The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-11-05
A Great Increase in Population and
in the Territory's Taxable
Wealth,
The Mining Industry and the Re-
suit of WINDOWS Recent
Ruling,
The Disposition of the Grazing Lands y
vital Qucstion-The Public and
Church school systems.

WASHINGTON, Nov. Arthur L. Thomas
governor of Utah Territory, in his annual
report, estimates the population of the Ter
ritory at 100000. an increase Of nearly
5000 since 1886. During the last nine
years the foreiPn-born population, number
ing in 1870 about Si1. has been increased by
Mormon immigration 10 1904. The aggre-
gnte assessed valuation of property Of in
corporated cities and towns for 1889 is
$30, 600, with an indebtedness of $685.
600. The mining industry, the repor,
statcs has been generally prosper lus
Several new important developments have
been made in Park City and other mining
| camps. at is the opinion of the miners" slye
the governor, "that there would be great
increase IN the mineral product If not for
| what they believe 10 be the erroneous con
| struction of the law relative 10 the admis-
sion of load ore 10y the treasury depart
! ment."
Upon the subject of unoccupiod public
| lauds the governor says the question of
| what the government should do with the
vast tracts which can be used only for
grazing is assuming vital importance
of interests among the stockraisers, and
there being no protection offered by the law
| in the use of these lands, there are frequent
| conflicts between clashlng interests. The
| governor Is of the opinion II the government
would provide n way by which persons en-
| gagged IN stuckprowlng could acquire titles
Ga grazing lands which can never be used
for agricultural purposes, II would remove
| one Of the most serious drawbacks 10 the
Ia a .s.t
settlement Of the country. The grazing and
mountain lands uf Utah, he says, constitute
nearly scyen-cighths of the entire area Of
| the territory.
In the course of the report upon public
| and denOminational schools in Utah, the
| governor says that whilc Utah has very
| fair system Of public schools they fall far
short of what they should lac. The tax col
lected for the support of schools does not
| pay half the expense of maintaining them,
consequently pupils must puy tuition OF the
schools BE- closed. In many of the poorer
districts the children are denied school
privileges for many months Of the year.
There IN but little prospect. in fact there
is no prospect. that this will be changed
| nm led To this conclusion ly the fact that
the Mormon people, with entire unnmity,
| are quietly preparing for denominational
schools IN which their children may be
| uuEh' the hioTinoh tieoloty III huultlon 20
'he oluinnfy systeiu' ntate or county
hcauehiIes nave peen estaDlished under
| church auspices, and III some Of the school
districts Mormon children had been with
| drawn from the pnllic schools and placed in
chnrcn schools. lhe governor quotes from
| n letter written by MiIford Woodruff, The
president or the Mormon church, 10 estab
lisb church schools. Woodruff in the oours,.
Of the letter quoted says: 1--WE feel the
time hhs arrived when the proper education
oi our children shon lie taken IN hand by
us ~ people. Religious training IL prac-
| tlcally excluded from the public schools;
the peruSl Of books we value as divine
records IA forbidden; our children. If left 10
the training they receive in these schools,
| Will grow up entirely Ignorant of those
| principles of salvation for which the Latter
| Day Saints made 80 many sacrifces; 30 per
init this condition of things 30 exist among
us would be criminal"
Remarking upon this letter, the governor
SAYS II TX very plain the church school
system Is one of &c .noipleH whlt h ia at jtH
foundation. lie r,commonds conplces to
place the control uf the public schools in
tue hands of those wao are disposed 10 be
friendly 10 the public school system.
During the last year, tie governor SAWS tho
people Of Utah have enjoyed unusunl pros.
perlty, The lndiuns III the northeastern
part oi the territory, he says, are cOntented
and give but little cause Of complaint. Tie
governor, however, strongly protests against
the removal to Utah of the Utes now in
| southern Colorado, merely 10 satisfy the
selfish demands OF the people of another
| state.
The appOrtionment of 1887 under the Ed
munds-1ucker act was bnsed ON The censns
of 1880. The governor asks for a new amor
| tionment after the next census. Spealino
of the Gentle strength IN Che territory. the
governor says the time may come when the
Genties viii be in the majority; but il will
be many years hence. The facts nre thnt
outside of alt Lake City, the Gentle popu.
lntiOn il found in mining cnmps hnd
smaller railroad towns. In Salt Lake and
Ogden they own more than one-half of the
real property The great bulk of the popnla-
tion of Utah is and always will be in the
valleys. Nearly all the land under cultiya-
tion aud water that can be used 10 irripate
IL without expense is owned and appropriat-