--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Smith, Joseph F. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 6 number: 12 published: 1903-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Joseph F. Smith, "The Religious Spirit", *Improvement Era* 6, no. 12 (October 1903): 944–946.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0612unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0612unse start_page: 944 end_page: 946 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1903-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0612unse publication_year: 1903 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1903, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Religious Spirit 938 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Still Wonderful. The discovery and inventions of wireless telegraphy seemed the most wonderful in the history of the world, and it continues to be a source of marvel and wonderment. Marconi, the great Italian inventor, recently landed in the United States from Queens- town. During the entire voyage, he was in constant communica- tion on board ship with the United States and England. The yacht races, at the time, invited universal attention, both here and in Great Britain, and the results of the races were posted on the bulletin board of the steamer the morning following the contest. Mr. Marconi announces that he has come to this country to talk with Mr. Edison about some new inventions that he has made to improve his wireless telegraphic system. One of them, he de- clares, will revolutionize the system and make it a commercial success throughout the world. It is all still a wonder. A chapter of modern history read at the beginning of the last century would have been more marvelous than anything the world had ever known. Not so Bad. Not least among the objections to the acquisition of terri- tories not contiguous to the United States was the large expense which it was believed such territories would impose upon this country without giving to the United States any adequate compensation by way of trade relations. Now that our recent down to the stabler conditions of peace possessions are settling and commerce, we are permitted to gain some definite knowledge of our commercial relations with them. The Department of Commerce and Labor through its Bureau of Statistics has given our commerce with these territories for the eleven months of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1903. The total commerce with Porto Rico, and Hawaii, the Philippines and Alaska, for eleven months amounted to little more than $90,000,000. The twelve months would easily, therefore, render a total commerce between us and them of $100,000,000 during the first uninterrupted year of our trade. We sent to them during the eleven months thirty millions and they sent to us, including four and one-half millions of gold from Alaska, nearly fifty-eight millions. CURRENT STORY OF THE WORLD. 939 It is interesting to know that every dotfar's worth of our trade with Alaska was carried on in American vessels. Alaska sent us in fish alone during the eleven months $9,200,000. This istwo millions more than we paid for Alaska thirty years ago. Such commercial relations are highly encouraging; and whether or not our political institutions shall suffer as a consequence of the annexation of foreign territories, it is gratifying to learn that they are not likely to be so much of a financial burden as many feared they would be. The report says that only one per cent of what we sent to the Philippines, and only one-fourth of what those islands sent to us was carried in American vessels. The acquisition of these islands will undoubtedly have a strong influence in creating a supply of American vessels with which to carry on commerce between this and foreign countries. The Trackless Trolley. Sometime ago, it was reported that experiments were under way in Germany looking to the establishment of the trackless trol- ley. It is now announced that such a system is in full operation near Dresden. In the new system,it has been found unnecessary to have such a track of steel rails to run upon as is used in this country. The common highway is sufficient for the purpose, and the cars turn to one side on their way to permit approaching vehicles to pass by. It is said that the new system is a perfect success, and has the advantage over the steel rail trolley system in that it can be operated much more cheaply. The cars are de- scribed as a sort of omnibus used for carrying passengers. Then there are freight cars used for the transportation of freight. The wire through which the motor power is carried runs over head, and there are projecting poles which extend upward, and at the end of which is a wheel that runs along the wire in the ordinary fashion. It is said that the average speed of these cars is from nine to twelve miles an hour. It is believed that the new trackless trol- ley will not only prove much more effectual in suburban traffic, but that it may be also extended into many places where the pat- ronage would not justify the expense of the ordinary system. It is delightful to experience the contributions of invention to the welfare and progress of man. STATISTICAL REPORT OF THE Y. M. M. L A. MEMBERSHIP. MEETINGS. in to « ,Q ° ,/ u a a-gS u o> o &% . OJirt'O Sd«2 3 tn SsS STAKE. ® ^a "O o 03 .a a) CO-* Sh i—iM «4S "33 ~ S^ ® 3d fH Ho Q> 03 &n SO S a .Q PJ ^o 5 <4 a a s 3 £ Alberta, East... 5 270 4 137 85 24 Alberta, West... 8 234 7 105 36 33 Alpine 14 775 38 28 39 301 635 132 Bannock 12 350 3 14 16 178 77 83 Bear Lake 19 1091 63 12 92 522 193 83 Beaver 7 348 7 5 17 181 58 Benson 8 548 25 18 19 188 93 41 Big Horn 5 286 3 7 33 121 50 36 Bingham 24 539 6 6 19 247 147 30 Box Elder 19 1068 45 53 68 238 190 149 Cache 11 776 8 35 29 318 170 133 Cassia 11 446 14 15 95 191 80 79 Davis, South.... 7 485 22 15 18 33 74 37 Davis, North ... . 7 388 20 23 29 152 37 61 Emery 8 354 5 8 24 158 225 9 Fremont 18 645 14 27 19 287 264 90 Granite 17 1040 12 32 101 451 400 63 Hyrum 10 661 32 23 171 300 309 40 Jordan 12 720 29 24 71 283 206 55 Juab 563 11 4 19 301 228 97 Juarez 662 12 63 263 24 55 Kanab 5 274 27 35 132 43 31 Malad 11 456 21 5 186 146 30 Maricopa 5 206 9 18 78 84 35 Millard 11 468 24 33 261 46 38 Morgan 7 256 15 10 115 28 16 Nebo 15 1054 34 27 25 246 78 North Sanpete 11 722 35 20 60 290 450 44 Oneida 20 787 26 37 60 375 92 120 Panguitch 10 240 21 8 35 85 18 7 Parowan 6 371 35 16 32 145 51 31 Pocatello 11 340 12 7 21 1K3 135 23 St. George 21 473 29 31 CO 243 161 86 St. Johns 9 323 20 9 68 109 28 51 St. Joseph 12 471 10 3 46 225 91 30 Salt Lake 38 2356 9 125 143 944 363 321 San Juan 6 196 4 6 8 102 33 15 San Luis 4 305 15 3 38 112 38 35 Sevier 16 815 52 31 56 357 190 29 Snownake 6 221 8 9 17 114 45 South Sanpete . 10 542 23 17 61 235 400 60 Star Valley 9 410 24 17 42 175 86 26 Summit 16 520 30 25 76 240 150 74 Teton 10 250 15 6 15 96 74 15 Tooele 9 635 25 23 72 148 57 28 Uintah 5 319 4 8 27 130 37 Union 6 234 6 7 9 134 40 52 Utah 18 796 27 34 41 342 226 55 Wasatch 9 594 20 29 35 195 84 30 Wayne 12 309 6 12 9 180 19 51 Weber 25 2101 70 101 177 568 148 295 Woodruff 280 10 62 13 114 47 Totals, 277 598 29573 1046 1026 2335 11467 7209 3178