Show THE END AND THE BEGINNEVG This day of grace the 4th of January Jan-uary 1896 will terminate the territorial terri-torial existence of Utah It is expected that by high noon today the last act necessary to admit Utah Into the American Union on an equal footing with the original states will be performed per-formed President Cleveland today will Issue his proclamation saying that the requirements of the enabling act under which the constitution of the state was framed having been complied com-plied with on the part of the people of Utah therefore he in further pursuance pur-suance of that act now declares Utah to be a state in the American Union That proclamation will send a thrill of joy through the hearts of all the people of the state The thing so long desired will be realized Six times before be-fore this successful attempt have the people of Utah tried to gain admission admis-sion into the Union Once In 1849 two years after the pioneers first entered Salt Lake valley Once in the decade of 1850 then again in that of 1860 and again in that of 1S70 In the SOs two I attempts were made and both failed I Small wonder if hope went out of the hearts of some when they saw these repeated re-peated attempts to secure statehood repeatedly fail But failure was not I destined to be permanent The best I hopes of Utahs best people were to be realized when the fullness Qf the time should come and that time has now come We regret that so many of the fathers who laid the foundations I of this commonwealth have fallen asleep before the full fruition of their hopes could be realized but while we regret their obsence we are pleased to know that some of that brave band of pioneers who blazed civilizations way to this intermountain wilderness are still with us to see the common wealth of Utah take her place in the grand I I sisterhood of American states I Farewell territorial vassalage we I take an eternal farewell of you today I The captive by long communion may at last look upon his very chains as friends the prisoner become so used to his dungeon as to regan his freedom I free-dom with a sigh but we part with II I I territorial vassalage without one regret re-gret except that it has lasted so long Hall sovereign statehood with out 1 stretched hands we greet you and with you this day the people of Utah begin a career which will not end until Utahs star shall be among the brightest bright-est in the old flags crowded space |