Show THE UTAH STATEHOOD QUESTION JUDGE REP BEP after a careful reading and consideration aeration of the home rule bill I 1 look upon it as an ill advised measure in many res it in ia quite faulty especially in its ite provisions in relation to the judiciary department ostensibly it appears as a steppingstone stepping stone to statehood but in reality it relegates it to the future and once enacted into a law it would be utterly impossible to predict when statehood for utah could be obtained the people would divide on party lines and about election time every eye would be turned on the mormon people aud and no matter what scratching of tickets or crooked new in elections would be developed it ft would be laid at the door of the mormon church for example pennsylvania lis accustomed republican majority is and when she elected a democratic governor by ma that unfortunate event was regarded as a lesson to the republican leaders leaden if puch ouch an occurrence should happen in utah under the so called home rule it would be laid to church dictation I 1 believe the mormon Mor moB people have never received a greater insult than that administered by the alleged jacome home rule bill the dimo democrats democrate hive have now proclaimed to the country with greater force than the liberals that the cormons mormons Mor mons are not sincere that politically they cannot oe be trusted in effect the democrats say to the cormons mormons Mor mons 1 we will take you on probation we will allow you to elect your awu officers and pay the expenses of these luxuries but we will not surrender our control over you until you have demonstrated to our satis fao tion that you can be trusted and that your church will exercise no political control over you in other words we will give you all the burdens of statehood but will withhold the dignity of the state from the reading of that remarkable measure which has no precedent in the history of this country grythe the conclusion in the minds of deo ale unfamiliar un familia with the present conditions in this will be irre ie that the democratic party in utah discredits mormon sincerity and yet but a few months ago these same democrats proclaimed and professed fessel to believe that the declarations of 01 the Church were made in good faith why this sudden change of base why this demand for probation did the gentlemen who framed the bill mistake the I 1 intelligence of the people of utah when they made their first move for division on party lines hues and imagine that the mormons cormons would go en masse into Democratic the ranks and have they now discovered their error and as a result mault of their labors to stay the tide moving on toward republican ism brought forth this abortion there have been many assertions made that this territory would be democratic Demo crattic and with the large democratic vote in august this view seems plausible to fe the casual observer yet the republicans were hopeful and mark the reason why jn in point of intelligence utah stands among the foremost of the states and territories of the union to tb make a democratic state of such a territory is about as reasonable as to attempt to dam the niagara let our friends the democrats take notice that when utah does become a state in our glorious glori constellation it will shine forth in all its ts splendor as a re be publican state I 1 am persuaded that the republican Republica ii party will not endorse the rome home rule bill it will not be a party to a measure which will upon our people a burden of per annum for the sole purpose of ascertaining certa ining their honesty because it already believes that they are honest and sincere the republican party in utah has accepted the declarations of the church as having been beeh made in good faith and has persistently adhered to the principles enunciated during the struggles for di division on national party I 1 aimeb in way I 1 believe it will support the en abling act because that will be following in the direct line hue of precedents in the admission of territories into the union and will not put the brand of dishonesty of purpose upon a portion of the american people the introduction into congress of the enabling act as a republican measure is simply in line with the former history of that party which has always guarded most zeal ausy the iDt interests orests of our taum battoe country and under whose wise and able management this nation has risen until it stands foremost among the nations of the earth that same party which demands and enforces the doctrine of equal rights and protection to every american citizen living jiving within the law will not be unmindful of the people of utah the same party which was grand enough and mag namous enough to grant amnesty to a people choin who in open rebellion to disrupt the union had been the means of sacrificing hundreds of thousands of human lives and millions of treasure that same game party I 1 say J will be grand enough and magnanimous enough to grant amnesty to the people of utah who in the unfortunate occurrences of the past amt were deprived of the right of franch franchise isep a right so dear to every true american heart I 1 predict that when the bitterness of the past shall have been blotted out when scenes which tried teens souls shall have been