THE CONQUEST OF ARID AMERICA 



income of four hundred and eighty-two dollars above the 

 cost of living for each of the more than forty years which 

 the statement covers. This is a considerably higher re- 

 turn than the gross amount averaged by wage earners in 

 the United States. 



While in many particulars this imposing statement of 

 results may be open to criticism, there can be no doubt 

 that it was prepared with conscientious care. It is pre- 

 sented here for what it may be worth. To the writer it 

 seems to confirm the impression of a vast material achieve- 

 ment which comes to any person upon visiting Utah and 

 looking about him. For the present purpose the precise 

 statistical facts are of less consequence than the economic 

 principles which have produced what everybody acknowl- 

 edges to be a wonderful result. These principles may be 

 briefly summarized as follows : 



GENERAL LAND OWNERSHIP, LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT 

 WHICH FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS COULD APPLY TO A 

 USEFUL PURPOSE. 



SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN AGRICULTURE, AIMING AT THE 

 COMPLETE ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE OF THE PEOPLE, IN- 

 DIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY. 



THE PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF PUBLIC UTILITIES, SUCH AS 

 WATER SUPPLY FOR IRRIGATION AND DOMESTIC USES. 



THE CO-OPERATIVE, OR ASSOCIATIVE, OWNERSHIP AND 

 ADMINISTRATION OF STORES, FACTORIES, AND BANKS, 

 THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF THE JOINT-STOCK COMPANY. 



These are the underlying principles of the Mormon 

 commonwealth. They are vindicated by the successful 

 experience of the last half century. Nowhere else do so 

 large a percentage of the people own their homes free 

 from incumbrance. Nowhere else has labor received so 



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