The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-09-11
UTAH's PROSPERITY.

For some unaccountable reason
certain writer's are perpetually com
pairing Salt Lake city to Denver ant
Utah Territory with the State 0
Colorado. These comparisons in
Variably, and without any extenu'
ating features being given, art
disparaging to this city and to oul
Territory. Denver and Colorado I'm
doubtedly have many features anG
possess many characteristics which
could be emUlated here with great
good; but, while this is true, anC
while we have no desire to say
anything against Colorado, we are
of the opinion that fair comparisons
between the sister localities would
be anything other tLan favorable
to Colorado. The enterprise, the
energy, the nerve of Colorado are
pointed at with pride, and properly,
too; but it is unfortunate that these
desirable community characteristics
are directed in dangerous channels.
If to go and put ones money on a
faro table is enterprise, if to persist
in doing so is energy, and if to run
desperate chances is nerve, then
Colorado has in high degree these
three admirable qualities. It lis not in
tended to intimate that COloradoans
all make money by gambling; that
would be absurd but the method of
speculation in Colorado is not a
whit better than gambling. The
tendency of modem civilization is
in the direction of gambling, Less
than century ago men were cons
tent with modest incomes: $4,000
was fortune that a man could be
proud of; could retire on and live
happily, and if at the end of long,
industrious and energetic career a
man, by his own efforts had amassed
100000, he had a colossal fortune.
Of course, the world was not so
wealthy then, but in this country
at least what wealth there existed,
was generally more widely diffused;
and as a consequence communities
were better satisfied, there was less
cause for envy among the envious,
less incentive to DO wrgng,to lie and
steal among those ambitious to
oil wealth, and less cause for
{ pres. n of the poor by the ri i,
and resentment of the poor toward
the weather. class. Now all is
changed; a man wants to make $780,
900 in a day, in an hour; and men
have been known to win colossal
fortunes in a single turn of what is
called the wheel Of for
tune. Thus, the less wealthy, striY'
ing to win more, have lost all in an
hour and fortune has played many
queer pranks. Men grow selfish,
grasping, aYaricious beyond con-
ception and feeling the vast power
that mammoth fortunes bring with
them, are soulless and use that
power to crush out all weak oppon- |
eDts. This is true of all American |
enterprises, and has been partially |
true of western communities for
many years. It is wholly true of !
Colorado to>daY.
In Utah the most powerful infu-
9nces have constantly and justly |
been opposed to the introduction of
such conditions, and up to this time
nave been successful. Men have
been content to make fortunes of
proportions in proper
time; the speculative fever has been
kept at its ebb and no one being
pre,eminently rich there has been
little cause for envy to work ruin
On those Who are its slaves. Some
times we feel that the spirit of eau
ton is too strong; that a dash of
would actually result
in good but when we contemplate
the untold miseries, wrecked hopes,
blasted lives, ruined homes that are
The natural and inevitable out
growth of speculation or gambling
they are the same-we learn
with satisfaction to view the condi-
ions of Utah as they are, and invol,
return thanks that the
plaques worse than those of Egypt,
nave so far spared Utah as COM
nunity.
Now Utah has basis which
would render speculation justifable
n any part of the world; her re-
ources are unlimited, her opportun-
ties grand beyond comparison with
ny surrounding locality; and yet