forgotten aheu forgive and feet shall have full sway away then intelligence and good willi will progress and protection will reign supreme and the majority of the people of this territory will unite with the republican party to save the future state from the danger ot of democratic ic rule JUDGE HARKNESS REP BEP I 1 had been opposed to immediate statehood not because I 1 was afraid of the mormons cormons Mor mons but because of the extra financial expenses it would entail upon the territory I 1 thought e too in view of the recent changes here in public affairs the taxpayers should h have ave ample time to consider the subject act of statehood and deter determine milne deliberately libera ibera tely w v hether or not they wanted it I 1 have always opposed this being resolved into a political question or that taxpayers should take aides because they belong to any political party I 1 still think that would have been a better plan and wiser policy the introduction of what Is known as the caine faulkner bill must have the effect of leaving the quest question on more or less in politics because it seems to be a democratic measure and carries with it all the objections I 1 had bad to statehood that is it means the expense without giving alving representation neither do I 1 think the reason assigned for delaying statehood and putting the matter tn in the form it seems to have assumed is a good one the delay appears to be founded upon alleged want of confidence in the mormon people for immediate statehood and purports to retain in the general government the power to legislate for utah while at the same time it out of the hands of the government all the mechanism to enforce its laws law to any greater extent than in a state so that if the reason given be a true one and that the people cannot be trusted then it does in fact trust them to thwart all the laws of congress of the two acts I 1 prefer statehood of course CALVIN REP BEP you ask aak me as to the relative merits of the two bills before Con congress grass the Hom eRule and the statehood billa ballf and the advisability of passing either one and as to which one is entitled to the he claim of superiority when the home rule bill came out I 1 thoroughly endorsed it for it is an educate ry measure and it is adapted to the state of public sentiment abroad which is full of fear and distrust of it is 18 also adapted to th objections raised in the presidents message and a similar class of objections which prevail in the minds of many congressmen that is that utah is not quite ready to be entrusted with the full responsibilities of sovereignty all these objections were satisfactorily provided for in the faulkner bill and in a way that provided for most of the incidents of home government I 1 should say that tb the home rule bill was preeminently eminently pre meritorious on the score of availability and adaptability to the complex cond conditions itibus affecting utah but politics c counts for something in utah and the only thing for the republicans to tr do was to cogo go one better 21 1 the told me a year ago that if I 1 lived longer I 1 should learn more it is true I 1 have learned from the tribune tl that rt they take more stock in the mormon chiefs than they do in the democratic chiefs and that they would rather gain statehood with mormon supremacy than home rule with the supremacy of certain democratic supervisors so say all the republican liberals that I 1 have heard beard from well that changes matters considerably for myself I 1 am not dot the least afraid of either democratic or mormon supremacy under either bill if republicans in utah of all shades would but act like men and patriots they can under either bill have their due share of control in the territory and in the state when it becomes a state and as the statehood bill seems most desirable to both republicans republican and liberals and as it furnishes larger educational advantages I 1 rive give it my preference ASSISTANT ATTORNEY STEPHENS STEPHEN S REP becj are you in favor of the teller bill inquired a NEWS reporter with wah a slight amendment I 1 certain ly yam am it brings statehood a trifle to early perhaps but that can be remedied A postponement of the admission of the territory from twelve to eighteen months would suit me by that time I 1 think utah will be ready for statehood JOHN HENRY SMITH REP KEP when the question of division on national party lines was first considered it was said by the opponents of the organization of the parties that the movement was too early as it would hasten statehood there was an understanding der between men lof of both parties after the organizations that nothing should be said in their respective platforms in regard to this movement but that it should be open for the present the introduction of the home rule measure into congress while it is not a violation of this understanding der in fact is certainly so oo in spirit 1 myself was in favor of ample ti time me being taken to adjust differences feren ces remove suspicion and put ourselves in harmony with others so BO far as practicable but as a matter of fact I 1 am strongly gly opposed to the home rule proposition and a study of its composition convinces me that it would delay statehood indefinitely considering the views of some of the most