Thanksgiving 1915 Editorial

An editorial in the Nov. 25, 1915 issue of the Saratoga Sun reads as follows. 

Under the American flag today is one of the day of days. Like the Fourth of July, it was “made in America” and belongs to us by right of discovery, and if there are any children in the United States today that does not know of its existence, they must indeed be very primitive or obscure from knowledge.

We have tossed up the dollar, it has fallen and we do not now know whether we choose heads or tails, to see if we have much to be thankful for. Thankfulness must come from the heart and must go out to the one great all-wise God. If it does not, we do not see the use of putting on a wry face and saying we are thankful.

We often have wondered where thankfulness starts and where it ends. True at least for the time, we as a nation can be thankful that we are not killing our men by the score, daily, as the nations are doing across the water. 

Perhaps we should be thankful that we exist, or that businesses or other matters are no worse, yet who knows when to be thankful and how? Perchance we are not thankful, why should anyone be more thankful at one time than another, or if thankful, why not be thankful all the time?

Saratoga and this valley are rolling along as well about as usual from all appearances, and matters stand about as usual for this time of year. Some lines of business have shown perhaps a little increase while others hold their own, and shrinking markets affect others. 

The “high cost of living,” which in a regular diet of discussion, still seem to increase and not much relief in sight. The war is unsettled in Europe, as much so as the day it started, and no end in sight for this death struggle. 

Many things we might mention that could be improved upon for which we could be truly thankful, but perhaps we should be thankful that the present is no worse than it is and for just what we have. 

The following poem appeared in a 1920s advertisement for the famous “F. M. Light” general store in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

A Cowboy’s Thanksgiving Prayer

by Steve Lucas

Dear Lord… 

I turned it all over to you, Lord.

Put my trust in your capable hands.

And I thank you that you let us keep on

Makin’ a living off of your lands.

Thanks for these good friends and neighbors

and the love and the help that they give.

And I thank you Lord for those old cows

and the cowboy life they let me live…

So, Lord, on Thanksgiving,

as we take a break from our chores,

We thank you for this year’s blessing,

and for what you have in store.