OCR Text |
Show INTERNAL. DEVELOPMENT. The census of California sbowj that, apart from the concentration of people-in people-in cities, the population of the farming counties of that State has largely increased, in-creased, while that of the mining eoun-tie-i ha.s proportionately decreased. We may not infer from thin that men are less onxioir- In ohrain the precious nieta'g now than they were when California Cali-fornia wn esteemed the El Dorado of the Continent, hut simply that the mine are neither so productive nor extensive as they were some years ago. Were they as. inexhaustible as the soil which, with skillful cultivation and proper care, increases in richness in stead of he-coming poorer, the mining counties would have advanced in population popu-lation in a greater ratio than the other parts of the State, for the inducements to seek wealth in a pursuit that par-tikcs par-tikcs somewhat of the attraction of a lottery, are greater than those which prompt men to seek the slower gains of the steady and arduous toil consequent conse-quent upon farmiug. Agriculture is the basis of all employments, em-ployments, and without it existence would be savage, or at least nomadic, for a pastoral life necessitates the latter, lat-ter, and following hunting and fishing for a living involves the former. This basis Utah has laid, and laid well. But it must be remembered that if the foundation of a building is permitted to decay, the superstructure raised on it is sure to tumble to pieces. There are men who either from a mistaken policy, or worse motives, would urge mining as an occupation that should take precedence of all others, seemingly forgetful th.it without with-out the earlior one of agriculture it could not exist. And the community that would devote itself exclusively to mining must draw its supplies from other places, which would simply be enriched by its la'jors. Utah is rich in farms, in orchards and in herd grounds, although those farms may not be so extensive as can be found in some Oiher parts of the country. And Utah has wealth in minerals. But the development of the mineral resources of the Territory must bi subservient to agricultural and manufacturing man-ufacturing development, or the Territory Terri-tory will lose the fruits of the last twenty years' labor, and after a few years of mining excitement have to ressurrect that which to-day has a living liv-ing existence and a vitality of prosperity prosper-ity not possessed by a purely mining community. So strongly is this realized reali-zed elsewhere that Idaho, Montana, Xevada and Colorado are all making strenuous exertions to develop their agricultural resources, and the latter-named latter-named is leading out well in manufactures manufac-tures also ; while much of California's wealth is now derived from her farms, vineyards and manufactories. But recently we advocated smelting and reduction works, quartz mills and other requisites for obtaining the greatest great-est possible amount of benefit from the ores around us, and retaining in the Territory the greatest possible amount of the wealth produced here. And for just the same reasons we advocate ad-vocate energetic measures to have our agricultural and manufacturing developments devel-opments keep pace with the times. He is but a poor political economist who would urge, in a country like ours, one branch of industry alone. All the industries that tend to the financial prosperity of the country should receive, re-ceive, each in their place, a due share of attention and encouragement. The society formed in this city a coaple of days ago, for the importation importa-tion and improvement of superior breeds of stock of various kinds, is a needful step taken, but' it must be aid-el aid-el by the people at large to be as successful as ;it should be. And with the importation of better breeds of stock, more care must be taken to keep those breeds pure, or improve them still further, where possible, by proper intermixture. With this, too, should come still more agricultural agri-cultural machinery, and every good labor-saving appliance that can be secured se-cured for the farm or the garden, that the products of the soil may be obtained ob-tained at a minimum cost of labor. A very large quantity of such machinery is now in the Territory, but there is room for much more, and there is a heavy percentage of profit awaitiug the capital invested in all that may be purchased pur-chased for some time to come, through the markets which cheaper grain and root crops will secure. Utah cannot afford to ship grain from any point, yet it is being done, while she should supply every market foi hundreds nf miles with every description of grain. The bug-bear that some people have presented in the greater cost of agriculture agri-culture here because of irrigation, is -imply an exhibition of foolishness or ignorance, irrigation does nol make agriculture more expensive, it makes it cheaper: lor irrigation enriches the soil w here rain impoverishes it, and the i,xpen.-e coii-('iuoin upon extra manuring, man-uring, where I here no irrigation, more than cottnterbalmier-' tht- labor and expense consequent upon irrigation. irriga-tion. With increased agricultural machinery, ma-chinery, farming larger tracts of land together, on the co-operative principle princi-ple if neces.- y, and a determination to keep up with the times and secure the best breeds of stock, Utah can continue con-tinue to retain her position as the leading lead-ing agricultural and stock-raising region in the west. |