The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-07-27
Smi0l1e|d Mans
Mastery Grafton


scan hastily few recent pages of
the past for a truer Interpretation OF
our present condition. We celebrate
not alone to forget the humdrum of
every day life, but to commemorate
an event which viii ever stand out as
II land mark in the annals OF our
sountrys making, and a marvel to all
the world. Go back with me, In your
T1nds eyes, to early days In Smith.
fiIio, in Cache county, in Utah.
Imagine yourself stationed in the
Old Fort" down the creek, with its
dirt floors and leaky roof; or trod the
aonely beat with your brother doing
sentinel duty to guard against the
Cttrages of the skulking Indians who
creep like snakes through the clumps
OF wheat grass. Forget for a moment
the honk, honk of the auto the whirl
of the sprinkler, the spacious homes
of the saints and go back to the
days of "homespun" and calico bon
nets to get picture of life generally
throughout Utah. Feel II you can the
strenuous struggle against nature for
a sustenance; eat Sego lilly roots for
a time IL you will Toll the great lev
eller" had made one the farmer. the
scholar, the mechanic, the musician.
Glance eastward to the once hap
by homes in Illinois left vacant and
abandoned for an abode in the noun
tain deserts of Western America; see
the ripenng fields left to waste their
harvest on the ground What extra
ordinary thing in the life of a people
would cause a choice of such vicssi.
tudes to comparative luxury in the
east? The scene changes. It was six
ty four years ago today since the ad.
vance guard of an exiled people feast
ed their eyes on the glories of the
Great Salt Lake Valley; whose pan
widowed streams, its mountains mir
rored in the quiet waters of the
great Inland sea, stretched before
their hungry gaze A prayer of thank
ful deliverance assembled from each
Travelled heart, as something inspir.
ational told them here was a strong,
hold of peace. These seven score men
and three women felt not alone for
self, but for wives, sons and babies
stretched in an oX-laden train for
miles over the sun.blazed plains Of
the Mississippi Valley and mountain
passes OF our western and Mexican
frontier; following the trail of their
leaders, they knew not precisely
where-but anywhere to get away
from their tormentors in the east.
Who were these men blazing a
Irail into the unknown? Who this
happy, sorry, prosecuted, victorious
ghrong these old men, these children.
These mothers, these daughters bray
ing the dangers of new land whose
solitude was scarce unbroken save
Eo' the howl of the coyote, the whoop
OF savage red men, or the mad rush
of stampeded buffalo? What ominous
eiojng in this fair land Of ours would
can for the Punishment Of many thou
sand souls and the sufferings incident
30 thousand and half miles tramp
across practically trackless desert;
that would demand that men and
women drag carts laden with scan
Jy food supply, as if they were beasts
of burden; yea, make imperative the
birh Of offspring on the unacceptable
shores Of the Father OF Waters, their
mothers chief canopy being the star
yy heavens, lily protected from the
rigors Of those February nights by a
gew pieces Of clothing snatched from