--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 16 number: 4 published: 1913-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Passing Events," *Improvement Era* 16, no. 4 (February 1913): 398–403.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1604unse 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: improvementera1604unse start_page: 398 end_page: 403 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1913-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1604unse publication_year: 1913 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 1913, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Passing Events — 396 IMPROVEMENT ERA vated by the most careful and prayerful thought of the worthy pioneers of this section, therefore, its power of evolution is infinite. Even now, from her ever-burning taper small candles have been, and others may yet be, lighted, whose flames may become so brilliant that the whole world may be illuminated. The purpose of this celebration, then, is the perpetuation of the name of President John Taylor, who, through inspiration from on high, brought this institution into being. We meet once a year to do honor to his sacred memory, and to the memories of all the honest souls who contributed their hard-earned means toward the erection of this building, and to tender our loyal support to this our school. We believe that this course is right, since this institution has done as much toward the uplifting of our people as any other influence which has been at work in our community; it has done more toward planting in the hearts of young women and young men a desire to be somebody than any other institution outside of the home. It has discouraged the scrubs. It has set up a standard of excellence which will help to draw every individual of our community up to its own level. It is shaping, to a certain extent, the ideals and the characters of every boy and every girl of this stake, whether they ever enter these portals or not. Founder's Day is, therefore, the day of days unto us! The business men of our city today are paying a beautiful tribute to our institution and to the memory of its noble founder, by closing their shops. We believe that they can well afford to do so, to gather here and draw from the spirit of this institution and these exercises new strength and desires to aid them in their future lives. It is upon such occasions as these that we gain the power to hear the songs which are always to be heard somewhere, if the heart be perfectly attuned: There is ever a song somewhere, my dear; There is ever a something sings alway: There's the song of the lark when the skies are clear, And the song of the thrush when the sky is gray. The sunshine showers across the grain. And the blue-bird trills in the orchard tree; And in and out, when the eaves drip rain, The swallows are twittering ceaselessly. There is ever a song somewhere, my dear,. Be the skies above or dark or fair, There is ever a song that our hearts may hear — There is ever a song somewhere, my dear There is ever a song, somewhere! There is ever a song somewhere, my dear. In the midnight black, or the mid-day blue; The robin pipes when the sun is here, And the' cricket chirrups the whole night through; The buds may blow, and the fruit may grow, And the autumn leaves drop crisp and sear; But whether the sun, or the rain, or the snow, There is ever a son,a: somewhere, my dear! — CHURCH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT 397 There is ever a song somewhere, my dear, Be the skies above or dark or fair, There is ever a song that our hearts may hear There is ever a song somewhere, my dear! — James Whitcomb Riley. December 9, Dr. George H. Brimhall was sixty years of age, on last. The College Club Committee, of the Brigham Young University congratulated him thus: "Sixty years! Sixty years of actual time, but more than a century of real life, if measured by the poet's standard,— heart-throbs. A life of devotion to God and your fellow men. A life of intense love and keen suffering. An illustrious examole of social efficiency. An inspiration to thousands. On your sixtieth birthday we extend to you our heartiest greetings. Accept our endorsement of your noble life, and our sincere wishes that it may yet be lengthened many years. May you continue to enjoy health, peace, the confidence of your fellow man, and the approval of your God. Sincerely, The College Club, By the Executive Committee: Charles Schwenche, John G. Gubler, Glenn Johnson, A. L. Kelley, Pearl Romney. Thousands of his students and other friends in this inter-mountain country will join with the Era in endorsing the sentiments contained in the above note and join with us in wishing Dr. Brimhall many years yet of a useful and happy life. Elder Brimhall writes as a reply to the good wishes of his friends: doubly appreciate the sentiment expressed in the greeting. "I First, because of the approval of my efforts, but more because of the mercies and direct support of my Father in heaven, in giving me health and strength to do what little I have done in the last decade. Ten years ago my birthday found me an invalid with no hope, from a human point of view, of ever working again, except as a health hunter. I was then in California on that business, an object of great anxiety and trouble to myself and friends. Intellectual calculations held out no hope, but faith, or spirituality, gave me the assurance that I would work again. In the light of science I was sentenced to the "scrap pile;" in the warmth of the spirit of prophecy I was promised a place in the field of service. During nine and one-half years of the last decade, my ability to work has been a progressive fulfilment of promises made me