The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-27

Editor Inc 1rlD0nes "A ITlenu VI
mine has called my attention to a sour
rllous and abusive editorial article
which appeared in the Hcrald-Repub-
lican, relative 10 something which l
said in my speech at the American
party banquet lately. about the fertile
valley the pioneers found here upon
their arrival.
The writer Of that article either does
not know my history, or he wrote ut
at the behest of some one not officially
connected with the Shiny sheet, or else
it was written by some one who must
he fed from the tithing crib. 1t has
all the earmarks of the latter. How
ever, let that be as il may, | want
the writer Of that article to understand
perfectly that i am able 20 stand up
before God and man, and declare IN
all soberness and truthfulness that
what I said about the fertile appear
ance Of this valley when the pioneers
arrived here is the solemn truth, and
! don't retract one word or it. Mis-
sionarics sent out to the world from
tins valley shortly after the arrival
of the pioneers told the people in other
countries that this was rs "land
flowing with milk and honey" that it
was n place which had been especially
preserved "in the hollow of the Lord 8
hand for the reception of His people. -
That on this account it was a favored
locality, and that here the fruits of
the vine and the field were in abun.
dance for the preservation of the chill
dren Of Israel against the time of the
coming of our Lord and Savior. Did
those missionaries tell the truths Or
do the present leaders tell the truth
when they declare that this valley was
- l.. . I,oA
latter dread to have the truth known
now, lest they be deprived of their
false, martyr~hke glory for having
caused "the desert to blossom as the
roseY' Mr.. Editor. since the appear
ance of that article in tho Herald
Republican ] have been approached by
men who were here in that day, and
who still adhere to the Mormon church,
and they have assured me that they are
able to testify to the truth of my state
men IN this regard, My own eyes saw
the valley when [ came along with
the pioneer company, and [ am not
going to permit any individual who
knows nothing about the matter 70 con-
tradlct my statements. without letting
him know that he is making an impo-
tently ignorant effort TO discredit one
who has personal knowledge of the
actual situation as II existed at that
time. ] realize that it does not pay
for anybody to try to CLEAN satisfac-
tion out of being untruthful Ny whole
life gives the lie to any man or set
Of men. who would even intimate that
/ have wilfully told an untruth rela-
tive 10 anything connected with the
pioneers; and what ] SAID about the
appearance Of the valley when we ar
rived here in July. 1S47. and also about
the hosting of the bandana handker-
chief on Ensign peak, is as true as that
God Almighty lives. At the time /
felt a pride in the very thought of
hosting an ensign 10 the world, for
such 1t was represented to be when
they unfurled the handkerchief to the
breeze at that time. / took it to be
emblematIc of what should be done
later: and that it was bandana hand.
5erchief, and not the Stars and Stripes
] know 10 be a fact. If there was
United States flag in the pioneer
company. ] never saw ii or heard Of
il until 7 read Of il in the article re.
ferred 10. Right here I will explain
matter which might have been used
MS basis for the story that there
was a national flag in the company
On the Fourth Of July, 1S47 we came
into Ham S Fork. Wyo. Here George
A. Smith essayed TO celebrate the
Fourth by attempting to make some
ice cream. He got u tin can OF some
kind, some salt and some milk, and
went through the motions of producing
ice cream; but there having been nc
ice. of course the effort failed. Mean
time he had rigged up an rmprovised
flag of such materials as were at his