The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1908-11-05
TDRIHAKtSGIIttNG .0N

GrowtH and General Prosperitu
the Nation and Urges Upon Aw.Se
cans That They Return Thank =,
the Almighty For the Existinp a.. 20
ditions. 00n'
Washington, Specialize pr,..
dent has issued the annual TbanS
giving proclamation, in which -
pointed out the steady growth Of ~ s
nation il strength, worldly nomaS
wealth and population, and that on
average of individual comfort sns
well being is higher than that Of .n
other country in the world. For tr;S
he declares, Americans owe it to tb'
a lnighty to show equal progress in
moral and spiritual things.
The proclamation follows:
By the President of the United
States Of America, Proclamation
HOnce again the season is at hand
when, according to the ancient ems
tom of our people, it becomes the
duty of the President to appoint a
day of prayer and of Thanksgiving
to God.
" Year by year this nation grows in
strength and worldly power. Durino
the century and quarter that has
elapsed since our entry into the circle
of independent peoples, we have
grown and prospered in material
things to degree never known be-
fore, and not. now known in anv
other country. The thirteen Colonies
which struggled along the seacoast
of the Atlantic and were hemmed in
by few miles west of tidewater bv
the Indian-haunted wilderness, have
been transformed into the mightiest
republic which. the world has ever
.seen. It's domains stretch across the
continent from one to the other of
the two greatest oceans, and it exer-
cises dominion alike In. the Arctic and
tropic realms. The growth in wealth
and population has surpassed even
the growth In territory. Nowhere
else IN the world is the average of
individual comfort and material we'll
being as high as in our fortunate
land.
For the very reason that in ma
sterial well being we have thus
.abounded, we owe it to the Almighty
ito show equal progress in moral and
spiritual things With nation, as
with the individuals who make up a
snation, material well being is an in
sdispensab1e foundation. But the
Foundation aJalls nothing by itself.
That life is wasted and worse than
wasted, which is spent in piling,
heap upon heap, those things which
minister merely tosthe pleasure of the
body and to the power that rests
only on wealth. Upon material well
sbeins as a foundation must be raised
the structure of the lofty life of the
spirit, if this nationa is properly to
fulfill its great MISSION and to ac-
Acomplish all that we so arlently hope
land desire. The things of the body
are good; the things Of the intellect
better; but best of all are the things
sof the soul; for in the nation it is
character that counts Let us there
fore as a people set our faces reso-
slutely against evil, and with broad
charity, with kindness and good
will toward all men,. but with I'M
finching determination to smite down
wrong, strive with all the strength
that is given US for Righteousness in
public and private life.
Now, therefore, I, Theodore
Roosevelt, President of the United
States, do set apart Thursday, the.
26th day of November, next as Jay
of general thanksgiving and PRAYER
and on that day I recommend that
the people shall cease from their daily
work, and, In their homes or in their
churches, meet devoutly to thank the
Almighty for the many and great
blessings they have received in the
past, and to pray that they may be
given strength so to order their lives
as tor deserve continuation Of these
blessings in the future.
In witness whereof, I have here
unto set my hand and caused the seal
of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington,
this thirty-fst day of October in the
year Of our Lord one thousand nine
hundred and eight, and Of the in
dependence Of the United States tb7
one hundred and thirty-thrid.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT,
fBy the President:
80 A 7 HLIaNZ A roL1,11