Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-10-20
MoRMoNs As I%RRicAToRs.
Secret Of the Success Of the Mormons,
the Pioneer irrigationists Of Utah
Why they Have Chung Together in


Why they Have Chung Together in
Harmony.
The recent National Irrigation Con-
gress at Ogden. Utah, directed atten-
ton to the remarkable system Of
irrigation and community building
found today in Utah. The bountifully
yielding small irrigated farms of that
state have furnished a theme for
many interesting articles. In fact the
Mormon people have supplied a per
ennial topic of discussion since they
first came into prominence, half a
century ago. Volumes have been
written about them, while many other
volumes might be filled with the
magazine and newspaper articles
which have been published on the
same subject. And yet of all that has
been said the smallest possible pro-
portion has touched the real secret of
their power.
1t does not lie in their peculiar re-
ligious doctrine and practice, nor is it
explained by the perfection of their
organization or the dominance of the
ocracy in secular affairs, except as
these have been incidental to the real
ization OF anotner ana much more
substantial fact.
The Mormons owe their success,
their constant growth and enduring
hold upon their people-in a single
word, their poWer-tO the fact that
they are deeply rooted in the soil.
From the moment that the first small
party OF pioneers lighted the first
campfire by the banks of CITY Creek
July 21th. 1919, their policy has been
to get possession Of the land and to
make that land yield up to them. indi-
vidually and collectively. a living and
Il competence.
True HomebuiIding.
Brigham Young and his successors
down to the present hour have been
guided by the true instinct of empire
builders. They grasped at the begin
ming. and have held throughout their
history. the great truth that the earth
Is the source Of all wealth and that
neither man nor communities can be
poor or helpless so long as they have
firm foothold on the soil.
But this was only a part their wis
dom. The other part was the fact
that they divided the land among a
multitude Of small proprietors. Ac-
cOrdlng to the census returns. the
average farm in Utah is wenty-seven
acres. AS many large ranches were
included in the average, it is obvious
that there must have been manv
which were Of even smaller dimer-
slons, and this is the fact. 1t is not
uncommon to find people living com
fcrtably on two or three acres, while
some OF the most famous families,
like the Woodruffs, have lived TO,
nearly two generations on a twenty
acre place.
Utah lies in a high altitude and 4
northern latitude. 1t has real white,
for several months in the year. Its
growing season is not much Longer
than that OF New England. How
then, can it's people live and prospe,
on very small farms?
The explanation is in n single
word-irrigation. And irrigation i.
an endless miracle. 1t confars indus
trial independence and socia! equality
on communities that know how Il
live in accordance with its laws. II
has made the people Of Utah rich
powerful and imprognable. in an eco
nomic sense. 1t will do as much fol
tens of millions more in the mex
twenty-five years if it has a chance
Those who have been alarmed a
the growth and persistence OF thu
Mormon power. and have sought Il
curb it. apparently have no apprehen
Of the everlasting rock on which it /!
built.
The Mormon church has been from
the first a great scheme OF co-Opera
tive colonization. 1t has taken poo
men and made them prosperous-con
verified tenants into proprietors
tramps into taxpayers. hired men in
to employers, and made the outcast
partner in store, factory and bank.
And how has it done this? First
by knowing the value of our grea
public domain and proceeding to he'll
itself to the wealth thereof, in stric
accordance with the letter and tn
spirit Of the law.
Then, by dividing the land anon,