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THIRD ANNUAL SESSIONS 



early in securing the blessings to be round in that section of the world. 

 That movement, started in motion as it was under the spirit of the 

 securing of gold, has proven to the people of the United States and the 

 world at large one of the greatest blessings to mankind — the develop- 

 ment of this western land. 



"There came the day when the railroads began their development 

 work in the laying of their rails, and it was my lot to have a little part 

 in the construction of the Central Pacific, working under the direction 

 of such men as Leland Stanford, of California, one of the greatest men 

 T have ever known. But among the heroes of our times are to be found 

 men who established themselves in mines, upon ranees, and who made 

 every effort possible to establish and build up the country in which they 

 had established themselves. 



"Women were as heroic as the men, in the establishment of many 

 colonies in my own section of the country, had it not been for the stal- 

 wart determined purpose of heroic women, the sections that their hus- 

 bands had set apart to establish homes on would have been failures. I 

 call to mind at the present time an old lady who died a few years ago 

 in one of the southern settlements of our state, who when her husband 

 said to her: 'I can't endure this any longer. I will withdraw from this 

 section and pull myself back north.' She said: 'My husband, if you go, 

 you go alone. I believe this is the chosen land. I believe the possibilities 

 within the reach of this people are beyond compare. Here I have planted 

 my tent in your companionship, and here under the providence of God 

 I propose to stay and see success perch on this effort and the building 

 of this western land.' Such were the characteristics of the men and such 

 the characteristics of the women who laid the foundations of these walls 

 and established these states and territories that have proven to us such 

 boons. They possessed the elements of the highest possible character. 

 They were fearless, determined and industrious in taking their part in 

 the accomplishment of every work. All honor to every one of them, 

 Y/hether Pagan or Jew, whether Christian or Pagan, no matter from, 

 whence they came, the same heroic mold and makeup have been char- 

 acteristics of those who have established themselves within the con- 

 fines of this glorious western land of ours. 



"No more sturdy, devoted, fearless and earnest man could be found 

 than Brigham Young, who led the Mormon people into the valleys of 

 Utah. I was as intimate with him as any child could be with their father, 

 living but just across the street, and being in his companionship con- 

 stantly, hearing his views, understanding his ideas, and recognizing his 

 purposes, I know the efforts that he sought to make for the develop- 

 ment of his own section, and while making those efforts for the up- 

 building of his own section, his heart was alive to the interest of his 

 countrymen everywhere so far as their betterment was concerned. Among 

 that first pioneer band that broke through the mountain vales and gazed 

 upon the waters of the great Salt Lake were found people not mem- 

 bers of the Mormon church, but who lived among that people and. whose 



