Show t MA A MARKED ARIED INFLUENCE III An e the he t opinion of the Commission i brought to bear under f- f Act ct of Congress creating it and Jo ee amendatory thereof together tb tl the tle e vigorous administration of criminal laws laws- by the courts courts 8 e hada had a marked influence in Bt st of polygamy That which F Fe e eW Years ago was practiced open open- Mid and u flaunted in the face of the of-the the a cw as the boast and ami pride of this ar people has been driven to tol tor tow r l and the secrecy of other ea ft If plural marriages are now ted it It is done in the secret TOra rs ra of the temples and endow endow 1 84 a thea Chouses houses where the light of the jh butI fever ver of i f enters and i no i ii eyes i but all priests and neophytes are It WOd to t witness the ceremonies 8 amy is practiced it is with leCY y with which the burglar e 6 his housebreaking and the tIo his larcenies Few are had for polygamy Few marriages can be proven Ii 8 three ee years the period I of but the trials and y cM 1011 con con con- for for unlawful cohabitation aDd kS nt kindred t int offenses a frequent in in- in to WIth h POlygamy and generally indications that they are of a be ous character are ae as will willS lQ seen U by the statistics presented r in each of the three f P Courts of the Territory 45 f nn fib a i D DED AS MARTYRS i f Q 1 abl q Who are convicted t regard ard themselves and are re- re Red oY oy the church as martyrs Q n ti one OUe is convicted convicted usual the usual r S r rob ment in the organ of the 4 is tl that at he has been heen t ll convicted 4 4 01 ng with his wives or of i ls religion Those emin- emin tIM d the e church who have been e ed tU ted of sexual crimes on is ei eig ng S g from the penitentiary h Borne instances been met at at at f to iy rJ doors by brass bands and andon z zY J 1 Y ton ion with banners escorted r It homes i to be toasted extolled i d as though it were thet the t conclusion of some brilliant and honorable achievement rather than the expiration of a B sentence and ex ex- expiation expiation expiation for a crime committed against the laws of the country and anda a disgraceful confinement within t tie walls of a penal institution It is not regarded us as any disgrace by the Mormons of Utah to have served a term in the penitentiary for any Rny of the sexual offenses inhibited by the laws of Congress On the contrary it is re regarded as a badge of merit a and nd as entitling the per per- persons persons persons sons so convicted to promotion in inthe i inthe n the church as has been the case In some instances The law as administered by the courts mercifully keeps open the thedoor thedoor thedoor door to escape punishment for all convicted of polygamy by offering them a suspension of sentence and amnesty for the past upon the sole condition that they make a promise in open court to obey and live with with- within within within in the laws and keep the same yet few accept the offer so graciously made nearly all preferring the prison its privations to a re- re renunciation renunciation of the article of their creed which puts them under the ban of the law and at war as it were with the government which gives them protection Fear of punishment for their crimes crimeA dread of further and more stringent legislation and a policy dictated by the hope of Statehood at atan atan atan an early period when they would be the State and make and adminis adminis- administer administer administer ter the laws in accord with their pe- pe peculiar peculiar pe peculiar culiar institutions and pretended revel revelations are sufficient motives to account for the prudent submission submission sion that is shown at t present WHAT WOULD RESULT In view of the late great effort made by them to brin bring about State State- Statehood Statehood Statehood hood for Utah this thought suggests the Suppose inquiry inquiry Suppose the I Edmunds law of 1882 and the Edmunds- Edmunds 1 Tucker act of 1887 were repealed and all things placed subject to th the same control and conditions as prior to their enactment how long would affairs remain even in their present condition How long before the Presidents Apostles Elders and the Priesthood generally would parade the streets at the head of their harems How long would any aay Gen Gen- Gentiles tiles Gea-tiles tiles or non-Mormons non be permitted to hold or exercise the duties of f any office or place of trust in the Terri Terri- Territory Territory tory Lory How long indeed until a system of which boycotting boycotting which the Priesthood knows only too well wen how bow to institute and make thoroughly would efficient would be brought into active working ng order and the Gen Gen- Gentile Gentile tile element with its advanCed civilization its trade and its traffic be driven from the the Mormon theocracy be male ma ie je supreme profitless Speculation upon the queries is profit profit- less while the supposed condition of affairs is improbable but their con con- consideration consideration may enable those who care to consider them to judge of the present outward marks of the seeming acceptance of the situation and of the acquiescence in and obedience to the law by the Mormon people Hie while they insist through their newspapers and from their pulpits that these laws aws of Congress