Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-29
STATE OF UTAH.
A Desert Oasis Made by Irri-
cation.
A Study of the Water Problem in the
West.
How Brave and Earnest Men Con-
quered Adversely.

In a recent article, relating to the
drOuth of the past summer and the
consequent shortage of the prairie corn
CROP, | made occasion to summarize
the oft-repeated argument of the irri-
gationist, as applied to the vast plains
| forming the arid and semi-arid regions
Of the West, writes William r. Leigh
| ton in the Transcript. That was a
summary of a theory rather than facts
| Indeed, most Of the literature OF the
| subject that has thus far found publ
cation has consisted of the exploitation
of theories. Indisputable facts are not
easily obtained. Perhaps that is the
| reason for the slight interest when
| the East has taken in the matter; for
| from the very beginning of things the
East has been surfeited with all man
| ner of theories upon every conceivable
subject, from the sanitation of the
nursing-bOttle to the political economy
of Paradise. 1t may be worth while,
then. to attend few large, plain facts
Transcribed from the record of one
state where irrigation has been tried
land proven.
That state IS Utah. Within its bound
10. the Western water problem; and if
"a practical solution Of the problem is
possible at all, we shall reach it here.
on this great inter-mountain plain,
Nature played an eccentric part. Else
where on the earth she gave gardens of
luxury ana abundance, where men
might find ready to their hands fruit
for every need of the body; where they
might live in one long, lazy dream, and
die of the fatty degeneration of idle
ness. Then, as though, struck with
misgiving lest She had over-indulged
her children. she steeled her heart and
fashioned Utah. Men may tire of play
by and by" she pondered, ''and wish
to rest themselves with labor. Here
will / provide them a Workshop SO
the shop was built, walled with black
m0untains fiOOred with the sun baked
| sand. land rooted with a brassy sky.
she was prodigal of nothing but oppor-
tunities for hard work; these she left
IN plenty. hiding them away in secret
places. 1t was not a place of pleasant
refuge for trampS, but rather wide
yard with a woodpile and a cross dog.
Truly, if any man expected to eat pie
here, he must first earn it; and then
he must take it well sailed with sweat
and tears.
When the Mormons-that godly, god
less set at once benghted and inspired
came to the gateway of the mount
aims and looked with jaded eyes upon
this unmeasured stretch of desolation,
realizing that here was the haven after
their weary pilgrimage, and that here
| they must abide, it is not strange if
spiritual ecstacy was discolored by de-
| spair. The raw desert held not 50
much as food for one man; and they
were hundreds. With all the facilities
| of today, none but a hardy soul would
undertake the task assigned to them;
but that was more than fifty years ago,
when the Salt Lake Basin was at life's
outmost edge. They were quite be-
/ vond the reach of friendly aid from
outside. 1t was no doubt fortunate
that they had got into the way of blind
Allegiance to their prophets. This is
no place for a discussion of the ethics
of Mormonism, with it's sage-brush
morality and it's "hootchy- kootchy
school iv thought" 1 am trying to tell
of the peoples achievements. 1t is not
material whether the leaders We're
downright constituencies impostors in
intention, or merely self-deceived yea
lots: the fact remains that they We're
men of great resources, with the power
/ Of inspiring their followers with the
I faith which they themselves professed.
n They declared to the ears of the hum
cry and half-dismayed horde that
heaven had kindly vouchsafed per-
sOnal oversight of the affairs of the
colony. This had been revealed" For
q while, until the throng had been set
definitely 10 work, the prophets drove
a thriving trade in hand down re-
Violations, fashioned with adroit cum
ming to suit the apparent humors of the
people Neither Moses nor Croker,
neither Isaiah nor Carrie Nation, was
ever more Of a law-giver, in the mar
rowcst sense. than were Brigham
Young and his council And the crowd
WAS ideally constituted for obedience;
it had come wholly from the lower
levels of life. where stolid stupidity.
rather than initiative intelligence, was
the ruling factor in the makeup of
temperament.
The story of the first year in Utah
reads like a chapter from The Swiss
Family Robinson The latter part of
| the migration, from oilana TO SALT
Lake. had been attended with vast
hardships. not to say positive peril.
One suspects that this may have been
4 part of the heavenly revelation-as
though Providence would say: See
hero, son Brigham; we can't be too
careful about this business. These
dear children must be well disciplined,
ere they are fitted to do your will and
mine. We must break their spirit ut
terly." And that seemed to be the
chief part of Young's concern en- route.
Everything like ease was religiously ia
hoOad: the belongings of the caravan
were loaded at the Missouri in small
carts. ana to these the women of the
party were harnessed like oxen and
THUS, after months of indescrbable toll,
they reached their journeys end-the
promised land.
After the terrible strain. the thought
of a permanent home. however barren
of soft delight. had infinite charm. No
preliminary pain was too great, if only
it might pressage the birth of comfort
able peace. They were we'll Injured to
toll: which was well, for never in our
national history was colony con-
frOnted with Sterner necessity for hard |