Copy of Telegram sent to N. Y. Herald in answer to a request of the editor. D McK
James Gordon Bennett. Esqr. Editor New York Herald. N. Y.
Telegram received. Thank you for the privilege of representing facts as they are. I will furnish them gladly any time you make the request. For over forty years I have served my people, laboring incessantly, and am now nearly seventy two years of age, and need relaxation. My resignation as Trustee in Trust for the Church, as President of Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution, and of the Deseret National bank are made solely for relief from secular cares and responsibilities and do not affect my position as President of the Church. In that capacity, I shall still exercise supervision over business, ecclesiastical and secular, leaving minutiae to younger men. Our Institutions are well established, and competent men succeed me and my own investments remain as they were. H. S. Eldredge is now Prest. of the Mercantile Institution, a merchant of long experience and well known to business men east. The paid up stock of this Institution is nearly three quarters of a million, it carries a stock of merchandise of about a million and a half. The purchases for the past half year are over a million and a half currency, and about one hundred and forty thousand dollars coin. The business done during six months reaches two and a half millions. It paid for the half year a dividend of ten per cent. My successor in the Deseret National Bank is Hon. W. H. Hooper, well known as our late delegate to Congress, this Institution is perfectly sound and <is> conducted on the safest <business> principles. Our railroads are in good condition. The Utah Central is 37 miles long. its gross earnings for 1872 were $420,000. the expenses in round numbers $120.000. the net earnings $210.000.
I state these facts, as efforts may be made to damage the credit of those Institutions. There is another railroad here also doing good business, the Utah Southern, it is built about 32 miles. Narrow guage roads connecting with this are being constructed into Little Cottonwood, Bingham Canon and American Fork to meet the demand for transportation to and from the various mining camps of those regions. The Utah Northern is being constructed from a junction with the Central Pacific through our principle northern settlements into South Eastern Idaho, and other narrow guage roads are in construction or in contemplation. We intend establishing settlements in Arizona, in the country of the Apaches, persuaded that if we become accquainted with them, we can influence them to peace in accordance with Prest. Grant's Indian policy and open up that country to settlement by the whites. Our cities, towns and villages now extend about 400 miles in that direction, and in view of the railroad crossing that country we hope to be prepared to assist in its construction and when completed bring a large portion of our emigration that way to settle the country. In Utah we have a fine country for Stock raising and Agriculture, and an abundance of minerals, awaiting development, and we welcome all good citizens who love peace and order to come and settle with us. It has been our policy from the first to promote the Agricultural interest seeing this was the foundation of all others and we have been for years furnishing staple products to the surrounding States and Territories, and we are now able to supply any demand likely to arise for grain, vegetables &c. at steady market prices to those engaged in mining pursuits. we have iron ores and coal in rich abundance. We have skilled mechanics in every department of business, but we lack capital, and there is no safer place to be found in the United States where property of <almost> every kind is less taxed and better protected. all reports to the contrary notwithstanding.
It has frequently been published that I had a deposit of several millions pounds sterling in the Bank of England were such the case I would most assuredly use the means to gather our poor Church Members from the old countries and bring them here where their condition might be improved. All my means are invested here in developing this Territory in Agriculture Manufactures and Commerce.
The result of my labors for the last twenty six years briefly summed up are the peopling of this Territory by the Latter Day Saints of about 100.000 souls, the founding of over two hundred cities, towns and villages inhabited by our people. which extend into Idaho on the north, Wyoming on the east, Nevada on the West and Arizona on the south. and the establishment of schools, factories, Mills and other institutions calculated to benefit and improve our community. All my transactions and labors have been carried on in accordance with my calling as servant of God. I know no difference between spiritual and temporal labors. God has seen fit to bless me with means and as faithful steward I use it to benefit my fellow men, to promote their happiness in this world and in preparing them for the great hereafter. My whole life is devoted to this service and while I regret that my mission is not better understood by the
world, the time will come when I will be understood and I leave it to futurity the judgement of my labors and their results as they shall become manifest
Brigham Young
(per D McKenzie Clerk.)
S. L. City U. T.
April 10. 1873.