in the name of the Lord, by Elders Owen Woodruff, John W. Taylor, J. Golden Kimball and Joseph E. Taylor. I have but one object in referring to the matter, in any way, and that is the increase of faith in the promises of the Lord made through the priesthood. My new lease of active life has been a period of greater fulness and more exquisite sweetness than that of any other. In the face of the pitying glances and discouraging consolations of my friends. I knew that my Redeemer lived, as well as I know now in this hour of prosperity and encouragement, that he lives. If I keep the faith I shall be redeemed from death as certainly as I was redeemed from that condition of physical illness. G. H. Brimhall. Passing Events The Utah State Legislature, tenth session, convened on Monday noon, January 13, 1913. Senator Henry Gardner, of Spanish Fork, Utah county, was elected president of the Senate, and Representative W. J. Seeley, of Emery county, was chosen Speaker of the House. Utah Stands High in Educational Circles. As an illustration of this fact, it may be stated that five graduates of the Utah Agricultural College, during one week in January, received federal appointments from the Argentine republic, South America, as agricultural, experts, at salaries of $2,000 per year, with expenses, travel, board and room, paid. The greatest average of ward teaching. From the report for the three months ending September 30, recently compiled in the Presiding Bishop's office, it appears that the greatest average of families visited were in the stakes named in the following order: Ogden, Bear River, Union, Moapa, and North Weber. These five stakes stood at the head of the list. Raymond Nicholas Landry Poincare, for the last twelve months premier of the French cabinet, was elected president of the republic of France, on January 17, at Versailles, by the national assembly, in succession to President Armand Fallieres, whose seven-year term expires February 18. The choice was on the second ballot, and the premier received, out of 859 ballots, 53 more than absolute majority. The Parcel-Post is a success. The Bureau of Engraving has had stamps from 5,000,000 a day lo increase its daily output of parcel-post to 10,000,000 aday to meet the unexpected demand. During the first four days of the new service more than 200,000 parcels were mailed in New York City. From other centers come similar reports, testifying to Uncle Sam's popularity as a delivery man. Ground was Broken for the Utah State Capitol on the 26th day of December, 1912, when the first shovel full of earth in the excavations for the capitol building was turned under direction of the Capitol commission. Governor William Spry spoke at the ground-breaking ceremony, in the presence of about two hundred persons, among them being most of the state officials. Mayor Samuel C. Park of Salt Lake City also gave an address. An M. I. A. Scout convention was held at Provo on Saturday, the PASSING EVENTS • 399 12th of October, at which members and officers from Provo, Spring- Mapleton, Lakeview, Pleasant View, and Vineyard participated. ville, The object of the meeting was to organize the M. I. A. Boy Scouts in Utah Stake, and the convention was attended by Dr. John H. Taylor of the General Board, and by Eugene Roberts of Provo. The old tabernacle in Provo has been remodeled and is now used for scout drill-rooms and other althletic activities. Elder Albert Clecn Burt, of Brigham City, Utah, who, for the past thirteen months had been laboring in the New Zealand mission, died at Auckland, January 8, 1913, according to a dispatch to the First Presidency. Death was caused by typhoid fever. Elder Burt was the son of Albert and Leonora Nelson Burt, of Bear River City. He was born at Brigham City, September 17, 1890, and was set apart for his mission December 21, 1911. The body left Auckland January 17, on its way home for interment. Elder Burt was a faithful laborer in the mission field. The Ocean to Ocean Highway Organization, established for the purpose of building an automobile highway from coast to coast, is making progress in obtaining means for the accomplishment of this purpose. Recently the Packard Motor Car company decided to contribute $150,000, and the association has received a number of smaller individual contributions. Organizations are being formed along the different proposed routes, and these various organizations will present their claims for the route, through their sections, to the permanent committee, when the time arrives. Whitelaw Reid, United States ambassador to Great Britain, died in London, December 15, 1912. He was born at Xenia, Ohio, in 1837, graduated from Miami university in 1856, became a newspaper editor in 1858, 'joined the staff of the New York Tribune, in 1868, became and retired from active control of the Tribune, editor-in-chief in 1872, in 1905, when he was made ambassador to Great Britain. Previous to that time he had been minister to France, from 1889 to 1892, and he was the Republican candidate for the vice-presidency in 1892. President Taft has decid'ed not to appoint any successor. Contempt of Court. The courts of Idaho decided during the recent presidential canvass that the names of the Progressive electors could not legally be printed on the ballots. Mr. Roosevelt denounced this decision and his words were printed in the Capital News- of Boise. The managing editor of the paper, Mr. C. O. Brixon, and the publisher, Mr. R. S. Sheridan, were charged with contempt of court for printing and commenting on Mr. Roosevelt's criticism of the state judiciary, and on January 2nd they were found guilty and sentenced to spend ten days in jail and pay $500 each. 400 IMPROVEMENT ERA Robert W. Archibald, of Scranton, Pa., for