Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-05-01
THE UTAH PIONEERS.


Several Of our Utah papers are de-
voting space with more or less regu'
Iarity to the Pioneers and their work
the NEWS itself has been doing 30
for now well.nigh half q century
and In 30 for as such matter Is accurate
the space could scarcely be better
employed. There are but few Indeed
outside OF those who participated In
the settlement OF Utah, who come
anywhere near full realization oil
what that work cost In sufierings,
privations, discoursgements, hard la
Dor, unrequited industry and impeded
perseverance,; few who grasp the
Significance OF the achievements
wrought ont Of stubborn materials or
the gradual growth of the grand success
upon soil than which none ever sub
dued and made productive by man
was more unwilling. But all these
should be known and appreciated, as
much so as is possible from informa'
ton placed before them in proper
form, In the shape of the testimony oil
survivors anu the literary work OF
those who are in n position to know
whereof they write.
None OF the c0nquests OF Civilized
man In recent times was more conse-
qusntial to the nation in which II
occurred than was the fobnding
and peopling OF Utab. Ii would
have been many more years before
the telegraph wire was strung
from the frontier to the ocean
II there had not been midway OASIS
OF civilization in the vast Intervening
desert OF barbarism and barrenness,
and the same can he said Of the Pa
cific railway. To have simply kept
pace with the advancing frontier
would have meant, with the edges
nearly two thousand miles apart, a
work Of GLOW growth--R tass the CON-
temptation OF whose immensely alone
would have caused Its commencement
to be deferred many years after IL was
actually begun. This was owing
to the fact that not 1900 IN Hos
Of an unproductive country full
Of dangers would have to be
traversed and guarded before the
protective influences and liie.giving
patronage OF civilized communities
could be felt, but less than half OF It,.
The Pioneers did not. ike most others
OF their class, advance beyond the Dor.
der only to keep within hsiling die
tanco Of those left behind; they made
bold stroke Tor the middle OF the
unknown land, and being successful In
reaching it and establishing the
nucleus, at once began to throw out
tributaries and establish outposts,
which also grew and spread, &c
that whom the time for be-
ginning the work Of girdling
the continent arrived everything wn'
In readiness to secure successful
outcome.
Nearly fifty years have been wound
If the reel OF time aud passed into the
great gulf OF eternity, and what s
transformation lie before Us! WildnesI
and sterility mutt be sought for to be
encountered, and then only after long
and tedious marches. Wherever WI
turn, whichever way we go, cultlva
ton, improvement, all the means ant
ends of educated and enlightened
conditions, highways and bywuya
bordering on both sides and al
along fruitful fields, Towering
gardens, happy homes anu progress
sive and prosperous people. "Th,
sound OF the church.going bell" Hi
the Sabbath morning air where, pre-
vious to the comparatively brief spai
spoken Of, the only sounds by man tina
ever cleft the reignisg follIude wsr
the war.whOops OF the savage. But /
was not accomplished without
mighty struggle, carried on by nae
who were superior to encouragement
and who, II speculation or adventur
hal been their guiding impulse, w0ul
have falteIeI and then fallen back be
fore even the beginning was hall &C
complished.
1t il an easy matter to push torwar
improvements now; easy to rail at ia
financial depression and long for tn
return OF "hush times" with the
concomitant booms anu panics.
those who 80 engage themselves W j
thoroughly store their minds wit
what those who maze 1t possible Il
the rect OF us to be here had to u
dergo. and contrast such experieuC
with what we are having now, thei
will probably be lees Of inutfindin
and discontent--more of thanklulDe
aud praise. Therefore we say aga
that such publications as those spoke
Of ere means OF doing gooJ, and
more ways than one.
An honor and endless gratitude