Cleanliness, Avoidance of Debt, and Manual Training

I am indeed pleased, my brethren and sisters, for the privilege of addressing this vast audience this afternoon, for a few moments. It seems to me that the spirit of this Conference has been one of teaching the people concerning the material interests of life, and I know of nothing better to speak of, as such instruction reaches the daily lives of all the people. ¶

There is a saying that cleanliness is next to Godliness; I hope I may be the means, through the Spirit of God, to bring the attention of our people to the necessity of cleanliness. If I had time, I would like to go into the subject far enough to include cleanliness of the mind, cleanliness of the body, cleanliness of the surroundings, cleanliness of city and town. I hope that the Bishops, and presidents of stakes, when they go home, will see that the attention of the people over whom they preside is called to this subject. I wish that every family in Zion understood the value of cleanliness in the home. I have often said that a clean home does not, of necessity, mean a mansion; no matter how small the home may be, the father and mother, and particularly the mother, should be interested in keeping that home free from all filth. The father should keep clean the dooryard, the outhouses, the barns, the sidewalks, and all that pertains to the home surroundings. The mother should see that the inside of the home, though it consist of but two rooms, is kept scrupulously clean. I can not stop to tell you of the thousand benefits that would result from so doing; I know the people would be healthier; children would love their homes more, have more pride in them, enjoy more the beauties of nature, and learn more of the joys of life. I also trust that we can teach all to be clean in person, clean in their associations, and pure in their thoughts. ¶

I remember, when I was a small boy, President Brigham Young was making one of his tours and arrived at a town in one of the southern counties. He had intended to stop there and speak to the people, but, as he drove along the streets, entering town, he noticed the unclean condition of the surroundings. He drove direct to the Bishop's home, stopped his team and said to the Bishop, who stood in front of his residence waiting the arrival of the president: "Why Bishop, I see the same old rocks upon the streets; I see the same old dirty surroundings; I see the same old gates off their hinges; I see the same old broken down fences; I see the same old puddles of mud before the tithing office and your public buildings, just as they were when I was last here; and, inasmuch as I called attention to these defects when I was here before, and it has had no effect upon the people whatever, I do not think it necessary for me to stop this time. Good-bye, Bishop. Tell the people when they attend to these things and rectify them, I will stop next time." ¶

I wish, my brethren and sisters, that we all could realize what it means to us as a people to keep our surroundings clean and pure. I assure you it is worthy our consideration and attention. ¶

I read a synopsis of a speech that was made here the other day, by a reverend gentleman, before the Young Men's Christian association. ¶

He spoke to a large audience, and called attention to what he termed the three reigning sins of this great nation of ours, viz: gambling, intemperance, and moral impurity. I am pleased to state that I can say amen to all that he said in regard to these subjects. But there are other things which I believe are just as much reigning sins as the three he spoke of. We know that these three evils spoken of rob the home of comfort. They rob the wife of a probable loving and devoted husband. They rob the children of the necessities of life. They bring degradation and misery into the homes of millions of people. While I was thinking of these reigning sins, I thought too of other evils which are the cause of many men gambling and drinking, and leading impure lives; upon one of these evils or causes I want to say a few words this afternoon. ¶

One of the greatest evils of our day is that there are so many wilfully motherless wives. Closely connected with this is another, the wilful laziness of men who do not properly provide for their wives. Psychologists are studying these questions, and trying to solve the problem of why there is so much sin in the world today, so many men devoid of manliness, so many vicious scoundrels who have no other aim in life than to prey upon mankind. I have thought many times there certainly is a reason for this; and at least one reason is, there are so many children brought into this world by unwilling mothers, the offspring also, in many cases, of equally unwilling fathers. Every child born into this world has a right to a tender and loving welcome. It has a right, by laws of nature, to claim this of the father and mother; but in the world today — and I fear it is creeping into our midst — mothers and fathers do not want many children. They "do not want to be bothered with them," as it is so often said. Coming home from the east lately, I was conversing with a man on the train, and he remarked to me: "Why, Mr. Smoot, I have one child, and I would not take a million dollars for it; but I 'would not give five cents for another." I want to tell the fathers and mothers of Israel that the first great law God gave to mankind is as binding today upon the world as it ever was, I hope and trust that the people of this nation, and' of this Church in particular, will live according to this law, and not violate it in any manner. Let us, my brethren and sisters, show to the world that we love children more than we do lapdogs. Let us show that we love our offspring more than anything earthly, so that the world may understand that what God reveals 'we believe and practice. I promise you that if we live to this law, God will provide for the men and women who, willingly and lovingly, bring children into this world and teach them His commandments. ¶

You have, doubtless, noticed, of late, that' President Roosevelt has called the attention of the world to the fact that "race suicide" is one of the great evils of the day. I thank God that this nation of ours has a man as its president, who believes it the duty of all married people to become parents. I also rejoice that the wife God gave him is thankful she is the mother of a number of children — not ashamed of one of them. He believes in rearing children, and in making the home an altar for our religious devotion. He believes in bringing children into the world by willing parents, and making Americans of them. I believe that this theory is pleasing in the sight of God. So I say to my brethren and sisters today, and I would that I had the power to say to the world, Stop "race suicide." If you don't want a family, don't get married. I hope that we, as Latter-day Saints, will learn from the experiences of the world the evil effects of "race suicide," and not pass through the experiences ourselves. ¶

I have indeed enjoyed the practical remarks made at this Conference. Ever since I was twenty-two years of age, I have said on many occasions that, if God blessed me with sufficient means, I would some day establish a school of manual training. I have noticed the lack of this in our schools for many years. Many, perhaps, have said that I was a crank on this subject. But, I have been placed in a position, at the Provo Woolen Mills, where I have seen the evils that exist in the lack of manual education for our children. I can go to Provo today and put up a notice for common laboring men at a salary of a dollar and a half a day and the next morning, more than likely, there would be dozens of applications; but just let me post a notice that we want a competent finisher, head of a department, or a dyer, and there would not be a person in all of the state of Utah make application, that is qualified for the position. I desire to say to the people of Utah that we are on the verge of an opportunity for wonderful growth, and, while we may have reverses and hard times at intervals, there will be an impetus come to this state that we little dream of at present. There will be great iron manufactories in the south, and many great smelting plants in different parts of the state. The time will come, and it is not far distant, when the manufacturing interests of this state will be the greatest of her industries. Are we preparing for this? I take it for granted that the smelters we have today can get all the common laborers they want for two dollars or two dollars and fifty cents per day; but, if they require a man who knows the business thoroughly, and who could take charge of it, I guarantee that they can not find him here, but will have to look to some eastern city where people, through necessity, have learned that, in order to get along in this world, they must be thoroughly educated in some particular line or calling. ¶

Before sitting down, I desire to say that I feel grateful to my heavenly Father for His special blessings to me; and I am also grateful to the people of this state for their confidence in me. I know that if we pray to God in earnestness He certainly will sustain us. The danger of our becoming lukewarm is not from without — the danger is within. I hope and trust that God will strengthen us; that He will make us honest, upright and honorable members of His Church; that we will never falter for a minute, nor ever have a doubt that this is the Church and Kingdom of God. God bless us all, I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