The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-11
MAKE 1T A STATE AFFAIR. >

The Provo Enquirer is interested in
the success of the Pioneer Jubilee cell
ebration, as we believe every paper in
pointmen1 of a committee to receive
President Mckinley, the Enquirer in its
issue of last evening says:
The jubilee commission seems to be
sanguine that President Mckinley is
coming, and its chairman has appointed
committee on reception, consisting
almost entirely of Salt Lake citizens, 10
see that the state does the handsome
thing with the chief executive when
he visits Utah.
We do nor believe the president. is
coming, but that does not change the
proposition in any sense. We have
noticed ever since this so-called state
celebration has been under way, that
the tendency is 10 localize it and make
of it a Salt Lake affair.
The state legislature made a liberal
appropriation toward the celebration,
the church did something and finance
committees are at work in the various
counties We have no objection 10 the
state helping 10 bear the expense OF
the celebration, and advocated the leg
islative appropriation. AS the histori-
cal event to be commemorated is one
Interested we think it entirely proper
that they should see the proposed cele-
bration a success. OF course, Salt Lake
ought to bear the greater burden, for
the pecuniary profits viii all come to
that city. AS it now stands. all the
honors and most of the advertising
seem also confined to the capital.
Just think of a committee on recep-
ton welcoming President Mckinley, on
behalf of the state. on which is but one
citizen outside of Salt Lake-Senator
Cannon-whose position rather forced
upon him the recognition. The jubilee
officials may think that entirely proper,
but to our mind it shows a great lack
of judgment. Furthermore. if such
course is continued, we promise Salt
Lake that the press of the country
will do all it can to confine the celebra-
ton to Salt Lake people. All the pa
pers have felt we'll toward the jubilee
and have desired to make it state
affair: now let the official work be on
that same broad basis.
Unfortunately there is but too much
ground for the above criticism. From
the very beginning The Herald has
taken the position that the celebration
was a state affair. as it is. and should
be treated as such. It is an occasion
III which the people OF the STATE nave
a deep interest, but unfortunately they
have felt that it was being made a To-
cal affair. They may have exagger-
ated this feeling. but they have it. At
the very beginning it was suggested
by q. prominent citizen, who had the
interests of the celebration at heart,
that members of the commission
should visit various parts of the state
and ascertain what the people of the
state desired in the way of a celebra-
ton. But this suggestion, worthy not
merely of consideration but of accept
ance, was given no heed. in fact was
sat down upon. All that is past now
and all should do what is possible to
make the celebration a success.
There is not a member of the com
mittee on reception but is a happy Sc
lection and that the people will not
heartily approve, but the committee
should have been made larger and
prominent citizens from all over the
state placed upon it, And what our
Provo contemporary says in this re-
gard is eninently proper and fitting.
The Enquirer and the state press gem
orally are asked not to lay the blame
for any shortcomings of those in
charge of the jubilee celebration on
the good people of Salt Lake City.