Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-09-24
A MORMON LESSON.
AN INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM THAT WAS
FOUNDED BY a GENIUS.

Brishan Young Chose FOR she Corner
stone q state the Sound PrIncipio of
IndustriaIism--what he Did with the
Problem q irrigation.
On July "a, i8t7, President Young
aud his fellow pioneers passed through
the picturesque outlet Of emigration
canyon into tho vale. Of the Great Salt
lake Utah was then .dexican soil, and
the leader beloved no could found what
ever character Of Institution should suit
him and his people In tho bitter anti
Mormon crusados Of the past It has been
alleged that Brigham Young had chains
or men souls There is no doubt that
religious superstition, rendered effective
by the marvellous machinery Of tho
church, was partly the source Of the
leaders irresistible power with his own
people, but back Of the religious super
stition and tho church organization
stood tho brain Of a great and mnsterful
man. He knew that his power, to be
enduring, must rest upon something
material and tangible, and this some-
thing he discerned TO bc the prosperity
Of the people themselves.
Brigham Young was an organizer Of
prosperity. This was the real source Of
his strength. He did not aim at moro
temporary prosperity. On the contrary,
he fought everything that tended to that
end, going to the length of actually for
bidding tho opening Of the rich mines in
the mountains near at hand, because he
abhorred the spirit Of speculation. He
chose for tho cornerstone of his state the
principle Of industriRlism, and that prin-
ciple lies there yet. at the base Of no
BILE edifice Of economic fact, reared by
human toll and held firmly in place by
the average prosperity Of all who had
part in its building II the great Rrchi-
tect and the superintendents and fore
man who surrounded him enjoyed q
larger share Of the profits than the work
men, It Is also true that the humblest
newer Of stone and carrier Of mortar was
paid in proportion TO the importance Of
his lnbors. And what fair mind can oh
ject to an industrial system that yields
these results3
So far as can be learned, Brigham
Young had no previous knowledge Of If
rigation when he entered Salt Lake val
ley. He quickly realized that he had
como to an arid country, which would
be hopeless for agriculture unless arti-
fcially watered. With marvellous porcep-
tion, he saw that irrigation was not a
drawback, but an advantage of the most
important sort. lie realized that it
meant freedom alike from the dangers Of
the drought and Of the flood. He diScov-
cred that, having n rich soil and ample
sunshine, and adding moisture by the
construction Of bitches, it was actually
an improvement upon nature to be able
TO turn tho rain" either on or of with
equal facility. And therefore he rightly
concluded that no had found in these
conditions the basis of tho most certain
worldly prosperity and the most scien-
tific agriculture.
1t remained for later genius to re-
mark; Irrigation is not a substitute for
rain. Rain is substitute for irrigation,
and a mighty poor one. But il the
Mormon leader did not say so he evi-
IDENTIFY felt it. Ho perceived. further
more, that irrigation was much more
than an insurance policy upon the crops.
It brought all the processes OF agricul-
ture within the realm Of known facts,
and that is science.
II even rendered possible Tho control
Of the size Of vegetables, and this be-
came important many years aftcrward,
when tho Mormon people added a great
sugar factory TO thoir industrial systom,
for It is important to grow sugar bects
Of about standard size TO get tho best
results. Moisture is required to give tho
beet a vigorous growth at the beginning,
but when It is we'll starred weeks OF nm
interrupted sunshine are desirable In
order to develop tho saccharine qualities.
Much sunshine at tho wrong time dries
up the crop, while much moisture ut the
wrong time produces boot pleasing tc
look apon, but Improbable at tho fac
tory.
Brigham Young also realized. almost
at the first. that the necessity Of careful
irrigation largely increased the labor
upon an acre Of land, but ho found that
this labor was generously rewarded by
the increased yield both in quantity and
quality. And from this fact no drew
tho most important principle of his
commonwealth, which was the division
Of land into small holdings Closely re
lated TO this Is tho other twin factor in
Mormon prosperity--the diversihcatiOu
Of farm products TO the last degroo
Natural conditions, even where there
IS the most abundant and well distribut-
ed rainfall, are often favorable TO the
production Of only a fow crops. But the
Mormons realized that the szillful ap
plication OF water just where and when
needed, and in just the right quantity,
and by the very best method, rendered
possible the widest variety Of fruits
vegetables and cereals suited TO the tenn
perate zone Thus Brigham Young
taught the people that no man should
own more land than ho could cultivate
10 its highest point by his own and hil
family's labor, and that no man should
go 70 store for amy article Of food o.
clothing that could 30 proftably pro
duced on his own small farm. 1.-THE
Conquest Of Arid America, by William
E. Smythe, In Century.
TouEhcned.
Say, " said the deputy, II put No