The Chitina leader., 1914-11-24

Presbyterian church last evening The attendance was the largest for several weeks, the church being 1 filled almost to seating capacity. Special music harmonizing with the occasion was rendered by the choir. Thanksgiving Day. said the .speaker, 'is peculiar to America. although other nations hold similar celebrations" He reviewed the his tory of the custom of returning fthanl to God for benefits bestowed a custom reputed to be of great antiquity and to have been borrowed from the Mosaic law. The American adoption of the custom was in cele- bration of victory for the privi- lege of worshiping God as the Puri- tans saw fit. The speaker told of the trials and struggles and suffer- ings and hardships of the little band which, under the leadership of John Robinson, established schools and churches and laid the founda- tion for a country greater than that from which they were driven.
 l "They were strangers in strange land, and you who have been rp against it on the winter trails O. Alaska can best understand how they felt when, after landing from the Mayflower, on an inhospitable shore, they scraped away the snow and built what we would call dog houses," said Rev. Mcbride. "At one t'me, after almost indescribable hardships, after sickness had de- : pleted their ranks and drouth had destroyed crops, they had only five kernels of corn left; yet they did not lose faith in God or the future. Prosperity followed and week ot T prayer and thanksgiving was ar ranged with the Indians attending iu general peace meeting.
 That was the most remarkable gathering ill the history of Am erica the speaker declared, and America is proud of the kind of men and women those Pilgrims were. They upset the man-made law of the divine right of kings and be l cause of their faith in God and right, they won.
 Some hearts in Alaska will be sad and lonely on Thanksgiving \ Day, but it should be good day to the young man who has future be- fore him. It isn't gold or copper or coal or the railroad that Alaska most needs for making the best kind of history, but it is character of her men and women. The best history .i is made by the best men and women. God help us to make Alaska what she should be. It is impossible to get the best unless we give the best-unless we pay the price"
 Two hundred prominent citizens of Washington and Alaska attended the banquet given Saturday night at the Hotel Washington under the auspices of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, to celebrate the enact ment of legislation beneficial to Alaska and to honor those bringing about this legislation. The speakers included: Governor Ernest Lister, Congressman J. W. Bryan and Albert Johnson, Senator T. J. Walsh, of Montana, Thos. Riggs, Jr., of the Alaska Engineering Commission. Col. ". P. Richardson, of the Alaska Road Commission, former Governor Hadley and J. F. Chflberg. Senator Walsh characterized the bills now before Congress-one by Senator Jones and one by the House, drafted in part by Senator Walsh, both relating to the leasing of water power sites in Alaska-as the most momentous measures yet to be enacted into the constructive program outlined by Secretary Lane
 MT. Burke, representing the San Francisco exposition, in is Ger dova for a few days collecting speci- mems of birds and animals for dis play there.
 Cordova, November "A
 Delegate James Wickersnam, en- route from Fairbanks to the national capital, was a passenger arriving on the train from the interior this afternoon. He was very much fatigued after the long trip of 800 Il miles, including his campaign tour of the creeks. He expressed to the Daily Alaskan his appreciation of the confidence the people of Alaska showed by returning him to Wash ington as their representative. He promised that his work for Alaska would be continued even more vigor- ously than in the past. His hobby, if such 1t can be called, is to have a uniform school system established