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Show THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME. It beats everything, how extremely solicit', us the Salt Lake Tribune is for the opening of the reservations. If the Tribune were the organ of land-grabbers land-grabbers and asphaltum combines its voice would not quiver more sorrowfully sorrow-fully over the seeming tardiness of Hoke Smith in opening those lands, than it does at the present time. Wero the Tribune directly interested in a land-grabbing scheme that might be endangered en-dangered through the slow action of Hoke Smith, its accents could not be more mournful nor better attuned to that of a f uner al dirge. Tbe Tribune cannot can-not eyen thiak of the subject of those yacant lands and rich asphaltum beds or veins without shedding tears over "the hardship this delay is causing intending settlers." The "campaign cry of the democrats" demo-crats" as to "who opened the reserya-1 reserya-1 tions?" and the answer, ''Rawlins," is still timely and as full of force as it was last vear. J. L. Rawlins fnrmnlnl-Pfl and introduced the bill to open those lands. He worked hard to get the bill through congress and succeeded. That was as far as Mr. Rawlins could go, and ho is entitled to credit for his labors. la-bors. Returning to the Tribune's criticism of Secretary Hoke 8mith "in the nulli-ification nulli-ification of the law." There is a rumor afloat, and it iB only a rumor, that certain schemes have been concocted in Utah, with outBide ramifications, to gobble up the best lands and dishonestly acquire title to the asphaltum and other mines. It is rumored that the Salt Lake Tribune Tri-bune gang, or Eome of them, are in that ring of land-grabbers, and that it desires to have it dawn before statehood state-hood comes, as the steal can be more easily accompSMed now than then. If this be the case, as we, at lease, are inclined to belieye, the Tribune's anxiety anx-iety to have those lands opened at once can be easily understood, and that itB tears are those of tbe croca-dile croca-dile variety. Perhaps the secretary of the interior has heard those ugly rumors; perhaps he has evidence of their truth, and for that reason he is holding back. Whatever What-ever the reason may be, of one thing the people of Utah may be assured ; Hoke Smith has in view the welfare ot bonafide settlerB of those lands. In connection with the foregoing it may not be amiss to say right here, that when those lands are opened, the governor of Utah will hold, in those same lands, a great trust for the people. peo-ple. A trust that he can abuse if he so desires, and which will be abused if he should be weak and vacilating. For that reason, voters should do a lot of hard thinking. There is Heber M. Wells whom we believe to be honest hon-est and upright, and whose only discredit dis-credit is to be found in that the Tribune Tri-bune is supporting him. But Mr. Wells has never been tried, and mistakes mis-takes might, probably would, come thiough his inexperience in public affairs. On the other side is John T. Caine, a man of wide and vaiied experience. A man whose ripe years and knowledge of Utah's needs, amply qualify him for the important position of gov ernor, Mr. Caine's reputation for honor and integrity is unsurpassed by any man in Utah. Let the people reflect on those things mentioned above, and they will be convinced con-vinced that the Btate'a future revenue from the public lands will not be alienated, alien-ated, nor surrendered into the hands of land sharkB, asphaltum combines and speculators if John T. Caine becomes be-comes governor. There is no question of politics as regards those lands. It is a question of business only, and which deeply concerns every man, woman and child in Utah. |
