| Show T REPORT OF THE UTAH COMMISSION i f iSALT SALT LAKE CITY CITY CITY- P Sept 1889 w Joh-w rob oh Noble Nob Secretary oj of off the t f I Washington D C The Utah r Utah Commission t ret re- re resubmit ny submit the following reo re- 9 reis is proceedings during the J ear W 9 fori after the election for forT tortal officers i officers held in 6 feh August August Z J the toe Commission began hegau the n necessary for the November on at which a Delegate to t ant tont the Territory in Congress be chosen by causing a mot i h revision of the registration the which Territory e r oom I during the month of 4 election was held on the Of t J l wasl November 1 1888 8 and was except in a few precincts J in which failed to take interest to t tos appear and s though judges of election beert n appointed for each of said e bys t the authority conferred by s I of Congress approved 1882 entitled hAn to amend Section of the td tri Statutes A- A of the United An for other purposes the n on the 3rd day of ber w i 1888 appointed a Can Can- C 9 a Board rd composed of five re- re Citizens ot of the Territory v WhOM horn ona were members of the qty Party and two of the Peo- Peo y Peo Y viz Orlando W Pow Pow- Pow My J W Lawrence Robert W Cross Lewis W Hills and Frank J Cannon to canvass the returns of said election ejection and declare the result I This board of canvassers met at atthe atthe atthe the rooms of the Commission in Salt Lake City on Friday the of November 1888 and or organized by each taking the oath prescribed by law and electing a chairman ana secretary from their number It then in the presence of the Com Com- Com I Commission Commission mission proceeded to canvass the returns of said election as the name lame had been returned to the Commis Commis- Commission Commission Commission sion by the various election ejection boards and as the result of said canvass reported to the Commission that John T Caine had received votes R B N Baskin had received votes and Samuel R B Thur- Thur Thurman Thurman man Thur-man man had received votes and that there were 7 scattering votes Cast and upon said canvass and re- re report report re report port the said John T Caine was declared elected ejected and given the tLe proper roper certificate of his election as to to the first Fifty Congress from Utah Territory THE VOTE CAST The aggregate of vot votes s cast dur dur- during during during ing the two years since the passage of the Act of Congress which took effect on the 3rd day of March 1887 and is known as the Edmunds Tucker Edmunds Tucker Act Act upon the basis of the votes cast for members of the Legis Legis- Legislative Legislative lati ve Council is as follows 1887 votes cast 1889 c u 2049 Increase In 1889 over 1481 or 26 8 10 8 per cent The election ejection was held in August 1888 for a portion of the county officers in each county in the Ter Ter- Territory Territory Territory at which the aggregate vote cast was a fallin falline off of votes from th the August election of the year previous while at the ele election elec- elec tion for tOl Delegate to Congress held heldon heldon on the of November 1888 the aggregate vote cast was which was 2 2021 votes less than were cast at the August election in 1887 and votes less than were cast at the August election in 1888 This falling off in the votes can be reasonably accounted for by the fact that greater interest is taken in those elections eJections at which members of the Legislature are chosen which is manifest in the increased vote of 1889 over that of 1887 although a portion of ot this increase is ia doubtless caused by the influx ux of population which is continually coming into the Th Territory j The comparatively meager vote for Delegate to Congress may be partially accounted for in the fact I that the Peoples People's party or the Mor Mor- Mormons Mormons Mormons mons are largely in the majority in inthe inthe inthe the Territory and while the Liberal j party or the Gentiles as they are called felt sufficient interest to 7 name a candidate and to preserve Y i their party organization it was done without the remotest prospect prospector or hope of success and great num num- numbers numbers numbers bers remained away from the polls It is also probable that tat many of the Peoples People's party regarding the suc suc- success success success cess of their candidate as assured J did not take takA the trou trouble le to vote where it was attended with any considerable inconvenience Since the Com Corn Commission our last report mission has caused municipal elec elec- elections elections elections to be held in the following C cities and aud towns 1 Ephraim City Sanpete County 2 Fountain Green Sanpete County 3 8 Manti ManU Sanpete County 4 Beaver City Beaver County 5 Alpine City Utah County 6 Payson Utah Count County 7 Pleasant Grove Utah County 8 Spanish Fork Utah County 9 Lehi Utah Count County 10 American Fork Utah Utah County 11 Springville Utah County y 12 Coalville Summit County 18 13 Park City Summit County 14 Ogden Weber Weber County Count 15 Brigham City Box Eder Elder County 16 Bear River Biver Box Elder County 17 Corinne Cit City Box Elder County 18 Grantsville Tooele County J 19 Tooele City Tooele County J 20 Kanab Kane County County 21 Monroe Sevier Cou County ty i- i 22 Fillmore Millard County