Show a a In concluding the minority report ot of the Utah commissIon for Cor the year 1887 General John A. A in declaring that the vigorous enforcement enforcement en- en of oC the laws had resulted In a sense ot of disquietude and insecurity insecurity in- in security In the mass of the Mormon popUlation and as before belore said the Indications ot of an important change are The truth of oC this continues General l is corroborated by the chief justice of oC the territory and others In a letter let let- ter to Chief Justice Charles S. S Zane the questions asked were as follows fol- fol lows In vieW of YOUr great experience and eminent service as a judge in inthis inthis this territory I beg to ask aSI ot of you brief briet answers as a matter of useful information to the following questions ques- ques 4 Whether In your opinion the existing laws laws' d antI and strictly strict strict- ly 13 enforced may be reasonably relied relied re- re lied on to work the cessation of polygamy as a practice Whether any case origInating in inthe inthe the commission of oC the crime or of polygamy since the date of the Ed Tucker munds-Tucker act has come under your judicial notice Whether in your opinion the al- al provisIons of that act extending extending ex- ex tending the electoral franchise to those complYing with their concH concH- and denying deming It to those not complYing with them or who are otherwise dIsqualified have materially mate mate- prompted the present movement movement move move- ment for a constitutional inhibition of polygamy To fo the first and last questions Justice Zane answered yes and fhe he second no Another letter Was sent the United States surveyor general for Utah in which this question was asked Permit me to inquire whether from personal and official observation you are of th opinIon that the laws of the United States are with increasing and enco g effect a reformation of oC practice of oC in this territory HIs reply was My answer to the interrogation Is a decided yes The change in Mormon sentiment In ii the last year has been marked and encouraging on the question of the suppression and abandonment ot of polygamy A third letter was sent to D. D Johnson In Salt Lake City he being a prominent actor in public affairs in Utah Indiana Idaho Iowa rova and Nebraska and a prominent member of the Friends church who in reply said in part It If judicious ill ju- legal and humane efforts shall continue to be made by those having authoritY to enforce the laws now in existence In a spirit of fairness fairness fair fair- ness and without apparent or real malice I am prepared to believe that the peculiar institution may be repressed in the not distant future or it if not entirely suppressed it will become so unpopular that the younger members ot of the church will repudiate the system and that as a tenet of the Mormon church It wili wiIl become obsolete and fall into a innocuous desuetude As to the recent convention called to formulate a constitution to be submitted to congress in asking for lor statehood there are different opInions as to the good faith ot of the members of oC the convention convention- some people holding that the tion of this provision was a mere sham intended to deceive congress and the people of oC the slate and by means of this deception to procure admission into the Union of the states while others believe o flu that t th the o pro proposition t i was v made d In good faith an 1 that if the state should be admitted ad- ad admitted the would be car car- ned out to th letter What might have influenced the of the convention I of course have no means or of determining All that I know is that some of oC the members were and are sincerely desirous that the s stem of polygamy should be eliminated from the Mormon church I say I know not such to be the case hut but perhaps it would be nearer the truth to say that I firmly believe believe be- be lieve it ft From what I have stid you OU ma may reasonably infer that I do donot donot not think any any change is at present desirable in the laws ot of congress on this subject Let the government persist in a just and vigorous effort to enforce existing laws and I believe a change chang will tale take place for the one better which will redound to the interest and peace and happIness of the people of Utah and in time jime when they become reconciled they will be permitted to assume and enjoy the Inestimable blessings of statehood state state- hood |