New-York tribune., 1909-11-21
MIXES PROCL4N4TTONS.
State Department OhGGl Hrites
Many Thanksgiving N0Wfcstos.
T., Weldon Favrrst

dent of the United states isn't always written or
composed by tae President This IS ore o. the
most interesting of The Iul. known facts .oE-
cernirg the significant document which is issued
from the WIZ House e....- <rrsllntr. trsc-
tcally al tho President has e." do N.r- rs
Thanksgiving Fro,iamatio- j. @" ~f2- The
work Of preparing the Thauk~a.viH- ees is iE-
trusted TO a Specialist "aici., pro a--atioE
maker. ne might be- termed the Iar~'. of
modest federal empoye wE" G"> b-eu e1saget
in this novel pursui; for MANY years
Another popular fiction resaruiug tte t.. .anhs-
giving proclamation IS to thu effect t.- this
annual expression OF gratitude - in the Presi-
dents handwriting Time was. to be sure. when
the Thanksgiving summons Iennea and
even engrUssed OF parchment. The most l-ized o.
two cf the nations TbaukSg vius pr, lama
tions those Of George Washington and of Abra-
ham Lincoln We're thus written iu iruehand.
but tie influence Of modern progress has
amended the method of doinE things r this
well - In other respects. Nowadays tE. orig
ina proclamation is typewriter
The little known author Of our TfaE...,- ,-i,'ug
prcclamations is Sidney Yosr smith. and the
general public knows of him as ia, chic. of ne
Diplomatic Bureau of tLe stat. Department..
OF course, Nj smith does nor draft M. Thanks
giving pronouueemerJ on His own initiative.
When In toe course ot tl.e regular ro.,lue Z
comes time TO proclaim the November holiday
tie Presidents secretary ir the natural o-der Il
things. asks NJ. Smith 10 prepare a Iro..aua-
non There have been seveTa. exc, Ttious q. lis
procedure notably IN the Roosevelt and ll-kf--
iet administrations. Mr Taft had ~... gz.s-
tous' prepared from which 30 dictated The
draft Of his. ana there have been other .xcep-
tons. but as e general rule Mr. smith ha- drawn
u ~ and tais may account t.- TIE cener.T z1l-
i"rm-ty ot length and similarity a. st,.e which
eharacteriza These documents
or course. tae official ThauLsc....e ....nor
does not actually copy his jro-IaIaati.., one
from anotAeE-.ndeet le endeavors &C. .a-- them
a. much as possible within th- narrow .-u.ts
allowable tut nevertheless ,ir- smith when he
Is called or fo- Thauksg.. jag pro,.a7.,;ioE
gets out copies of the efsc-ts ~ FORMER wears and
writes his current contribution along sf. same
general lines
one point always Jo D.. borne .r n..Ia 3D. Tie
preparation ot Cd Thanksgiving proclamation 3
the "rpor;ln'y tor reference 10 mcrruto.s
events during Tic preceding twelve months. 4.
tae country las been satisfactorily delivered
from interra- or sruatioual strife from rtas-
tila- OF tnan,Ia- troubles o. has been -..r.f
peSt-eise and plague which have visited other
parts ~ the world. Ny Smit. must make -. t.
Iu- "eHrov iedgmeHt iE the Presidential s-,I.-a-
uoE O. JhaHk1alness for blessings bestowed
When a. Thanksgiving PRO, Ia nation S, p-.=
pstEt@ IL pa presented 10 ne P'reSideUr r.r rs
approval anu after any desired alteratiors are
made dnd N" document is vofded to his sails
i"cuon he aflEes his signature. Then the p. pr
goes back O. the State Department 10 h.. conn
tersignsd, after which it is delivered To william,
McNsr chcf Of the division OF rolls and Iibrsr,
OF the State Department Mr. NeNeir & 10 be-
ue custodian ~ this years Thanksgiving proc
laInatIo1 Is be is already - the Thanksgiving
pro'l"In~u'hs which have preceded it. but FIRST
of al De must attend 10 the printing Of dJuI.ste
copies Of tn current document and dsrrihtrfrs,
them.
Ihe original prOclamS ton which ths Pres
Gtnt has signed i never ussc for "copv" in rta
printing of this address to ths America peoIi,
Il Is considered much too precious for that
Time was when the proclamation of our chief
Magistrates leceived only Ordinary care being
/ stored when obsolete in closet - n, state
department. but IoN such Papers receiv, .yerv
S~Te. A Thanksg wing pro, lamaticr upon beng
received II the division II rolls anc iiHr,vy :
tlaIi-mlttet to the treaty roosn~-so called be-
caus" Of its principal cout,uts-whi,h is n
charg~ Of Jot1 a. Tonnar. Here d typerr.tter
copy OF TIE proclamation IS made. ana then the
crigina4 l. placed IN an envelope and ,suosit.I
in q file cabinet. In due time when th,re is =
sufficient accumulation. the original Th.r~l.a-iv-
ing document together with about . hundred
otLer PRESIDENTIAL prociana tions vii. b. hound
II fine red leather volume where rs rr.=
eFVaTlCD is assured