Mr. Nimmo, Chief of the Bureau of Statistics of the Treasury department, addressed to the Rev. Dr. Wyncoop, pastor of the Western Presbyterian church, of this city, a letter in response to a request for statistical and other facts as might be of service in the preparation of a Thanksgiving sermon. In this letter Mr. Nimmo says that the Department of Agriculture estimates the corn crop of this year at 1,680,000,000 bushels, as against 1,194,916,000 bushels in 1881. The latest estimate of the wheat crop of the season of 1882, is 500,000,000 bushels, as against 380,280,000 bushels in 1881. The value of our domestic exports during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1882, was $733,239,732, as against $883,925,947, during 1881, a falling off of $150,686,215. This, however, was due almost entirely to the failure of the crop of the country during the season of 1881, a result attributable to the drought and other unfavorable meteorological influences which prevailed so extensively throughout the country during that season. In view of the fact that on the average about 80 per cent. of our exports abroad consist of products of agriculture it is evident that an unfavorable season must very much diminish the value of our exports. But, notwithstanding the fact that the season of 1881 was one of the most unfavorable ever known, we still had bread enough and to spare, and, besides, a large quantity of cotton for export.
    The value of our exports of bread and breadstuffs during the year ended June 30, 1882, the same being the product of the crop of 1881, amounted to $182,670,528. The value of our exports of cotton was $199,812,644. We also considerably increased the value of our exports of manufactured articles. The foregoing facts indicate the exuberance of our soil and the vigor of our industrial enterprises.
    The imports during the year ending June 30, 1882, amounted to $724,639,574, being larger than during any previous year in the history of the country. Notwithstanding the decrease of our exports, owing to the cause above referred to, and the increase of our imports, the balance of trade in our favor was nearly $26,000,000. But the foreign commerce of the country is of small value in comparison with the value of our internal commerce. Railroads are now the principal highways of transportation in our internal trade. The number of tons transported on fifteen leading trunk railroads of the United States during the last fiscal year, of which returns can be obtained, amounted to 98,663,160 tons, as against 81,199,344 tons during the preceding fiscal year, an increase of nearly fifteen per cent. The railroad mileage of the United States on the 1st of January, 1882, was 104,813 miles. There were built in the United States during the year 1881, 9,380 miles of main line, or nearly twenty-six miles of railroad per day. Already we have two complete lines of railroad stretching across the continent. Under date of October 17, Mr. T. F. Oaks, vice president of the Northern Pacific railroad company, informed me that it is expected that their line will be completed by the beginning of September, 1883, and Mr. C. P. Huntington, of the Southern Pacific railroad company, informed me under date of October 3 last, that the line of the Atlantic and Pacific railroad company, intermediate between the Union Pacific and the Southern Pacific railroads, would be completed in about twelve months from that date. We shall then have four lines of railroad across the continent. The consumption of coal, the chief motive power of commerce and of industry, is one of the best indices of the condition of the country. The quantity of coal marketed during the year 1881, the latest year for which we have statistics amounted to 79,995,000 tons, as against 69,209,934 tons during the preceding year.
    The increase of the facilities for telegraphing constitutes another index of progress. The Western Union, the company which owns the principal part of the telegraph lines of the United States, increased its number of miles of wire from 233,531 in 1880 to 374,294 in 1882. The wires operated by that company would reach fifteen times around the world. The population of the United [States] was in 1870 38,558,371 and in 1880, 50,155,783, an increase of 11,597,412. Since the world began there has not been in any other country a material development so grandly compliant with the Divine edict, "Be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it." In view of all the cheering evidences of development and of prosperity to which I have referred, every American whose heart swells with thanksgiving, may exclaim, "I have a goodly heritage."
    It strikes Mr. Nimmo, however, that the commercial view of our reasons for thanksgiving is, comparatively speaking, a low one. His friend, Professor John Eaton, commissioner of education, has, however, furnished him with something rather more elevated in character. He states that the number of pupils enrolled in public schools in 1880, was 9,781,520, constituting sixty-three per cent. of the total school population of the United States in 1880. The total number of pupils in the recent slave States in 1880 was 781,709 and constituted forty-four per cent. of the total colored school population in the United States. This is a pretty fair showing, I think, for a population which lately came out of slavery with its absolute illiteracy into freedom. It is also creditable to the States of which the enfranchised race are now citizens. Mr. Nimmo further thinks there are many cheering evidences of the fact that the colored people in the Southern States are advancing as citizens and as workers. He is unable to give you just now any further indications of our social progress or any facts touching the still higher question as to how far our resources of soil and of mine, our industrial activities and the advantages afforded by the agency of steam and electricity have tended to elevate the moral status of the people of this country and have fruited in character. He thinks Dr. Wyncoop is better able to supply information of that sort.

Source:

Unknown, "Reasons For Rejoicing, Facts which furnish Food for Thanksgiving Reflections," The Washington Post, Washington, D.C., Friday, 1 December, 1882, p. 4.