rabid anti i organ who put the matter of statehood oft off only two years and that nearly one year has past since this question was first mooted and that another eighteen months must elapse before f 0 r e it C can a D be consummated I 1 am decidedly in favor of the statehood movement and believe that all well wishers of the territory should lend influence in that direction so far as the mormon people are concerned 1 I can say that they have made U up their minds to wait until such JUCK time as thoughtful men of both parties and leading men of the nation shall feel that statehood lethair is their due speaking for myself I 1 say whatever wha w hate vet my come I 1 propose to be governed by the same laws that govern the citizens of the united states in general and want no advantages over them I 1 am for the teller bill first last and all the time in preference to any home rule measure that can be devised GEORGE M CANNON REP BEP my chief objection to the home rule bill is that it will defer state hood entirely too long and impose a financial burden upon the people with out giving them representation there ther for I 1 am in favor of statehood to be obtained within a year or two JL 1 think the people of utah can etter better l afford to continue living in a that length of time than to reside in A 4 dependency for an indefinite time people are sufficiently wealthy to bear the expense of statehood and 11 they have the intelligence and ability to govern themselves the home rule bill was drafted by and for twos the benefit of office seekers it pretends pretend to ameliorate the condition 01 of the people but it pander to the prejudice of ther the fast east the republicans believe that if the people are intelligent enough to be entrusted with the elec election electia tio 1 machinery of the territory they are ais also intelligent enough to be admitted into the union on an with the rest of the people of the united states s HON JAMES JAMBS SHARP BEP I 1 am heartily in favor of ae the teller w bill though I 1 would rather have state 1 hood deferred a little longer if an n immediate change must come let it be statehood 1 HEBER M WELLS REP BEP I 1 everybody democrats republicans 4 liberals and floaters have been 1 saying that statehood for utah would be the preer proper caper in a year or two 1 the teller bill will give it 16 to us just when everybody wants wanto it as the vote j is not to be taken till next november by that time if we go on pro progressing progresso gressi adi as we have the past year we be mellow ripe for it the people of utah dont need to be put on probation a so long as the faulkner bill proposes and therein lies the fatal weak ness 0 that measure therome The Home rule bill as compared with an enabling art act is a back number and should and doubtless will be promptly shelved by congress J it II should always be remembered to too that chat statehood for utah is a republican measure and that the introduction of the bill in congress I 1 to Is in keeping with the republican policy of prompt and decisive action as against demo cratic bratle vacillation and innocuous de su elude 0 ol o t progress pro gresa and courage as r against nut halfway halfway half way measures and betrayal of confidence J L RAWLINS OEM DEM As to the bill for an enabling get act introduced trod by senator teller no democrat is disposed to antagonize it and if the republicans cau give auy any assurance that the president will approve such a measure providing it should dass congress and can prevail upon ft a tithe of the republican members of congress to support it I 1 believe that the democrats can induce a sufficient number of their political todo to do the same and thereby make it a law lav unless they can give ame such assurance and furnish some borne evidence of the possibility of the success of the meaG measure Urethe the democrats will deem it their duty to press on for such political lotical relief as they reasonably be drevs revs can be obtained under existing circumstances COLONEL 8 A MERRITT DEM in regard to the question of statehood I 1 think in view of the expressions of president harrison Harri aon in b his 18 last annual message it Is ia reasonable to suppose that he would veto any enabling act passed to provide for the admission of utah I 1 am free to say any that in my judgment utah possesses the necessary qualifications for statehood but it is impossible to get it now there has been doubt expressed as a to the sincerity of the mormon people in abandoning polygamy I 1 have no doubt whatever of their sincerity but as practical men we must look at the situation as it exists therefore at present and until the doubts of the public are allayed it would be better for the people of utah to urge the pass passage alre of the home rule bill introduced ji in congress by faulbner and caine this if enacted into a law would give to the cit izene utah the entire control of their local affairs and quiet the apprehensions of some well meaning mean ng perona ona in regard to their good faith on the subject of the abandonment of polygamy one or two years of the operations of the home rule bill would convince every everybody body that utah could safely be admitted as a state in the union I 1 look upon the introduction of the statehood bill as a republican trick to |