J are unconstitutional and void and 0 should neither be enforced nor 3 obeyed and who fail to draw any distinction opinions upon the subject of religion and the com com- coma commission commission a mission of cri crimes mes against the highest h making law making power of the nation and the universal sentiment of the j enlightened world 1 1 ELECTIONS HELD J Since September 1888 there have been held under the super super- supervision supervision J 1 vision of the Commis dl one gen gen- genera genera 1 era election one election elect on for Dele Dele- Delegate Delegate Delegate gate in Congress 88 and twenty three twenty r municipal twenty five total of twenty twenty- five ve elections 1 At these elections the following number of officers have been chosen Delegate in Congress 1 Territorial Officers S 3 Members of the Territorial Legisla Legisla- Legislature Legislature Legislature ture 86 s County Officers 78 Municipal aad Precinct Officers Total The Commission has appointed appointed- Registration Officers j Judges of Election 1 1284 Total 1647 There were registered voters In iu in Utah Utah- Utah J In 1887 y f In l 1888 In 1889 j 1 The increased registration in m 1888 over 1887 was or 26 3 8 10 p per r cent 1889 over 1888 was or 26 25 2 10 per cent 9 1 1819 yer o-yer o over er 1887 was orlO or 5 lO 10 per cent Th The The number of polygamous cases Ji x reported to the Commission by its registration officers since September 1888 was twenty-nine twenty 29 No registration officer belonging 1 to the Mormon Church reported any ti such case from his precinct although g y reports of such cases not c came to unofficially unofficially X XIn In order erder to promote as far as 7 practicable a fail fai and impartial election the Commission on the of July 1889 caused to be published in the newspapers Z throughout the Territory the follow follow- following following following ing circular of advice and instruction instruction i tion 1 OFFICE OF op THE UTAH COMMISSION Salt Lake City Utah f J July Slat 1 89 To the Officers of of Election and t of Utah Territory i The Utah Commission being with registration and elections in iR the x Territory after due v have thought it advisable to make this thiR public appeal to the regis regis- registration registration registration officers judges of election and andr 11 r voters at the election to be held on the day of August next r The Commission is desirous of hav hay haying having r ing and as far as it has authority of law is 18 determined to have a fair and j impartial election that everything like x fraud shall be put down that ever every 1 voter in the Terri Terri- Territory lawfully registered V J tory shall have the privilege of de- de depositing depositing positing his ballot freely as he wishes 2 J and without intimidation and that none who are not legally registered shall be permitted to vote no matter J what may be the circumstances 4 r The Commission s suggests that 11 judges of election 1 tAh passing upon challenges at the J po Ih Shall shall do so Im Impartially Im- Im Impartially impartially partially and fairly fauly rejecting none who are le legally lly qualified a mi ng mind none who are not keeping in mind 1 that the presumptions of law are In favor of the the elector until the contrary appears 5 Attention is respectfully called to I the following section of the election I law Ay Ai pen person who shall hill disturb z or be guilty of any riotous conduct at any election in this Territory or who shan shall ball disturb or interfere with the can can- canvassing can canvassing of the Tot vo or pr returns interfere with the making of the returns or who shall interfere with any voter in the free exercise of the elective franchise shall hall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor misdemeanor misdemeanor meanor Compiled laws law of Utah 1888 Vol 1 page Sec It is i suggested that prompt arrests be made for any violation of this statute In the interest of fairness the Com Com- Commission Commission Oom mission fu fur further ier er suggests that in all towns and Ves s that no person except the registrar or his deputy judges judge of election lection the sheriff or his hi deputies and such challengers challenger not more than two as a may be selected by each party eha shad hall be permitted to remain romain within feet of the polls and as far as practicable have it so BO arranged that but one voter shall hall approach the polls at one and the same time and when one voter has voted he shall hall immedi immedi- immediately immediately immediately paw pass beyond the limits limit fixed for approach h to the polls poll e mo c In- In Invokes invokes in invokes vokes all good citizens citizen and all parties to lend their influence in aid of a fair fairand fairand fairand and honest election that they frown k and stamp tamp upon all frauds fraud or attempt attempt- attempted attempted attempted ed frauds tending to unfairness at the polls or in the returns of election ever keeping in mind the great truth that the freedom of the American people depends depend on the purity of the ballot box The Commission i ion takes take great pl ure in bearing witness a to the fairn ss s in J Jall all elections election heretofore held under its authority and management and with withA A great confidence looks look