The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-11-04
IOWA THANKSGIVING PROCLAIM
ALTON ISSUED.
Governor Clarke Officially Declares
Thursday, November Twenty
Fifth, Thanksgiving Day.

Governor Clarke Officially Declares
Thursday, November Twenty
Fifth, Thanksgiving Day.
Thursday, November twenty-tifth
is officially proclaimed Thanksgiving
Day by Governor Clarke in accord
ance with the custom that has been
handed down to the present genera
ton from our Puritan forefathers.
The message is brief, precise and
powerful one that calls in simple
way for the observance of the day
in a proper manner by the people Of
the commonwealth. The text follows:
A Proclamation.
| Thanksgiving presuppOsses joy,
happiness, exaltaiOn for spirit. Is
there a sound foundation for such
delight of the soul of man this year?
The earth has produced abundantly
of fruits and grains; not as usual,
but abundantly. Business conditions
have been reasonably satisfactory.
These are the things next to us and
are therefore source of content
ment and gratitude. They bring
comfort, ease, and drive out anxiety.
But comfort and physical satisfaction
are not the great, inspiring, immor-
tai things of life. They do not inspire
joy and Thanksgiving .unspeakable.
The things that do have sprung
from long, patient, unyielding effort
and often from soil Watered with
tears and made sacred by blood and
self-sacrifice To him who sees the
slow, painful progress of mankind
through the ages and who believes
that God is ever in His world there
never can come a time when his
heart does not overflow with thank
fulness. Appalling tragedies like the
war of European nations does not
mean that God is not in His world
but only that men have failed to
build upon secure foundations, the
everlasting virtues, the principles
of justice, and that therefore the
foundati of the nations are crum-
bling and must be rebuilt upon the
very principles which make an indi-
vidual life glorious. Otherwise they
will fall again and again.
Rising to great opportunities
makes great men and great nations.
That these opportunities come and
that through them mankind can be!
blessed, afford occasion for the most
sincere and unfeigned Thanksgiving.
That Americas opportunity has
come to render a service to mankind
never before equalled, shocking and
inexpressibly as is the way by which
it has come, ought to be great in
! SEPARATION to national duty. America
should be grateful that in this clas
and downfall of the old which shake,
the world amid the desolation an.
storm of war she can see and avoid
the follies of the nations which have
brought it about and become an ex-
ample and leader of the world in re-
fusing to follow the old which has
ever been and ever will be failure.
Let the people of Iowa and of
America be devoutly thankful that
the Great Republic has the opportun-
ity and the duty imposed upon it of
standing at the opening of new era,
the turning point in the history of
nations and pointing new way, not
to the false philosophy of establish
ing and maintaining nations upon
force, but upon justice. The great
opportunity of all the ages is here.
Let the people not forget that it is
righteousness that exalts nation.
Let them pray that eQuanimity of
mind may prevail, that America may
be big enough, that men may arise
great enough of heart and brain to
insure her a great destiny and point
the nations to permanent founda-
tons of national life.
In accordance with custom, I, G.
w. Clarke, governor of Iowa, do
hereby name Thursday, November
twenty fifth, next Thanksgiving Day,
in Iowa, suggesting it's customary
observance.
In Testimony Whereof, have
hereunto set my hand and caused to
be affixed the Great Seal of the State
of Iowa, at Des Moines, this End day
of November, 1915.
G. w. Clarke,
By the governor, w. S. Allen,
Secretary Of State.