonstrative . means of signal
izing the joy within. It is the song,
sung and resung ever welcome, ever
dear and blessed.
THE SUNKEN SPANISH SHIPS Go FOR
IA SONG. The Spanish ships which
Admiral Dewey sank in Manila bay
on that glorious May-Dsy morn q few
years ago, at the risk of destruction oil
an American fleet from submarine
torpedoes and mines, were lately sold
by our government for $lO3. It seem,
that nobody wanted the dismantled
ships, at any price, after their lone
submersion, even for junk. The gov
ernment officers in charge of the sale
considered that they were lucky to gel
bid that covered the cost of adver
tleinO Uhich mao ou1v 600 p,oh.hl,