Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-25
New York Paper Regards "See
America Scheme as a Mis-.
sionary Enterprise.
ADVANTAGE OF WESTERNERS.
Few Successful Business Men That
Are Not Acquainted With Large
Eastern Cities.

Jan 10, has the following TO say edi-
torially.
salt Lake city January lS.-The
committee Of the Commercial club hav-
ing In charge arrangements for the
See america First conference in this
city, January 20, and 90 announces that
representation Is now assured from all
the transmississipp states and from
Duluth on the north to New orleans
on the south
This Associated Press dispatch will
convey to many persons the first In
formation Of "A concerted movement to
persuade them to see America before
they go to Europe, 1t is missionary
enterprise intended to cali fasteners to
repentance. Any man who dwells be-
yond the Mississippi must necessarily
sec more or less Of America before he
can even set foot on a trans Atlantic
steamer. As a matter Of fact, the west
erner who can afford 10 travel at all
f. fairly familiar with the cities Of the
east. II would be hard to find n sue
cessful business man In st. Paul, Min
neapoiis. Omaha, Denver, or San Fran
cisco who Is not entirely at home in
Chicago, st. Louis New York and
Philadelphia, and who has not done"
all the sights Of Washington, Your
prosperous Seattle lawyer or merchant
makes less ado about coming to New
York than your New Yorker makes
about going to Buffalo or Cleveland
WEST VERSUS EAST.
This is why the west very Justly calls
the east provincial. The western man
has a far more accurate knowledge of
the topography Of this country, the ag-
ricultural and industrial products OF
the various sections. the appearance of
cities and villages, the public institu-
tions. and the temper Of the inhabi-
tants. The men who sit In comfortable
clubs in Boston, New York. and Phila-
delphia often display an abysmal lG,
norance OF the political issues which
have provoked the middle west into
white heat of Indignation. Graduates
of our eastern universities are prone
to speak with condescension and pity
of the unfortunates who have never
had any advantages beyond those Of
fered by the state universities OF Mchi-
gan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and CALI
fornia-as If there were no clvlliza-
ton west Of Elmira. From this type
of blgotry the educated westerner with
all his local enthusiasm and his large
talk of fertile soil and inexhaustble
mines, Is agreeably free.
WILL CONVERT SINNERS.
The western gospel will, we trust car
ry conviction to the hearts of our eff
fete sinners. The west has much TO
show us. The cities are bustling and
interesting. To speak frankly. how
ever they are not the greatest thing
which America has produced. Cleye-
land, Cincinnati, Detroit, Chicago, st.
LOUIS Kansas city. Omaha, st. Paul,
minneapolis and Duluth have develop
ed IN the same period; they exhibit the
same types OF architecture; they have
many other features in common.
lew DAYS IN each Of them will satisfy
sight-seer who might probably spend
months or years in 10 of the leading
European cities. Such southern cities
as Richmond. Charleston, st. Angus
tine and New Orleans have more in
dlVlduality and charm. Parts OF New
orleans stlll breathe something OF the
ar OF a French provincial town. Den
NSr III lts mountain eyrie, Salt Lake
wy win It's Mormon settlement Hell
ela END Butte surrounded by mining
camps. Los Angeles In its seml-tropiral
splendor, san Francisco seated on the
mus ~ the Golden Gate, guarded by
'he peak OF Tamalpais, and trailickn,,
win the orient; Portland lying near
Inc Columbia Tacoma and Seattle
with the magnificent snow-cap OF Rain
Ter, the Jagged line of the Olympjcs. ana
Puget Sound to seize the eye from ev-
cry point OF outlook-each of these ci-
Ties has It's lesson for Americans who
want to know fhelr own land on the
Elorles OF our natural scenery--Niagara
Auk -
Gods. the Yellowstone the Grand Can
yon, Yosemite and all the rest-we
need not dwell, Everybody knows that
these sights draw visitors from Europe
WHY SUCH INDIFFERENCE?
Why do so many Americans remain
Indifferent? Partly. no doubt. because.
when they have time and money for
travel, they want to turn 10 something
wholly ncw-get out OF the American
atmosphere, In It's art galleries, It's pub
lie buildings, IN every street of its an
cient cities Europe offers opportunities
for enlargement of vision and Of the
sense of historical perspective. and for
a development Of the sthetic tastes.
which cannot be found this side OF the
Atlantic. For this reason-.nany persons
are content TO see America last. Then,
too. the sea-voyagc itself Is n strong
attraction. 4 week or 10 days on the
ocean means for some people as much
rest as a month of travel by train or
even Of life In the wilds. With rich
and poor alike, these considerations
weigh heavily in choosing between i
trip to England or California.
QUESTION OF EXPENSE.
But with the great mass of men who
must reckon the cost carefully, the ex-
pense Of travel IN America IL decisive
In six weeks or two months, the per-
son who Is willing to practise decent
economies gets more for his money IN
Europe than In the United States 4
round trip ticket from New York TO
San Francisco costs, according to the
route, between Sli5 and 1853 A berth
In the sleeper Is about $40 more meals
for five or six days on the train, &C
least So a day. But for $3.50, or perhaps
less, one can secure very pleasant ac-
commodatlons to Liverpool or a CONT
mental port and return, including room
and excellent meals. In its hotels Flu
rope has an even greater advantage,
Few OF our cities can boast well-kept,
clean, comfortable, and at the same
time low-priced hotels. A man travelling
with his family must make up his
mind that unless he can pay the bills
at the best hotels. he must put up
with nattentlon, poor cooking and dirt
These facts the western missionary
must not overlook II he Is TO succeed in
his propaganda. lie must induce the
railways and the Pullman company to
lower their rates. The heavy cut for
the Portland exposition drew thousands
to the Pacific coast last summer. and
stendy low fares would doubtless prove
a steady attraction. He must instantly
improve his hotels. The work OF reform
may very properly begin In the very
place where the conference is to be held
salt Lake Ci.y, Until the fares are
lower and the hotels better and cheap
er, conferences can accomplish very lit
tic