The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1894-02-01

MINING IN UTAH.

While the other western states and
territories were busy with their mine
developments, Utah was looking only
to the development of her agricultural
and manufacturing interests. During
the days when the government of Utah
was theocracy this was both wise
and natural policy. Church govern
ment was never and can never be,
efficient In state where all the COM
plex pursuits of man are carried on
and where special favors are granted
to no one man and to no particular in
terest, pursuit or business. The lead
ers and founders of the Mormon church
wisely, we have said, determined to
develop first the agricultural interest.
There were excellent reasons for that.
The territory, before the advent of rail-
roads, was very remote one and
hauling provisions thousand or fifteen
hundred miles on wagons by OK teams
was slow and exceedingly expensive
affair. Wisdom demanded that the
poor first settlers rely only upon their
own eXertions a. home for bread. Cali.
fornia had taught the early settlers OF
Utah and their leaders that with
mining craze on, there would be no
farms opened; thus it came about that
mining was relegated to the rear while
the bread problem was being solved
by labor and irrigation, A mining
people never become an agricultural
people; neither are they noted as q
pious people. 1t seems natural that a
pastoral people should be ruled and
controlled by church influence, but the
active, turbulent and wicked, if YOU
will, miners need something of a
sterner force to control them. Then,
too, the miners, as rule, are of
faith most at war with the faith of the
Mormons.
All this, however, has passed awav.
Theocracy has given way before the
dominant forces of civil government
The near approach of statehood rem
ders the people eager to make the most
OF all their varied and diversified in
terests and avenues of wealth. So i'm
portant matter as the mining chances
In this highly favored mineral region |
can no longer be Disseminated against.
1t viii force itself to the front desnite
church or any or all other influences or
powers, needing only the restoration
OF silver to its old Office as money TO
place Utah at the head, aye far higher
than the head, of all the states as a rich
gorgeously rich, mining section. Here
we have all the precious metals and
minerals Of every kind and all eanabIe
oI easy and inexpensive operation.
Ii statehood is had, and whether or
no 1t comes at all, ten years hence will
see the eyes of the civilized world
turned hitherward because of the
enormously rich mineral wealth being
developed. Were silver again at 81 %
per ounce as 1t was prior to '73 and for
a few years thereafter, there would he
ten thousand more miners in the terri
tory within twelve months. The farm
9rs of Utah would grow rich in feeding
them. There would not be an unem-
ployed man in the territory. All wouId
1e at work and all would be richly re-
1aid for every stroke of labor done. IT
would not stop there. New enterprises
would spring up, All other lines !
II business would be quickened 6
md broadened. New ideas, new DOS.
new sympathies would
pring up. Utah would soon be in
ouch with the advanced, best thought a
4 the world. This would put a new
ace on everything, and with the won I
lerful educational quickening, now be.
ag experienced, she would soon lead h
be west in all that relates to moder n 81
rogress, soundly based richness and a
easonable and rational freedom of
bought, and intellectual indulgence SO
he old frontier methods must give
sy to the on flowing tide of modern "
lgenuity as well as of modern superi. -.
rity, " !"