The Brigham Young Center

Salt Lake City,
Decbr 25th, 1868.

Prest. Erastus Snow,
And Brethren in the Southern Mission;

Dear Brethren,

It is needless for me to call to your minds to the causes that led to the establishment of the Southern Mission; but one I desire to draw your attention to at this time, fearing that to an extent it is lost sight of by the brethren amidst their other duties. I refer to the cultivation of Cotton. At great expense, I have established in your midst a factory for the working of a large amount of this staple, but from the reports that reach me, I learn that there is nothing like enough cotton grown to keep the factory fully at work.

This should not be so. The brethren should bear in mind, the great aid, the successful cultivation and manufacture of this staple will be to make Zion independent and free. It is my intention as soon as circumstances will warrant in so doing, and as soon as I get sufficient encouragement, to send down a quantity of the most improved machinery, to make calicos, denims and various other fabrics, and in connexion therewith, a woollen factory also; but you will clearly perceive that if the brethren do not grow the raw material, it will be folly for me to think of such an improvement.

I hope the brethren will duly consider this and turn their attention to growing a wider breadth of this material in preference to crops of less importance to the community at large, and of no more benefit to themselves.

Your brother in the Gospel,
Brigham Young