The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-24
THE THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL.


When the Pilgrim Fathers estab-
lisbed their day of thanksgiving for
the plentiful yields of tho year. they
founded one Of the great institutions of
America. For many generations the
observance of an annual Thanksgiving
Day was confined to the New England
States; but gradually. and chiefly dur.
ing the past century, this observance
spread to the other States. and though
in 1861 Governor Wise of Virginia be
inc requested To recommend a day of
thanksgiving. publicly declined to do
SO. on the ground that as a civil Off
Ger he WAS unauthorized 10 Interfere
in religious mattcrs,'' The observance
of Thanksgiving Day has spread also
to the South and has in fact become
National The precedent established by
President Lincoln in 1863 and 1864 in
issuing a procla ma ton for the observ
ance of the day ]has been followed
faithfully by every President since; so
that The Thanksgiving feast. officially
proclaimed aud observed, is both Ma
tio2-l and State, the people uniting IN
the observance Of the day on the call
of the Governor as we'll as of the Presi-
dent
This wear our country has much to
The advancement of science has thrown
further safeguards around the people in
their health and their enioyments; the
voice Of the people has called halt on
political extravaganza and treschery,
the false pretences of some years past
have been sturdily checked, aud les
son has been administered TO public
men that they must not go too far in
imposing upon the people aud in show
ing bad faith in their work.
In Utah VIC are not behind the other
portions of the Republic In cause for
been plentiful, the producers are pros
porous by reason of the good prices they
have received and the community in
general has cpioYed and is enjoying a
fair degree of prosperity, 1t is true
that politically we have not been re
preston. but the seeds have been sowu
that eventually must ripen and bloom
into the splendid Flowers of freedom and
individuality. Not always will Utah
consent TO remain III the backward con
ditiop th,t the dominant ecclesiasts
have held it for so. long. The day of
release has dawned. and the people,
seeing the light, are shaping their de
termination TO enjoy its fullness.
Today will be day of enjoyment
and of feasting, Of family reunions
and OF much good fellowship and close
intercourse between friends and neigh
bors. all tending to better understands
ing, TO more pleasant friendship, and to
community good Will. And yet as good
old Robert Hcrrick said with regard to
Lent, il is not in the outward observ-
auce, in the refraining from meats and
drink. where actual Lent is kept, but
in The refreshing of the spirit and the
Christening of pride, so true Thanks
giving is not complete merely with the
feasting and thc enjoyment appropriate
TO the day; but il should go further.
Those who would keep true Thanks.
giving should sec that in so far as their
efforts may go, none want for food or
clothes, that the poor are
helped, and that the day shall be one |
Of grateful memory and of happiness |
universal, so that no member of the |
shall remember it otherwise |
than with happiness and Joy. So kept, |
Thanksgiving will be made increasingly, |
as the years go by, a day 10 look for |
ward TO, bv the poor and the helpless, |
as their day of relief and support, and |
by the prosperous as the day in which |
I he command. Glove ye one anothsf, -
Is most appropriate TO be eSemplified |
by them personally; not alone in pro-
fession but in acts that will be abund- |
antly helpful to all who need and can
be reached on this memorable day.
The Tribune hopes that this true
Thanksgiving will prevail in Salt Lake |
City today, and throughout Utah,
throughout the United States, and
throughout the world; and that this day !
will be but one in long succession of |
such days that will bring Joy TO the
prosperous, relief to the needy, and |
happiness TO every heart that has the
ability and the will to give, to- feel, and |
to enjoy.