OCR Text |
Show MEAKIN IN KANSAS CITY. Under tho head line "Ho Stands up for Utah" tho Kansas City Tlmoa of May 11, has an article regarding .lobn P. Menkln. and tho work ho is doing in lecturing about Utah. The article reads as folllows: "John P. Mcnkin, lecturer and dramatic dra-matic reader, is a guest for a few days of Colonel I. N. Pepper, G10 West Seventeenth street. Mr. Meakin lives In Salt Lake City, Utah. Ho has been a resident of that state since 1809. lie says Utah Is a much misunderstood state. " 'The whole state,' said ho, 'Is unfolding, un-folding, bursting as it wero, with new life. A more Industrious peoplo cannot bo found anywhere than in Utah. The population Is growing rapidly. Many new industries and enterprises are being be-ing launched. Tho beet sugar industry in-dustry is proving a blessing for the stale. " 'There exists a healthy public school sentiment from ono end of tho stato to tho other. This sentiment has found substantial expression In tho erections of school buildings ol tho most highly npprovod sanitary plans and architectural designs and In tho payment of salaries sufllciently remunerative re-munerative to secure a leaching force of exceptionally high merit. No effort ef-fort has been spared, nor means withhold with-hold which would contribute to tho proper education of the children. The school property of Salt I akc Oily is valued at moro than $1,200.(100. As tho city has n school population ol about 1 1,000, It may be note I (hat nearly $100 Is standing ns a school Investment for every child of school ago. Utah Is only throe rounds from tho top of tho ladder In lutelllgeii'" and learning. A Great Musical Center. " 'Wo aro a great community of singers. There aro in tho stato over 1,000 choirs. Each choir numbers from twenty-flvo to fifty In wards. The tabernacle choir In Salt Lako City numbers 500. Wo havo a flno symphony sym-phony orchestra in Salt Lake which gives but four concerts a year ana numbers but forty men, but it is a fast growing factor In our music. More good music can bo heard free in Salt Lako than in any other city in America, Amer-ica, recitals being given almost dally In the tabernacle for travelers, tho groat choir Blnging tlirco Sundays in tho month. "Tho question of polygamy in Utah is righting Itself In an honorable and huniano way. Tho obligations, tho complications or homo affairs can only bo understood by peoplo who think nnd Investigate for themselves. If there wero more of tho latter Utah's trouble would not make a ripple rip-ple on the ocean of life. Tho old order or-der of things is passing awny. No class of people could havo righted the mistakes of the people In a better and quicker way than the Mormon people have done and are doing. Tho rollg-ions rollg-ions honesty of tho peoplo must bo taken in consideration. Rooting Out Polygamy. "Tho lives of tho people involved In this plural marriage system that prevailed pre-vailed in Utah for well nigh two generations gene-rations are for tho most part fallen Into the sear and yellow leaf. Tho few others aro well advanced In mlddb life. They form a class rapidly hastening hast-ening to extinction. Is it worth while to Interfere with those who remain? The fountain of tho evil Is dried up plural marriages aro forever Interdicted In-terdicted by the state; they havo boon discontinued by ofllclnl proclamation of the chinch. May not (he streams which started from that fountain, now dry, bo allowed to lose themselves them-selves in the boundless desert of fast, hastening time without interference on the part of tho Christian or other people of this land? "In my estimation an attempt to obliterate tho polygamous relationship at ono stroke would bo unreasonable, un-American and unmerciful. A good man cannot desert a good wife and their children." |