j 28 Heber Wasatch County V VAIN AlN CHARGE OF FRAUD From the organization of the Com Com- Commission Commission Commission mission to the present time the regis regis- and elections held under its supervision per vision have been free from an all charges of fraud and unfairness with witha a single exception In February 1889 at the muni munt- municipal municipal cipal election for the city of ot Ogden in Weber County there was a very very bitter contest between the opposing j parties in w which the Liberal or ornon non Mormon Mormon party prevailed over the Peoples Peopled or Mormon party and aDd f carried the election for the first time in the history of the city 1 19 s 9 j y Jit l I The leaders of the Peoples People's party claimed that th there re had been frauds perpetrated per by the Liberal party sufficient to bring about this result both in the matter of registration and at the polls FAIRNESS AIMED AT I It t is a noticeable fact that not not- notwithstanding notwithstanding notwithstanding withstanding these charges of fraud no action has been brought to test the legality of the election ot of any officer either as to the manner of registration or as to illegal voting at the polls or as to the canvass of the returns Nor has any specific 1 charge of fraud ever been brought to the knowledge of this Commission but only general charges made through the party newspapers or by individual members of the Peoples People's party wholly unsupported by proof The Commission has no information information information tion of anything like fraud being imputed in any case to the Commis Commis- Commission Commission Commission sion but only to its agents in the persons of the registrars and judges of election appointed by it The Commission deem it just just to itself to state that it has studiously endeavored in all instances to ap- ap appoint appoint ap appoint point the very best men to be pro pro- procured procured pro procured cured who will accept the positions selecting in each instance discreet sober honest minded fair-minded men as ast t free from partisan influence and bias as practicable and has Invariably invariably ably atly urged upon them to do equal and exact justice to 00 all citizens of the Territory without reference to creed or religion and where an abuse of power by those appointed as registrars or judges has been brought to the knowledge of the Commission it has not hesitated in its action but has promptly removed such persons persona from office This however we are gratified to say has occurred in but few in- in instances Instances in instances stances and the Commission takes great p pleasure in bearing witness to the fidelity and efficiency with which the majority of its appointees have discharged their difficult duties and to the uniform t l I of the elections throughout the Ter Ter- Territory Territory Territory The complaint most frequently made to the Commission is that the registration of Salt Lake City and of Og Ogden en contain each a large num num- number number number ber of names of persons who cannot be found on inquiry and search and that they are kept there by the regis regis- registration registration registration officers to enable the Liberal party to ha have ve the names represented represented santed by persons persona who are not legal voters It has not been brought to the t know knowledge ledge of the Commission in any Rny anyway way that this fraud has been per per- perpetrated perpetrated perpetrated in a single instance but in 0 order to satisfy the seeming fears of K members of the leading Peoples People's t t party the Commission proceeded to t Ogden prior to the last election and held a conference with the registrars 5 and Commission Judges of election appointed by byi byl l the he Commission in the presence of ofa ofa 1 R a number of the the leaders and official representatives of the Peoples People's party and agreed upon rules for ther the T r conduct of the approaching election E which were satisfactory to both parties and the Commission has since heard no complaint in regard to the fairness of that election and C does not believe that the frauds an- an anticipated anticipated an anticipated therein or those charged lU in the former elections were at- at attempted attempted at attempted tempted to be practiced BAD STATUTES The whole trouble in regard to the of the registration lists complained of is owing to the laws Jaws lawsin lawsin in regard to registration and elec elec- I elec-I elections elections enacted by the Territorial Legislature which is the creature of and dominated by th the Peoples People's or Mormon party and those laws must be amended before a any ang right ot of will exist A All l registered voters have been re- re required required re required to take the oath prescribed bed by law before being registered and these oaths are filed in the office of the Probate Court of the respective counties In making the revision of the registration lists the registrar is re- re required required re required to make careful inquiry if any person whose name is on his list has died or removed from the precinct or is otherwise disqualified as a voter of such precinct and if so soto soto soto to erase his name Com Com- Compiled Compiled Compiled piled laws of Utah Voll page Sec It will be