Truth. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1901-1908, 1905-05-31
r r II T II.


these goods. 1t was drain that
poor and struggling community could
not stand. Why, we paid $75 per 100
weight for nails, and then we started
nail factory and made nails out OF
old wagon tires. AS far back as 1852
the Church attempted to start the SUI
gar industry by raising the sugar beet
and establishing a sugar factory. The
church invested in it. and got the peo-
pie to join it. Large sums were ex-
pended, but the experiment was a
failure. The machinery was not what
it should have been, and we lacked eX-
perience. That discouraged the peo-
pie, and for long time it was impos-
sible to get them and the business
men and bankers to put capital into
the scheme. The church was ap-
pealed to, and it went security for
certain bonds to put the industry on
it's feet. For years it paid no divi-
dends, but at last it became u success
the stability of the enterprise assured
and the bonds could be paid off. but
the holders will not part with them
until legally redeemable.
~ .3
president Young, in order to pre-
vent the people from paying the eXor-
bitant rates charged for merchandise
brought here, started the lions Co
operative Institution-the u G. M. l.,
as it is generally called-not to make |
money for the church, but to save
money for the people. | was sent out |
through the settlements to get the |
people interested, and to get them to |
take stock. They were slow to go |
into the enterprise. having been dis |
couraged by the failure of the sugar
business when first begun. In every
instance where | started branch !
had to head the stock subscription |
list myself"
But, If it was a church enterprise |
was asked, "why didn't the PEOPLE |
obey orders and take the stock?"
"The Mormon people aren't built
that way" replied President Smith
mo, indeed" chimed in President
Winder, ''they want to know where |
their money is going, and what is |
likely to he the return, before they |
let it out of their hands"
"These cooperative institutions |
have been very successful" resumed |
President Smith. while the church |
at first took stock in it to show good |
faith and to encourage the people, it |
has very little of it at present Gen |
tiles hold from 25 to 80 per cent of |
the stock now. In fact, the church |
has but little interest in any corpora
tons. 1t owns majority of the stock |
in the Saltair pavilion at the lake anJ |
the railroad between it and the city. |
That enterprise was gone into by the |
church in order to provide place |
where the young people could have
proper and reasonable amusements |
under church control, so that they |
might be protected from improper in.
fluences and be free from association
with vice and profiigacy. 1t also owns
81 per cent of the Salt Lake theater
which was built by President Young
for the same reasons given with re-
gard to the Saltair pavilion.
81 am charged with being connected
with all sorts of corporations and
business interests, and with using my
position for the monopolization of
trade. Some of these connections
have inherited with my office, as in
the case of those I have just named
But the church. in the early days. had
to take the lead in the work of de-
velopment in order to make this a
self-sustaining community.
~ ,x
I'm the same direction its officials
but not the church itself, now encour-
hn1n