Show WHY NOT we lave advocated thees facilities utah possesses for the establishment of the silk industry we presume thia territory titania unequalled unequal led by any other place on this continent for raising silk and we therefore see no eart lily reason why utah should not as the lyons of america it ia true that efforts have been made m this territory to a silk trade but that bisno argument that failure has been through alie lack of natural facilities not at all but owing to tho lack of the necessary machinery and financial encouragement with those utah would soon be recognized as a great silk market and would be the means of causing a cessation of the great importation of silk aej silk goods from foreign countries we publish in this issue a communication that has been forba to the executive by father graves of this city a gentleman whose whole life has been devoted to the culture of silk in this petition a true statement of facts is bet forth and wo sincerely trust that the legislature to whom alio governor has referred the communication will give ho matter their earnest and candid attention with a liberal appropriation by the legislature the collection and overhauling of the machinery now in the territory tho erection of a suitable locality there is no reason why utah should not attain prominence at once for silk raising there are people in the territory who arc thoroughly adapted and who in fact leavo been apprenticed to the manufacture of silk in france switzerland and kotlier countries and who could at once commence operations in silk culture it is an established fact that the people of america consume more silk than any other nation and this consumption is constantly increasing should it continue to increase for five years longer in the same ratio as at present it will be found that within that time more silk will be used up annually in the united states alone than in all other commercial nations put together the silk trade and manufacture has grown to be enormous and ita relation to the other interests of the country is of the first importance for many reasons and particularly at this time because unless steps are taken to prevent such a result there is danger that the agricultural interests wui ue and to an extent of which few arc aware this will be clear on examination of the following general considerations the united states is eminently preeminently pre an agricultural country although it possesses great manufactures the most superficial study will chow eliat these manufactures depend almost upon the agricultural element of the country and are nourished and sustained by it the products of american manufacture which are sold abroad are utterly insignificant in amount or compared with those which are cold at home whereas the supply of american agricultural product which is sent abroad is only limited by the quantity which other countries are willing or able to take and pay for the agricultural production of alie country is increasing a rapidity which must soon lead to tp eat hardship and suffering among agri culturists unless vigorous means are taken to pre vent it by finding new out lets for american labor and products over two hundred millions of dollars have been paid by the people to foster the development of silk production in the united states yet the recipients of this enormous favor use scarcely a pound of american raw material un der the law as at present in force jt happens that the raw material of foreign countries is used to the practical pra excle eion of american produce and even the manufacture is partly carried on abroad the silk manufacturers with the tion of those who spin up waste etc all import their thread in a reeled state after it has passed through a principal phase of manufacture the country at largo is therefore deprived of the advantages which ik has paid so largely to secure indirectly and directly it ig not taxed to the extent of about thirty five millions of dollars a year for the benefit of an industry which is so organized as to give no advantage to the american tanner and beyond this the present state of the case results in the sending abroad as tribute to china japan and other silk growing countries of the farther sum of about twenty five millions of dollars a year I 1 which with proper legislation in favor of american labor would go directly into the pockets of the owners of our country i holca ve trust the legislature will report favorably on the communication of father graves and commence in utah what must inevitably result in alie united states viz the manufacture of bilk destined to become one of our most enduring and prosperous industries |