seen from this that he can only erase names while revis revis- revising revising revising ing the lists when he has satisfactory I information that the registered voter has died or removed from the precinct or is otherwise disqualified as a voter The simple fact that he does not find him is not sufficient sufficient sufficient After the revision it is provided that the lists be posted for fifteen days and for hearing objections to the registered right to vote of any person regis regis- until sunset of the fifth day preceding the election but this is restricted by a somewhat rem remark remarkable rk- rk able provision of the statute as fol- fol follows follows fol follows lows Said objections shall be made by a qualified voter in writing delivered to the said justice under the Edmunds law the registrar acts instead of the justice as mentioned in the Territorial act who shall issue a written notice to the person objected to stating the place day and hour nour when the objection objection tion will bo heard The Th person making the objection shall serve or cause to be served said notice upon the person ob- ob objected objected ob objected to and shall also aUlO make returns of such BUCh service to the justice before whom the objection shall be heard Compiled Laws Utah Sec There is no other provision in the Ming law for pur purging ing the registration lists and it is Impossible to serve the notice required if the person ob- ob objected objected ob objected to has died removed or is ab- ab absent absent ab absent sent and cannot be found and if it be a fact as alleged that many names of voters non-voters are upon the lists it is the fault of the law and not of af the registrars and the law Jaw should be amended COURSE OF THE E COMMISSION When the Commission was first organized it was a matter of grave consideration with the able men then composing it headed by that wise and safe counselor Governor ex-Governor ex Alexander Ramsey as chairman as asto asto asto to the proper policy to be pursued in discharging the very responsible as well wen as delicate trust committed to its direction After mature thought and de- de del del deliberation de deliberation l l liberation it was unanimously con con- considered considered by the Commission that i under the Act of Congress ert lishing lishing it the duty of the C sion slon sion was to so shape Its it policy and the a administration of the aft affairs commItted to it it as to be in harmony J with the spirit of the laws Jaws of Con COD Con 1 the principal and per per- per per-hape 1 hags sole object in view in its crea eres- creation creation of polygamy J 4 tion to be the extinction and and the stamping out as far as pos Poe poe poe- possible sible of all polygamous influences and tendencies A How best to accomplish this wasa 1181 g grave ave question and was approached J wIth some hesitation and much serious thought but as subsequent events have shown was determined wisely The Act of Congress of March 22 22 1882 commonly known as the Ed munds Law cut off polygamists bigamists and those who thereafter be convicted of kindred offenses from exercising the right of suffrage and from the privilege of holding office in the Territory and it became the duty of the Com Com- Commission Commission Commission mission to exclude all such persons from participating in the elections The Commission did not no however 0 consider this to be the sole object Of of the law but that it was also intended to make those offenses which were practiced by the Mormon Monnon people to in indirect law and direct violation of the which were under the ban of civili civili- civilization civilization everywhere odious In order to accomplish this u and aDd Mormon to thoroughly convince the people of its earnestness of purpose P pose the idea and to impress them with through its ita that the government organized agencies meant that po- po polygamy and should be be punished eradicated and its sovereign sov ign power j jin in the enactment s of-'s of WB s for the punishment lent of crime suppression and punish should be and obeyed by byall respected and aud jurisdiction all people within its adopted the limits the Commission rule of ap appointing inting registrar w I tb the theor from non Mormon or ever practIcable element Of the population to be m min them lation in with g the jO to-AD to j harmony provi the out and enforce carry of the I Ither of the law than members of the matter j and in other party election the laW of Judges wherever three persons it be appointed found two tw o out et eft 1 ever they could one ele- ele element M non Mormon non the the three from none but 1 ment In many precincts preci found and In Mormons were to be J appointed appoint such places Mormons were 8 had repay The They have thus and e entire Ure upon all election boards control Of some hail This policy of the Commission Com been steadily pursued believed to the with p Pie th the time and it is ew l most satisfactory result they they- tl- tl o of f he by the steady increase a o Mormon vote and bya by districts of remote except in some Bome those o need 1 open of the open practice or which the y e law 1 pf PI for the suppression was enacted these eee d Notwithstanding Dot met the thethis thIs line Une of policy has of tb the non Don j unanimous approval |
