Conditions in Utah: Speech of Hon. Thomas Kearns of Utah, in the Senate of the United StatesKearns, Thomas
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Conditions in Utah: Speech of Hon. Thomas Kearns of Utah, in the Senate of the United States
Kearns, Thomas
Church and state -- Mormon Church; Latter Day Saints; Speeches, addresses, etc., American; Utah -- Politics and government
It looks as if the courts will have to be appealed to to obtain
compensation for damages already inflicted. Also that they will
have to be applied to for injunctions against the continuance
of the cause of the trouble. We think there is law enough now
to proceed under. But if that is not the case, then legislation
must be had to fully cover the ground. Litigation will have to
come first, legislation afterwards. However that may be,
temporizing with the evil will not do. Patience has ceased to
be a virtue in this matter. The conviction is fastening itself
upon the public mind that no active steps are intended by the
responsible parties, but simply a policy of delay. They must be
taught that this will not answer the purpose, and that the
injured people will not be fooled in that way. The smelter
smoke must go. And it must not go in the old way.
The proposition to put the matter in the hands of experts
chosen by the complainants is not to be seriously considered.
The onus is upon the smelter men; they are the offenders, and
they must take the steps necessary to remove the cause of
complaint, and also reimburse those who have been injured. We
do not ask anything unreasonable. We join with those of our
citizens who Intend that this beautiful part of our lovely
State shall not be laid waste, even if the only cure is the
suppression of the destroying cause. This may as well be
understood first as last. Useless practical measures are
adopted to abate the evil, active proceedings will have to be
taken and pushed to the utmost to remove entirely the root and
branch and trunk and body of this tree of destruction. The
people affected are deeply in earnest, and they certainly mean
business.
Mr. KEARNS. Mr. President, I must not burden you with too many details,
but in order for you to see how complete is the business power of this
man I will cite you to one case. The Great Salt Lake is estimated to
contain 14,000,000,000 tons of salt. Probably salt can be made cheaper
on the shores of this lake than anywhere else in the world. Nearly all
its shore line is adaptable for salt gardens. The president of the
church is interested in a large salt monopoly which has gathered in the
various smaller enterprises. He is president of a railroad which runs
from the salt gardens to Salt Lake City, connecting there with trunk
lines. It costs to manufacture the salt and place it on board the cars
75 cents per ton. He receives for it $5 and $6 per ton. His company and
its subsidiary corporation are probably capitalized at three-quarters of
a million dollars, and upon this large sum he is able to pay dividends
of 8 or 10 per cent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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