The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-11-06
rHE MREARS PRIZE ESSAY
dtsh-Her Attractions and Re
sources.
As Inviting the Attention Of
- Tourists, and Those Seeking
Permanent Homes.
BY ROBERT W. SLOAN.

several tn emeS, each, however, Nc
cessarv to form a perfect whole
These themes are distinct, as each
s limb is a distinct portion of the
bodv. but as absolutely necessary as
B Zach member is to the perfect body
It is not question of what Utah
has been, but what she is and what
She will become; it is not what OBJ
stacles have been surmounted, but
what the efforts of the future viii
realize. That which is desired to be
made clear is-what inducement
does Utah offer to those in search OF
nermanent homes? and what are
her attractions for tourists? The
former depends on her natural
resources, as offering a permanent
basis for varied industries upon her
Government as insuring the peace
and protection Of her inhabitants,
and upon the consistency OF the
temperature and elements as recon-
Intending her climate for healthtul-
mess and for the uninterrupted pro-
,ecution of labor. The latter rests
npon natural features; the grandeur
Of the mountains, the sparkling of
The streams, the beauty of the lakes,
the cool of the canyons, the phenO-
mena of mineral springs; and upon
those attractions which are the result
Of civilization, as presented in broad
streets, fruitful farms, peaceful
homes, in lucrative manufactures
and mining, in accessibility to diff
aren't points of interest, in security
+ person, and in climatic influences.
+ Asa foundation of all industries
and arts, agriculture has ever taken
4 and ever will take precedence as an
nducement to those in search of
permanent homes. Accumulated
f wealth may secure all that agricul-
& mre can produce, even Where-OW-
! me to unfavOrable conditions Of the
s Nil-the primal pursuit cannot be
/ bll0wed; but to the labOrer, and to
4 hose whose hard blows strike from
! the dry earth and the crude metals
/ the wealth which adds to the riches
! Of ages, that lOcality9c can never offer
the inducements for permanent;
homes which are advanced by a re-
j lOn where the earth yields its treas
weS of golden grain, and those COM
& nOditieS can be secured which have
4 t9cOme necessary to life in all civil
led nations. Precious metals may
bound, as they do in Nevada; but
unless agriculture is the primal pur-
. c11Tt vol 20
With happy homes; the air of peace
and plenty and contentment are not
GgNgenial; and do what cOmmun-
iT may, build what cities it will,
Ear what magnificent palaces i'm
agination can devise or wealth al
low, its true poverty cannot be con-
c9aled. 1t will prove a constant re-
hinder of impending deSolation,
causing those splendid edifces to ap-
appear as hollow vanitieS and serve
only to make the contrast between
Tich cities and barren valleys the
more vivid, painful and oppressive.
Any country which has not an agri-
cultural basis sufficient to sustain
its population-Should other re-
sources fail, or basis sufficient to
produce the necessaries Of life for
those engaged in mining and manu-
facture-can offer no satisfactory in
ducementS to persons in search of
ornament homes.
AGRICULTURE.
Up to the advent of rail-
mads Utah. of necessity, de-
pended upon her agricultural
resources and a few unimportant
manufactures. While minerals
we're known to exist,tke industry of |
mning-with the exception of coal
and irOn-was wisely discouraged.
and all the energies Of the people
were directed to the tilling Of the
soil and the laying of a permanent
basis for the growth Of such indus
ties as the future might render
pOftable and the resources of the
territory might warrant. When the
pioneers located here, the valleys
looked so fOrbidding that many
stout hearts sank at the unpromis-
Ig prospect before them. Indeed, |
al old mOuntaineer offered $1,000
t0r the'tirSt ear Of corn that could |
be raised in the valley, so confident |
was be that the vocation of agricul- |
ture would be fruitless in such a |
region. The soil was barren, but it |
contained the necessary elements: /
he climate was favorable; and
from that day to the present, now |
nearly thirty-fOur years, the pro-
quctiVeness OF this once sterile waste
has been a marvel to the world, and
IS an eternal monument to the
efficacy Of labor directed by intelIi-
gence and prosecuted with I'M
perseverance. With each
succeeding year the ground becomes
more fruitful and were the amount
OF land now cultivated the utmost
that could be used for agriculture
It IS not improbable that it would
prove sufficient to sustain as large a
population as Utah will have for
many years, even should that pOpu-
alton increase at a greater ratio
man it has done heretofore. The
height Of fertility to which the soil |
IAN be advanced has never yet been
IuIly tested, and will not be for
Tears, for necessity alone can insure
! satisfactory solution of the prob
em, and the necessity can hardly |
S;1lSJ IN this generation. Thirty
.9-1s Il