, 1905-12-02
A MOVEMENT FOR AMERICA.


The Commercial club of Salt Lake Is
urging a movement among the com
mercial clubs, governors and all others
interested throughout the west looking
to the turning of the tide of sight-see-
| ing and travel from Europe to America,
and particularly to that portion OF
America embraced by the Rocky
mountains. The club has adopted for
It's shibboleth, See Europe if you will,
but see America first"
The movement is certainly a laud-
able one and is deserving of the aid
Of all who have the slightest interest
in the advancement of this section OF
America. Thousands of people go
abroad annually who could find health
and recreation in the Rocky mountains.
They could at the same time have
greater pleasure in sightseeing right
within the boundaries of their own
country. The Salt Lake Commercial
club says:
"a conservative estimate, made by
reliable authorities, places the amount
of money expended in foreign coun-
tries during the season Of 19O4-5 by
American sightseers at $150,00O,OOO.
This great sum was paid in large
part by men and women in search OF
health, pleasure and recreation, who,
though native of the United States,
were in comparative ignorance of the
scenic, climatic and industrial advan-
tages of that portion of IL country ly-
ing west of the Mississippi river.
1T will we think be readily admit
ted that any material part of the
amount named above, If spent in woet-
ern communities, would not only make
for their great financial betterment
and upbuilding, but would most desir-
ably extend and increase the general
knowledge of what this important sec
ton of the nation has to offer to the
seekers of health. amusement, recrea-
ton or investment, who now crowd
foreign capitals and pleasure resorts.
1--WE understand, of course, that the
old world will always draw to itself
many thousands of our people because
| of its historical and religious interest,
its scientific, artistic and musical ad-
vantages, and we admit that this is
proper and desirable; but we do be-
lieve that America, and particularly
the western portion thereof, is entitled
from all the standpoints of interest to
more attention from a certain class of
Americans han it has heretofore re-
ceived.
"As conditions now exist many of
our people are heard raving over the
beauty of the Trossachs, the glory of
the Rhine, the ~magnihcence of the
Alps, who have never seen and have
but small conception of the grandeur
of the Rocky mountains or the splen-
dor of the Columbia river.
'In an effort to rectify the conditions
of which complaint is here made the
Commercial club. of Salt Lake City,
has undertaken the work of awakening
interest in this subject among the bust
ness men of the western part of the
United States and of the Republic of
Mexico.
Arrangements are now being per
fected for a conference of the COVER
nors of the states n territories af-
fected. together with representatives
OF the chief commercial organizations
of the west and of the railroads operat-
ing in the interested section, at which
the Commercial club will present for
consideration a detailed, definite and
comprehensive plan of procedure. This
conference has been called for January
25th, 1906