twenty-nine years an occupant of judicial positions of the Pennsylvania state bench, the federal district bench, and the United States Commerce Court, was adjudged guilty, January 13, by the United States Senate, of "high crimes and misdemeanors." He was stripped of his office and forever disqualified from holding positions of public honor and of public trust. The impeachment trial had been pending in the Senate since last summer. He was charged with. misconduct as a judge, and with corruptly using his judicial power to acquire coal properties in Pennsylvania. The Snow Academy at Ephraim celebrated its twenty-fourth anniversary on November 5. Four hundred students and teachers, with banners, marched through the city, headed by the Academy band. At ten o'clock, in the assembly hall, there was a literary program with songs and speeches. Among those who addressed the students were President Anthon H. Lund, Elders Rulon S. Wells, and C. N. Lund, president of the stake. An elaborate banquet was later served in the domestic science department under the supervision of Miss Bolton. In the afternoon a track meet was held, and a dance in the gymnasium in the evening closed the day's festivities. School in Tucson. — Mrs. L. Paul Cordon has opened a school for the children of the Mexican refugees, fifty in number, who have settled near Tucson, Arizona. The district school buildings in the place were unable to accommodate the children, but have done what they could to help in their education by providing a separate building to accommodate the children. Recently the board of education of the Church Schools granted a small appropriation to aid in meeting the expenses of this school. Several of the publishing houses who had been supplying the Church schools in Mexico with books, among them Ginn & Company, have remitted their bills, showing a commendable desire to aid the unfortunates who have been driven from their homes. The Great Assuan Dam over the Nile, 350 miles from Cairo, Egypt, completed some ten years ago, at a cost of $7,500,000, has recently had added to its 130 feet of height, 26 additional feet of masonry, making the barrier to the waters of the Nile about the same height as Niagara Falls, and increasing the capacity of the reservoir about two and a half times, thus enabling the Egyptian government to irrigate an additional 1,000,000 acres of desert land, and so to make it bloss'om as the rose. The climate of the Nile permits two or three crops a year, and with this additional water ldcility the future of this historic land, agriculturally, will undoubtedly surpass its past, of 2,000 or more years ago, when Egypt was the granary of the world. The only drawback to the new arrangement is the destruction of the wonderful ruins of Philae, since that island is now entirely submerged, PASSING EVENTS • 401 and its wonderful ruins hidden from view forever. So" do great enterprises and utility take precedence over love for antiquity and art, in our practical day. The Balkan War Peace Congress made some little progress during December. On January 6 the first stage of the negotiations for peace came to an end in London. The Balkan representatives refused to accept the terms offered by Turkey. The conference adjourned without fixing a date for resuming its meetings, and the ambassadors of the powers in London began at once to bring pressure upon Turkey to the end that it should yield to.the demand of the allies. The Porte decided on January 19 to call a national assembly to take under advisement the Balkan situation which probably heralds further concessions on the part of Turkey, which country has already agreed to withdraw all claim to Crete and Macedonia, but insists on retaining Adrianople and also the Aegian islands, and that Albania shall be autonomous. In case Turkey's answer is unsatisfactory, the allies, in deference to Europe, will ask the powers whether they have means to compel Turkey to comply with their wishes. If not, it appears at this writing that the allies will resume war. The Farmers Round Up and Housekeepers' Conference of the Agricultural College of Utah occurs in Logan January 27th to February 8th, and in Richfield February 13th to February 22nd. The program is full all the way through. of merit Special features are made of irrigation, better wheat, sugar beets, garden crops, alfalfa, good roads, and the important question of rural credit. In Logan there will be a machinery demonstration where elecfric and gasoline devices for farm and home will be shown. A cheap pump, in operation, delivering water to three floors, and costing about $150, and for operation less than $1.50 a month, is among the display. Special sessessions will be devoted to marketing, a very acute problem in our state at the present time. The second week will be devoted entirely to the consideration of animal industry, including livestock, wool growing, dairying, pasturing, and breeding, including horses and swine. Reduced rates are announced over all the Utah and the southern Idaho railroads. The conferences promise to excel anything similar in the history of the college, and doubtless will demonstrate the idea of farm and industrial life better than ever. The Dynamite Conspiracy Trial came to an end at Indianapolis, Indiana, Dec. 28, 1912,when thirty-three of the convicted men were sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from one to six years, in the federal penitentiary, and sent to prison on the 29th. Five were let off on suspended sentences, and two were acquitted. All these were among the fifty-four labor leaders, nearly all connected with the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers, who" were arrested as a consequence of the McNamara case in Los Angeles.