The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-17
SECRETARY HARRIS'S MISSION

| The dispatches tell us that Secretary
! Harris Of the See America League has
made a favorable impression upon his
fellow Americans at the league con-
| vention I'm Portland. This was to be
| expected, for Mr.. Harris Will make a
| favorable impression anywhere In this
world where he can get a hearing.
The convention at Portland Is an i'm
portant adjunct OF the main convention
held In this city last month. 1t contin-
ues and gives impetus to the good
work of inducing Americans to see
their own country before going abroad
10 be impressed by the grandeur and
sublimity OF older countries. But after
all. II sn American Will take pains to
see his own country its beauty. its
grandeur, its picturesque enchant-
ments, he VIII not be likely to see very
much In Europe or anywhere else that
will astonish him, for America repre-
sents scenes of ilImitable grandeur
that are seldom duplicated In any
country.
The See America movement, besides
being a patriotic, sensible and COM
mendablc proposition in Itself also
bears upon its surface large financial
and commercial possibilities. 1t is cs-
timated that Americans spend I'm Eu-
rope annually something like 5000. 900
600 for their passage, their aCcommo-
dntlons, and for the things they buy to
wear and enjoy. In Europe. TO be
sure. there is a trained catering to this
American visitation, and all that the
American has to do is TO put himself
in the hands OF those trained to handle
such parties. either large or small, as
he may associate himself with. He
can, II he chooses pay In New York
before leaving for the whole trip,
knowing precisely what he VIII get
precisely what he Will see and pre-
cisely what he will have of money left
to buy I'm the way OF brlc-a- brac, curl
ositles. or adornment
If we OF the mountain region OF
America, which Is picturesque AmerI-
ca. wish to be successful In the compe-
titon with European enterprise in this
respect we must organize somewhat on
European models. We must lay out
tours for travellers, show what It Is
they will see upon these tours, and give
them choice OF interchange OF routes
II they desire at any point Of their itin-
crary; show what they will get and the
things they Will see and the time they
will occupy in seeing them, They must
know all these things beforehand, and
know just what II Will all cost
very large majority Of Americans
who see Europe would not be able to
go to Europe at all II they went on an
indefinite programme OF expenditure,
not knowing what It would cost TO go,
to one place or another, or to sec one
or another thing that they might have
especially In mind. The European
travel is laid out to accommodate the
purses OF persons whose means are
limited. If an American starting from
New York with $500, $500. or $500. wants
to See n certain thing or visit n GER
tain country in Europe and take GER
tain Journeys he can find out just
what 1t is going TO cost and Just how
his money Will hold out or can be ex-
pended to the best advantage To a
very limited extent this is true also in
America. but It Is true chiefly as to the
transportation. 1t does not include
hotel accommodations or side trips OF
any kind
This liz something OF the utmost Inn
portance In the Sec America move
ment. and is something that will have
to receive attention primarily and as n
paramount proposition.
When this is attended to, We do not
think that there VIII be much difficulty
In getting from one-fourth to one-third
of the travel which commonly goes to
Europe 10 come to the West and this
Sec America League is the power to
bring about the change,
Primarily. OF course. there is the
work of preparation. showing the peo-
pie of the East what It is that they
can find and see in the West. and then
for complete tours at fixed |
cost to include everything from start
to finish
Mr.. Harris ls man OF Organization
and OF ability, and he Will receive most |
hearty sympathy and help from all |
Western commercial bodies, taking In