The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-11-22
The NATIONS
THANKSGIVING

lie people OF the United states cele-
brate Thanksgiving day with more and
more accord every year. Indeed, ono
might say they have more and more
reason. The fathers Of New England,
nenrned IN etwee q wilderness and
the sea, watched their doubtful crops
IN anxious memories of other years OF
famine When they found that once
more there was fish enough and pork
enough and corn and beans and pump
Klns and squashes and turnips enough
10 carry them through the winter they
met to thank God, knowing full well
now many hazards they had passed
tnroug Tor those days as compared
with today were days OF pinching pow
erty. n New England historian, DIR.
Paitrey, says, with a certain dryness,
Whlch shows probably some personal
preferences, Baked beans point to the
time it was desirable to make
the most of the non vegetable
by flayoring it with the flesh OF the
commonest animal"
All TINS is happily changed. For the
World, indeed, the old peril of famine
Is vel nigh forgotten. And why? The
american of today gives thanks that
famine is well nigh impossible.
First Of all, he remembers that he is
no ionge dependent on the rop of a
ieW INC square miles or the fish
ing voyage OF a single summer. Thanks
TO the providence Of Goo AS it has
worked in history and to the work of
brave men who believed they were chill
dren OF God, the petty colonies which
were tnus described are now one nation.
VI tnat nation the meanest citizen, the
most foolish, the weakest and the poor-,
est has every right and privilege before
the law which belongs to the strongest,
the richest and the Wisest, though he
were born in the purple of luxury. To
the widows son of the poorest citizen
I OF hat nation than thara will opraa Jic
daily bread in answer to his daily
prayer, though it come from the milling
or California wheat or be the salmon
caught atthe falls of the Spokane, with
out let or hindrance from any power on
earth. If there is food in plenty in one
region, as by the fall of an avalanche
down a mountain, it will certainly seek
consumption in another region. And
this the American boy and girl to
the good Providence and to the brave
men who made this country one and
have kept it one.
1t is too much the blindness of our
time to speak as if such a simple bust
ness as daily food came to US as q mat
ter of course. There is. indeed, a care
less habit in which Americans often
cans, they have everything without SO
much as asking for it. Fourth of July
orators and street corner ~braggarts
alike talk of the natural products Of
tIllS country alIlOSI IN the tone or the
emigrants who expect to pick up a
doubloon upon the sidewalk. One is
tempted to ask such braggarts why the
country did not produce such wealth
100 years or 200 years ago. Why
was Dakota then a desert? Why were
the hills Of Alabama only a hiding
place for a few thousand Creek In
dams Why did they not forge the iron
under their feet? Why did not the Iro-
quois in western New York pick from
their trees the peaches and the pears
such as have been growing there this
autumn?
The answer is this: All the wealth Of
America comes to her from the work of
her men and women. The victory
which yields it is their victory. 1t is
the victory Of spirit c%onquering matter.
1t comes in the daily miracle of daily
life, where children of God, led by God,
taught by God, alive in his life and fell
low workmen with him, carry out his
designs and subdue the earth. 1t is
neither sensible nor grateful to speak Of
teeming g~ranaries, Of increasing trade,
of new mines, Of oil, of iron or Of gas
as if these things were wealth in them
selves. They are only wealth when
mar strikes the rock and its waters
flow. And this man must be not the
savage man who cares only for his own
personal appetite. 1t must be man, the
child Of God, seeking a future better
than today, determined to bring in a
nobler G than thai which he lives in.