to the same ame result result re- re sult In the approaching election The manhood of Utah cannot afford to prostitute Itself by frauds in elec eleo- elections elections tons Respectfully G 0 L GODFREY Chairman This circular was received and acted registrars upon favorably by the regis regis- l and judges judge generally through through- throughout throughout throughout out the Territory and the Commis Commis- Commission sion slon is much gratified to be able to say that so 80 far as it is in informed the election was attended with per per- per feet perfect fairness and und regularity and the usual complaints and charges of frauds were almost wholly wanting The Commission appointed a aboard aboard aboard board of canvassers to canvass and make return of election returns consisting of five ve reputable citizens of the Territory three of whom were chosen from the Liberal or Mormon ornon-Mormon non Mormon party and two from the Peoples People's or Mormon party viz Wm C Hall Salt Lake City CHy Hugh M Dougal Springville e A AH n H Nelson Ogden Elias A SmIth Salt BaIt Lake City and Heber M Wells I of the same place glace l This boar boar board of ot canvassers met nt at atthe atthe the rooms of the Commission in Salt Lake City on the day of E August 1889 and after each taking r the oath or of office organized by electing from their number a Chair Chair- Chairman Chairman Chairman man and Secretary and under the ther r tit f supervision ot of the Commission y canvassed the election ejection returns of fora the several everal except for or a members of tb the Legislative Council and House of Representatives and f made the proper returns of said t r canvass to the Commission which r ordered certificates of election to the officers declared to be he elected 40 The Commission as required by act of Congress itself canvassed the z s returns from the for members of the Legislative Council Council cil and and issued certificates of to all those persons shown by the returns returns turns to have been elected except iD i ithe the case of Samuel R Thurman representative elect from the representative district The rhe certificate of election was w withheld in his case by reason of thE th Commission having been official notified by Hon C S Varian District District Attorney for tor the United State for Utah that said Thurman hail haJ within a few days after the election been arrested and on before aU a U S Commissioner had ha been held to answer to the grand gran jury on a charge of violation of thE th laws by unlawful cohabitation which charge if sustained would woul render him ineligible for the responsible responsible sible position for which he was chosen cho cho- chosen seI sen There Ther is s a probability that hE h assembling of the legislature and if acquitted the proper certificate of election will be issued to him The result of the election for members of the Legislature was For the Legislative L Council LIberals Liberal or anti Mormons 2 Peoples People's or Mormons 10 Total 12 For the th House Hour of Representatives Liberals 1 6 lS Peoples People's P 19 18 Total lota 24 24 The result most gratifying to the members of the Liberal party and correspondingly distasteful to the the demonstration demonstration demonstration Peoples People's party was tion that in a hotly contested elec lec election election tion the Liberal party had polled a majority of 41 in the vote of the city of if Salt Lake and hail had secured a voice which could be heard and an influence which c could uld be felt in both blanches of the Legislature MORMON PERVERSENESS An instance of the temper and disposition of the Mormon party under defeat where they have the power left to show the intense aver aver- aversion aversion aversion sion they have to anything under tinder their own control is to be found In their official action since the result of the recent election in ire Weber County aud and the city of Ogden was known Ever since Ogden has had an or- or organized organized or organized municipal existence it has constituted but one precinct though divided into several polling places and had but one justice of th the peace under the Territorial law which provides one such Buch magistrate for each precinct At the August election the anti anti- Mormon anti Mormon element of the precinct proved to be in the majority and elected an Mormon anti-Mormon to be justice of the peace for the ensuing term of five fl ve years Within three days after the elec elec- election election election tion the County Court which is composed of Mormons except the th Probate Judge who is ex officio a member and is appointed by the he President made an order as they had bad the power to do under the Ter Ter- Territorial Territorial w law l w abolishing Ogden pre pre- precinct precinct precinct and in its stead creating four precincts and again proceeding to act under the rower power given it by the Territorial statutes appointed d four justices to fill tin the vacancies old of the 0 caused by the abolition and the formation of the neW ne pre Pie In ID Another T-Another Another instance is in point point- Tel Tel- er- er Beaver County under former laws the the Probate Judge Jude al always ways been beena been a Mormon and an ana always allowed by the County Cc Court lays lars a salary per annum of two Congress |