Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-26

shall proceed to the practical side OF
THIS proposition. First. let ms briefly
consider the general propositions here.
tolore mentioned.
Flrst, AZ 10 the diversion OF money
from the United States alone. Il Is au-
thoritatively stated that during the
year 1904 American sight-seers spent
In foreign lands the great sum OF $780,
100000. In addition 10 this, they spent
w, O0O,OO0 In the purchase Of foreign ar
ticles. consisting of jewelry. wearing
apparel. curosities and souvenirs. This
all means that IN one year $500 the
sum OF $3.50, 100000 was taken perma-
nently from the country's wealth and
scattered over strange lands. The
amount thus diverted from American
pockets In the year named grows larg-
er every year In direct proportion to our
Increase In population. and the growing
intensity OF the European vacation fad.
Some Idea OF the seriousness OF this
constant, ever-increasing and perma-
nent diversion OF home money Into for
elgn channels may be gained from a
consideration of what the sum named
above would do could It be retained
here, say for period OF 10 years. For
instance. It would pay the national debt
OF the United States more than twice
n
equipped sea-level canal at Panama
and leave a billion, Ave hundred mill
lions In the treasury; IL would build
great roadway from New York to
San Francisco and another from Port
land, Or, to st. Augustine, Fla, and yet
another from the Great Lakes to the
Gulf of Mexico. 1t would make the
United States easily the richest nation
under the sun.
IL Is proper and reasonable, with
these figures in mind, to say that this
See America First" movement Is en-
titled to rank In Importance with ma
'tlonal irrigation. the building of the
Panama canal. tarff revision or any
other of the great problems before our
people today.
II Is hardly necessary for this con-
ference to dsclaim any Intention OF dis
couraglng or stopping travel to foreign
lands, even We're such thing possible
II IL the proper ambition of every
predetermined man or woman TO see
the world as God made 1T or man mar
red It. We need not argue this point
however even with our critics We have
fully stated our position and amply
fortified 1t by adopting the motto, See
Europe II you VIII, but see America
first" Analyze this legend carefully
and II responds TO the test, Foreign
travel Is made optional. Home travel
Is made mandatory as a precedent con-
dition No American, deserving of the
name, will object TO these conditions.
1t Is unnecessary to assure the mem
bers OF this conference that we really
possess the most magnificent scenery in
the world Many OF you have visited
every known cline, and In your hearts,
If not audibly. you have constantly
compared American and foreign seen
cry TO the decided detrment Of the lat
ter. Today you are prepared TO say
with one OF our western governors:
THE States west OF the Mississippi
almost without exception, offer noun
tain for mountain. valley for valley,
river for river and lake for lake with
Europe's most famed scenery. and to
natural attractions American scenery
urges further claim to our loyalty and
love from the fact that II was made In
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