The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-11-29
Friday, November 20, 1907.
THE THANKsGxYIyG SPIRIT

THE THANKSGIVING SPTRTT.
 The atmosphere which special an niversary creates is felt with particu- lar emphasis upon Thanksgiving. Somewhere there is book or a treatise which treats charmingly of this difference in the influence of diff ferent days, the conventional secular day standing by itself as distinguished from each of the other days which serve a definite and distinct purpose. So in the course of the consideration of the atmosphere created Thanksgiv- ing comes in for appropriate treat ment. Suggesting in many ways that of Christmas it yet appeals to a diff ferent set of emot'ops, though thu spiritual side is obviously uppermost
 There must be reasons each year why everyone should return thanks for advantages received. Even those who have fallen in the race of life and who have lost an independent place in the running have reason to be grateful that the world Is yet gener- pus and sympathetic enough to care for them. From that level, which ie naturally the lowest in the social structure, the tide of thanksgiving should rise rapidly, It is so easy to misinterpret human experience that the error of judgment is too often made of railing at Providence when as a matter of fact as we'll as of his- tory we should be grateful for things as they are. A great philosopher was he who saw in what to others was a personal misfortune the means of de- veloping side of his character which under the old environment had been neglected. Exactly the same reason ing applies to practically every person since no one in this life can have ttAt4hSo JtANb 0S IlG w ctiulS LliSlIi lO DE. A change from a position to which one had become accustomed and in which one had learned from the mere force of habit to be content is more apt to bring greater contentment of mind with it. Tn other words the moment a man or woman contemplates accur- ately his or her lot and experience, even though it offers less than the lot and experience of neighbor, the con- clusion becomes irresistible that after all there are the best of reasons for that sense of gratefulness which makes Thanksgiving Day an occasion for self development
 and unsuspected comfort in the doc trine of pessimisn1 but we have nevtr discovered it. We prefer optimism even though it may lead to exaggera- tion. The former teaches that the world is constantly losing ground in- stead of gaining; the latter teaches that while the progress made is slow 1t is nevertheless recorded and can be depended upon. That is our view of the condition which justifies avowed gratefulness. We have in this coun- try a reason for gratitude in the rev. Alation of commercial turpitude and greed which has overtal1en us within the last year. The spirit of pessimsm has accepted 1t as picture of uni Nersal fact. The spirit of optimism, which is the Thanksgiving spirit, digs deeper and ascertains to it's entire sat isfaction that while mean and sordid things have been done by the few the great majority of the American citiz- ems are honest and pure at heart. We know to-day as we have never known before what the follies are which men will stake their regulations on and we ought to know how the better to anticipate them in the future which of itself is an impressive reason for rejoicing In the world of politics the slimy head of graft has been rais- ed but every closely observing mar knows that the standard of officia, honor was never higher. There are unmistakable signs of larger awak. ening on the part of the people to the need of greater civic courage and i has become correspondingly difficult flor the grafter to ply his trade. Soci. ety in some of its grades was never more vulgar in its display of idlt wealth or less sensitive to the inf1u
 ences which make for modesty, bu society as it relates to the great ma dority of men and women was nevel cleaner or more susceptible to tn
 things which make constantly for purer home life and safer social in
 kercourse. Among the men of grea
 wealth the disposition to share witt