Weekly Arizona citizen., 1880-10-23
SALT LAKE CITY.
with the Commissioner of the Gen eraI Land Office Mormon Confer ence-Slintly Talk and Gentile RId- icule.
SALT LAKE C1rY. October l3.

SALT LAKE CITY, October l3.
 EDITOR CITIZEN At the call Ot Commissioner Williamson. of the General Land Office, with the con currence of Secretary schurz, the fol- lowing Surveyors General met the Commissioner here on the 5th instant; Smith, of Nebraska; Stuart. of Min nesota; Espersen, of Dakota; Mason, of Montana; David, of Wyoming; Johnson, nf Colorado; Solomon, of Utah; Chandler, ot Idaho; McMicken, of Waship gton; Holman, of Oregon; Wagner, ot California; State Survey Or-General Hatch, for Davis, of Ne vada, and Wasson, of Arizona. At kinson, of New Mexico, was too un- we'll to travel, and the Surveyors Gen eral oi Florida and Louisiana were not invited, as theIr duties have little in common with those of officers of other surveying districts. Owing to the nun-arriyal of some of the officers and the Commissioner, nothing was done on the 9th. An organization was effected on the 9th. The Commissioner submitted q num- ger of questions on which he desired a discussion, and the Judgment of the members, and stated that 1t was the desire of the Secretary and hlm- self that the members discuss any and all questions in their own way, which they believed would tend to benefit the serylce, either by changes under present legislation, or that would aS- sist Tn getting new and needed legis- lation. He desired the members to take the whole matter into their own hands, discuss details as they chose and finally 10 formulate or 10 bring together in concise shape the con- clusionS reached; and to this end suggested an organization by the election of a chairman and secretary. The Commissioners sug- gestions were acted upon, and there after day and night sessions were held, and all points submitted by the Commissioner discussed and substan- tIaily unanimous cOnclusons reached, and the same was done with the many propositions submitted by va rious members. This part of the work was concluded on the l1th, since which time a committee has been busily engaged with the short hand reporter in putting the con clusions together iu the shape of a by the convention 10 the Commissioner This work will be concluded to-day and all who have not left already will leave for thelr homes. The conclusions reached would occupy too much space for your paper, but I may supply you with few of the more important ere long. There is a verbatim report of all said by every member, including that by the, Commission, and it will be all printed in document form by and by. Not a member of the convention knew what course the proceedings would take or what subjects he would be called upon to discuss and deClde upon until after the Commissioner outlined them on the 9th, hence no preparation was possible other than that between sessions here. Upon some points the members had definite opinions and reasons therefor. but others required some thought and references 10 authorities. The gen. eral result is up to the Commissioners expectations and in most respects Is believed to be in harmony with his views. The effect of the free exchange of views between the Commissioner and Surveyors General will be good, and the somewhat intimate acquaint- ance formed all around is gratifying and can but exert a favorable influence upon the service. To say that, with out exception, the Surveyors-General were favorably impressed with the ability and fairness of the Commis- sioner, is the simple truth.
 The interest of our visit and work here, has been heightened by the fact that the semi-annual conference of the Saints has been held at the same time. Saints from all Mormon set dement's have been here. The streets have been thronged with the faithful of all ages and both sexes. They came by railway, stage and lumber wagon. There mus. have been at least fifteen thousand here from out lying places, and that number sud- denly added 10 a city of twenty-One and eight hundred, you may be sure, is 6 remarkable sight. The words of wisdom @ and pressing ad- monitlons spoken 10 the lay members by the rulers, were mostly common place, but not without remarkable assertions on theIr part as well as re- sponses on the part of the Gentiles. The Salt Lake Tribune, edited by Judge Goodwin, formerly Of the Nir- ginia Enterprise, published exact and full reports of what the rulers said from the pulpit of the Tabernacle, with comments both serious and ri- diculous. On the 1lth, Joseph Young said:
 "We must be humble and follow the openings God has made for us. We must be charitable and hospitable to strangers. They are kind to elders across the water. When l was there the sisters were kind, they would wIl- lingly share their beds with the eld- ers. was there ana know"
 On the next day the fearless and wicked Tribune remarked as follows:
 The statement yesterday in the Tabernacle made by Joseph Young, one of the Seventy Presidents, that the sisters shared their couches with him in the old country may possibly be commended for its frankness, but was it not the least bit shabby on Joseph's part to give the old girls away as he did? It's worse showing than the scripture Joseph made"
 This was fun for the sinners and annoying to the Saints. IL is only sample of many such cases of Saiutly talk and Gentle rebuke. J. w.
 WEAVER does not now think that