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Show A GREAT ASSEMBLY. To many hundreds of thousands of easterners, capable of journeying wherever whim should suggest, sug-gest, the great western country of which the Rockies are the imperial rampart, is merely a vast territorial expanse peopled with nondescript citizens citi-zens and containing little of interest to the effete eastern mentality. It has been the aim of the promoters of the convention of western citizens recently held, and the slogan of which is to see America first, to give the many misguided denizens of the east a faithful impression of the limitless wealth and possibilities which the great territory west of the Missouri contains, to those who wish to witness nature in all its affluent greatness. The movement had its incipiency only a few months ago, but remarkable results have already been achieved. During the past few days distinguished distin-guished representatives of all the great western states have been in conclave, all united and all inspired by the same patriotic aim, who have determined de-termined to demonstrate to wealthy easterners in making journeys to the awe-inspiring remnants rem-nants of an expiring civilization, they are overlooking over-looking what nature has lavished upon the west with the utmost prodigality. The success of this remarkable undertaking, although for a time it was looked upon even by those most intimately associated with it as being more or less ephemeral, is already completely assured. as-sured. A few intelligent and patriotic citizens of Utah and surrounding states have already made an assault upon the wisdom of the wise men of the east, and people who were hitherto sceptical regarding what would be accomplished by this embroyotic cyclone of the local Commercial Com-mercial club are now most enthusiastic in the belief be-lief that the undertaking will fructify most beneficially bene-ficially for the entire nation. What has already been achieved is a sufficient guarantee of the achievements which it is almost certain will follow. Throughout the east, notable and influential journals are already echoing the slogan of the Westerners, "See Europe Jf you will, but See America First." Through this agency the magnificent natural resources of the west have been brought to the attention of the cast as they could not have been through any other medium. Already people who were contemplating a pilgrimage to foreign shores have been arrested ar-rested by the newly inaugurated movement, and even if they do not actually join the great western march, they will at least be acutely conscious of what awaits the American sightseer in the vast wonderland of the western empire. Everything was quite harmonious at the local convention. Also all the delegates from adjoining adjoin-ing states demonstrated that all were in warm accord with the plan outlined by the Comccial club of this city. It was in the nature of a love feast for the distinguished Westerners who took part in the convention, and the resolutions they passed and the apostrophes they delivered to the splendors of the west all showed that there would be no lack of harmony in giving all necessary neces-sary impetus to the movement for a west, made greater by a deeper appreciation of its marvels by the sophisticated globe-trotters of the great eastern boulevards. The convention is to be commended upon its selection of Mr. Fisher Harris, secretary of the Commercial club, as its permanent president. Mr. Harris has been probably the most energetic of all the promoters of the project, and what has already been achieved is due largely to his forceful force-ful and magnetic personality. Under his guidance, it seems quite certain that within the next few years the new movement will assume magnificent proportions. Zion, after the hospitable fashion for which it is noted, has made every effort to make the stay of its distinguished guests agreeable. The concert at the tabernacle was one such as it would have been difficult to have, arranged extempore ex-tempore in any other city, and at the banquet at the Commercial club, everything tended toward a better fellowship among the Westerners and the speches were limned with ebullitions of wisdom wis-dom and wit The gathering of the delegates was a momentous event for Utah, as well as for other ably represented states of the Western empire, but none of them in the pride of commonwealth lost sight of the fact that the "See America First" movement was a civic inspiration which, though not devoid of local significance, was prophetic pro-phetic of not only a greater west but a greater nation. |