The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-11-06
THANKSGIVING IN IOWA.
Governor Clarke Issues Thanksgiv-
ing Day Proclamation.

Des Moines, Oct. Ex-Governor
George w. Clarke yesterday issued
his first Thanksgiving day proclama-
ton and it is regarded as one of the
finest proclamations on the subject
ever penned in Iowa. In it he said:
Christian people believe that the
affairs of men and nations are guild
ed through the years by Divine
Mind unerringly toward ultimate
good.
AS the years glide into the past dis
tinct progress in the betterment OF
human conditions is noted, a broad
er and deeper humanitarianism is
! touching the lives Of men throughout
the world, all tending slowly, it may
be, toward the realization of the
splendid vision of the brotherhood of
man which inspired the teachings OF
Jesus of Nazareth. The value of a
| man and his we'll being in society
have in recent years become matters
| of great concern. A wrong or inJus-
tice to an individual, it is now clear
| ly perceived bears upon all and
shames society and the state.
The greatest force in the world OF
moral force and the moral sentiment
of the people is gathering, and grow
ing into a tremendous agency Tor
righteousness. lhe day is coming, II
it is not already here, when the NOR
al sense of the people and the law
will forbid that any man be placed at
disadvantage except by his own
conduct. These are the things Tor
which all men should be devoutedly
! thankful upon a state or national
Thanksgiving day. 1t is impossible
to think of a great state or nation,
however. tremendously rich it may
! be, apart from half-minded, just
citizenship inspired by great ideals:
| Great crops, bursting granaries and
banks full of money are great things,
to be sure. for which we should be
very grateful, but they are insutllc-
lent and in the end destroy unless
they become a basis for the higher
things.
In conformity with custom long
established and with the proclama-
ton of the president of the United
States calling upon the people to o.
serve Thursday, November q, next,
as a day of thanksgiving to God, |,
G, W. Clarke, governor, of the state,
do hereby also name said day as
Thanksgiving day in Iowa and sug-
gest that the people throughout the
state assemble in their churches, and'
looking beyond material things, ex-
press their profound gratitude IN
speech, song and prayer for the
growth of righteousness, moral force
and the finer and better things IN our
life and pray that in the days to come
we may have a deeper concern ana
sympathy for humanity, that we may
make our state what it ought to be,
namely, an expression of cultivation
and the good there is in ia great
| moral force; that we may become dis
tinguished in the nation as courag-
| eous, progressive people, standing Tor
and bringing about that which the
best men and the best thought
throughout the world recognize as
the greatest good in a modern state,
| forgetting not, however, those VINO,
without their own willful fault, are
poor and unfortunate and remem-
bering that,
The holy supports kept, indeed
In whatsoever we share with anoth-
er's need,
Not what we give, but what we snare,
For the gift without the glver IS
bare;
Who gives himself with his aims
feeds three,
Himself, his hungering neighbor and
| mo -