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Show lf jj I Spotlighting Ijtah I ANTI.MORMON PREJUDICE DOES REVERSAL "Vermont Life" the official publication pub-lication of New England's veil known commonwealth, and a hgih class magazine whose pages splash plenty of color, carries a "Mormon Article" in its current winter issue. Written by Milton R. Hunter, Ph.D. Historian, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the article ar-ticle presents an introduction writ, ten by Wlllsie E. Brlnsln, secretary of the Civil and Military Arfalrs, State of Vermont. Occupying ten pages in the center cen-ter of the book with thirteen pictures pic-tures including a double page picture pic-ture spread in color of the Mormon Trek from Nauvoo to Salt Lake City and a fulLpage picture of Brlgham Young in color, the article tells the story of the origin and growth of Mormonism, the great trek across the plains and the building of the present lntermountaln empire. A significant point of Interest in the introduction is the proud mention men-tion in large print that a "Ver-monter "Ver-monter Brlgham Young" stood be. fore the Oreat Salt Lake and declared de-clared to the faithful who had migrated mi-grated half way across the continent: contin-ent: "This is the place." Continuing, Continu-ing, the writer says: "Brlgham Young had taken over the leadership from the hands of another Ver-montcr Ver-montcr Joseph Smith' who was assassinated. as-sassinated. . . ." Such an article, published in the official magazine of the State of Vermont and well read in New England, has inestimable publicity value to Utah and the lntermountaln lntermoun-taln West, it Is pointed out by the Utah Department of Publicity who last season met and conferred with a Vermont State official who came to Utah to secure cooperation in preparing the story. UTAn, NATION'S LARGEST GOLD PRODUCER For the second time in history Utah has led the nation in gold production. Utah's record for 1947 was a total production of 413,091 ounces, which topped all other states. Last year was the first time In peace time history that Utah led the nation na-tion in gold production. Utah was top producer in 1946, but that was a war year. The nation's gold produc- tlon in 1947 was 2,090,013 ounces, 33 per cent above the 1946 record and 119 per cent above the 1945 record. Utah ranked second in the nation last year in copper production, turning turn-ing out 266,095 tons. MORMONS CREDITED FOR NAMING JOSHUA TREE "Fortnight", a California news magazine credits the Mormons for the name "Joshua" as applied to the thorny trees of the Southwest desert A current issue of the publication says: '"The Joshua is still relatively relative-ly undiscovered by the tourist. Named Nam-ed (probably toy the Mormons) . . . it has been part of the National 'Park system since 1936. . ." The Utah Department of Publicity Publi-city points out that few Utahns are aware that the Beehive State has a Joshua forest. Utah's area of prickly trees starts 20 miles weat of St. Oeorge and spreads out over thousands of acres of Utah mountain moun-tain and desert land in the extreme southwest corner of the 8tate. Traversed Tra-versed by Highway U. 8. 91, the Joshua forest la an increasing sight to tourists. |