History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

652
SCHISMS AND APOSTASIES.
chants to advantage, the saints were tempted sometimes
to trade with them, and frequently did so, and
that without the severe censure on the part of the
church, which has been often alleged.
Among those who had transactions with gentile merchants
were the Walker Brothers, who in 1868 were
among the prominent merchants of Salt Lake City, and
had contributed in no small degree to its commercial
prosperity. The firm subscribed liberally for all the
purposes to which the church funds were applied, but
refused to pay tithes or to recognize the
church to collect tithing.
right of the
17
During this year, and partly with a view to placing
the trade of Utah under church control, so far at least
as the brethren were concerned, the Zion's Cooperative
Mercantile Institution was organized. 18
Aside
from such motives, however, there were good reasons
for securing to the county the benefits of the cooperative
system, for, as we shall see later, the prices
of imported commodities were still extravagantly
high. 19 To protect the people from these high prices
by importing from first hands and in large quantities
was the professed, and perhaps the main, purpose of
the promoters. After passing through some financial
difficulties, the enterprise seems to have obtained a
permanent foothold, and is yet a successful competitor
with gentile tradesmen, supplying at wholesale many
of the settlements in Utah, in addition to its local
and retail trade. In 1883 the total sales exceeded
$4,000,000, a half-yearly dividend of five per cent being
paid in October of that year. At this date the
association had a reserve fund of about $125,000, and
17 Walker's Merchants and Miners of Utah, MS. , 2.
18 On the lGth of October. Business was opened March 1, 1S69, and the
company was incorporated Dec. 1, 1S70. Zion's Coop. Merc. Inst., MS., 1.
Brigham Young was the principal stockholder, and Geo. Q. Cannon, Geo. A.
Smith, Win Jennings, H. S. Eldredge, and Wm H. Hooper were among the
first directors. For constitution, by-laws, form of certificates of stock, and
incorporation, see Utah Religions Pamphlets, 9, 10.
la See cap. 2S, notes 29 and 31, this vol.