The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1916-11-23
Dates FROM 1865
National Thanksgiving Day Is
Comparatively New in Coun-
try's History.

l. Is just o1 years S1ACo IAo A"''
Thursday in November was adopt
ed by the president Of the United
i States as the day set apart from
all others of the year to be observed
by the people of the nation as Thanks
giving day. It was the first Thanks
giving celebrated after the close of the
Civil war, and the proclamation by
President Johnson few weeks prior,
appointing such date, was issued be-
cause it was generally understood
fact that Lincoln had planned, during
the dark days at the end Of the strug-
gle, to have some one day in November
reserved yearly by all states in the
Union.
Throughout the war the celebration
had occurred only here and there in
scattered communities. And always be-
fore, in the various states which did
celebrate the day, it was purely Sec
tional affair, for which the governor Is
sued proclamation upon his own In
itiative. November, 1865, witnessed the
beginning Of the holiday as national
institution. Since that date the COVER
nors of all states and territories, upon
receiving the presidents proclamation,
publish their own, naming the day IN
formal fashion. 1t is an American fes-
tival day, unique in more than one re-
spect, but most perhaps because 1t is
the only religious festival celebrated
In this country upon the recommended
ton of the government.
Idea Borrowed From the Dutch.
1t had tangled beginning. A score
of origins are claimed. And one is
rather at sea in selecting his particu-
lar belief. In the congressional IL
brary it was a happy chance which
discovered these various sources and
their grave and gay histories outlined
in a chain of sketches.
In the middle states the day is OBJ
served more as q religious matter than
as holiday, but in New England it is
a festival, a domestic feast day and the
chief Of all holidays. Americans like
to believe that Thanksgiving day is
purely and simply American, and it IS,
but as instituted in New England the
idea was borrowed from the Dutch,
among whom the Pilgrims had dwelt
for ten years after leaving British soil
and before emigrating to America. The
Hollanders had been accustomed to
celebrating October 3 both religiously
and socially, in honor Of their deliver
ance from the Spaniards, and when the
first harvest in the new home Of the
English emigrants had yielded we'll 1t
seemed the natural thing to rejoice In
period of public thanksgiving.
Some deserted Indian huts stored
with corn had furnished the nucleus Of
that harvest, and an Indian chief who
had once been in England and conse-
ouently trusted Englishmen gave the
Pilgrims instruction as to the planting
of the grain and the procuring Of game
as well. Upon this first harvest rested
the wellbeing Of the little colony, so
many Of whose members had persisted
in that first fierce winter which follow
ed the landing of the Mayflower in De-
cember, 1920. The hardest, who sur
vived, were humbly grateful for the
rich harvest in October, which followed
the neighborly natives suggestions
and Governor Bradford ordered
three-day feast and celebration as rec
ornition of such plenitude. The In
dians who had first extended the hand
of welcome to the pale faces there
were invited to attend and bring their
friends.
New Thanksgiving Foods.
In Holland the settlers had partaken
of Spanish stew as the common dish
of the Thanksgiving day, but in a
new country, with new foods to use.
geese, turkeys, water fowl and ducks
we're eaten. Bread made of barley
and corn took the place of wheat
Dread, as a necessity, and Goldfish had
its first inning as matter of both his
tory and gastronomy among white peo-
J ole. The guests Of the forest brought