The Red Cloud chief., 1913-11-20

diers Of the Continental army. In 1889 congress
decided to ask the president to issu. proclama-
tion asking the people to suspend work and give
thanks on certain day Of the year. There had
been considerable opposition to the passage of
the bill. some Of the reasons given being more
humorous than serious. President Washington
acquiesced in the wishes Of congress and issued
a proclamation appointing November 26 OF that
year as the day for the American people to Join
in thanksgiving to God for the care and pro-
lection he had given them in their plentiful
harvest and freedom from epidemcs
From time to time our presidents issued
procamations, but 1t was generally left to the
governors OF the states to determine on what
day 1t should occur. Under the administration OF
John Adams two national fast days were oh.
served. but no real Thanksgiving. II was not
until 1915. after three national fasts account
Of the war, that another national Thanksgiving
was appointed by the president, James Madison:
This was due to peace with Great Britain After
this there another lull In proclamations as
far as presidents were concerned until 1S49, when
President Taylor set day OF fast on August the
third on account OF the cholera. Meanwhile the
national Thanksgiving day seemed to be dying
out. except in the New England states Then
came the Civil war, and the nation was again
summoned to fasting. and two such days were
kept In 1S61--January I and September 26-but
It was not until 1863 that the horizon had so
frightened rs to warrant the appointment Of
national Thanksgiving. Immediately after the
Battle Of Gettysburg Mrs. Sarah J. Hale, Boston
woman, wrote to President Lincoln suggesting q
national thanksgiving. and following her advice
the president set apart Thursday. August 6. as
day of praise and prayer" On November 26
OF the same year another Thanksgiving was kept
and this was really great festival and observed
In every northern state. In 1854 the cath Of
November was kept. After this, with one ex.
ception. our great national day of thanks has
been celebrated on the last Thursday In No.
vember
no i,l
little that is new or original and usually take the
form Of essay. In 1885, after the Spanish
American war, President Mckinley had chance
to vary the conventional form by giving special
thanks for the restoration OF peace" This was
just 100 years after Washington's proclamation.
President Roosevelt, who always did original
things. declared that Thanksgiving proclama.
tion could not be made a brilliant epigrammatl-
cal paper" The proclamation OF the president
stamps the feast with a sort OF official character
something possessed by no other holiday This
proclamation does not make 1t a legal holiday
1t merely recommends that the people suspend
business for the day. special statute In each
state Is required to make the day legal holi
day. and this has not been enacted in every
state.
The day was originally set apart for thanksgiv
Ing. fasting. prayer and religious devotions, but
the modern Thanksgiving has become a day o
feasting and joty. and Is made the occasion
or all sorts OF sports and festivities. The craze
ior OUTDOOR HIe keeps many from the churches
although the places Of worship continue to b,
filled with "a goodly company" who gather {,
give thanks to him from whom cometh ever,
good and every perfect gift"
The turkey is still king Of the Thanksgivin,
feast and as an addition the good things of tn
field and vineyard have been added. The 7amou
pigeon pie. which was q popular Thanksgivin
dish In the early part OF the nineteenth century
is rarely seen in these days The wild pigeons
which alighted In great numbers on the buck
wheat fields, were enticed by decoy duck with
In a spring net and caught by the hundred
They were kept alive and fattened on grain unit
the day before Thanksgiving. when they wer
killed and made into pie for the Thankssiviu
table.
Most Of the old customs Of the day hav