The year 1879 was a very trying one in Utah. The drouth was excessive, and crops consequently light. The winter was one of the severest ever experienced, and thousands of cattle and sheep perished. Some people had lost their last cow, and others all the sheep they had. "Now," said President Taylor, "we propose to raise 1000 head of cows--not old cows which do not give any milk, nor any one teated cows, but good milk cows--and have them distributed among those that may be destitute in the different stakes, under the direction of the authorities thereof." The Church was to put in 300 head of the 1,000, the other 700 head to be furnished by the stakes. He also proposed that 5,000 head of sheep be appropriated to the poor, to be distributed by the same authorities, 2,000 of which the Church was to furnish, and the stakes the remainder. For years the servants of the Lord had urged the Saints to store up grain, but only a few had acted upon their advice. The result was that many were without grain even for seed. The Female Relief Society, however, had been wiser than individuals, and had stored up wheat in nearly all the settlements of the Saints. President Taylor now saw an opportunity to use it, and give a practical illustration of the wisdom that had counseled storing up grain. "Inasmuch as the brethren," he remarked, "had been careless and slow to heed the counsel of President Young in relation to storing away wheat, he [President Young] requested the sisters to do it, and some of us 'lords of creation' thought it a very little thing for our sisters to be engaged in. But we find now they are of some use, and that the 'ladies of creation' can do something as well as we 'lords.' * * They have 34,761 bushels of wheat? Who of you men can raise that much? Where's your wheat?" (Laughter.) "Now," he continued, "those 34,761 bushels of wheat will be of considerable importance judiciously managed, and loaned out to some of our poor brethren. It will furnish seed wheat and after harvest they can return it again. We do not want any more harsh talk about the woman question after this." A voice. "May they [the sisters] vote now?" President Taylor. "Oh, yes, they may vote now if they choose to, everybody is willing they should vote now. [Laughter.] That is, they are willing the sisters shall vote on the wheat question. [Renewed laughter.] We may as well call a vote on this question now. All you sisters who are in favor of carrying out this request, hold up your right hand. [A forest of hands went up.] There they go, you see! [Laughter.] I think that is the most hearty vote yet. I knew they would do it." A voice. "Is it to be loaned without interest?" President Taylor. "Somebody asks if it is to be loaned without interest. Why, of course it is; we do not want any nonsense of that kind." Then raising his splendid voice to its grandest notes, so that it sent a thrill through the entire audience, he exclaimed, "IT IS THE TIME OF JUBILEE!"