The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-21
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hand. and * signed in autograph by
GO Washington" and by His secre-
tary If state. Edmund Randolph.
The officials Of the state depart
mcnt give the place of honor in tine
roster of Thanksgiving proclamations
To waShingtnn's effort. and vet in one
sense it does not belong in the series.
for Washingtpn's proclamation set
aside day early in the year instead
nf in Nov, mber. as is provided for in
each of the proclamations issued dur
ing the past half-Century. Several Of
the nations early presidents follow
ing Washington issued proclamatians
for days Of thanksgiving and
prayer" but these were issued at ir-
regular intervals and n various sea
sons of the year. and consequently
are not included in the series that
embraces the George Washington doe
ument and those signed 10y the presi-
dents from Lincoln to Roosevelt.
Each successive thanksgiving
proclamation. after II has come from
the White House bearing the sigma
turc of the president. has been taken
To the state department, where il has
been countersigned by the secretary
of state, afterwards being impressed
with the great seal Of the United
States. Thus vested with an possible
official dignity. 1t has been transferred
To the printing office of the state
department, where the contents are
duplicated In printed form for distri-
button broadcast throughout the
country. This done the original docu-
ment il taken to its permanent home
in the bureau of rolls and library on
the third floor of the huge state de-
partment building. the largest office
building i'm the world. This branch of
the department is not only charged
with the care and custody of all pre-
clons government documents, such as
the Thanksgiving proclamations, but
II also conducts the distribution Of
the printed copies of the Thanksgiving
proclamation. More of these Thanks
giving proclamations are sent out
than any other form OF executive or
der. and they go by mail to every
nook and corner of the land
The general supervision of the pres
ervation and care OF the ThanksgiS-
ing rroclamations Is in the hands of
William McNeir. chief of the bureau
of rolls and library, an official who
has had years of experience in caring
for Uncle Sans priceless documents,
but the immediate custodian Of the
prnelamations il John A. Tonner
who not only looks after the filing
and safeguarding OF all presidential
proclamations. but has like jurisdc-
ton over all the treaties which have
been signed by the United states \
big cabinet in the treaty room" AT
the state department has been given
over largely In the storage of the
presidential proclamations. and the
two officials above mentioned have
only within the past few years evolved
new system that is Il big improve
ment over the old scheme of filing
such papers.
In days gone by all the proclama-
tions issued by the presidents. inciud-
ing, Of course. the annual announce
ments Of a day of thanksgiving. were
tied in bundles and stored away in a
spacious cupboard. A few years ago
ii was brought home To- the officials
that not only was il difficult To refer
To papers when in this form. but
many of the priced documents Mere in
danger of damage owing 10 the wear
and tear of handling in this form.
Thereupon it was decided To bind all