The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-12-07

well calculated to excite the livoIi5,Ilss
interest and apprehension, If in, enest
upon Congress and the evna! poses
tie duty Of exerting againstt ti
bsrbay0us system all the no Cnls
which under the ConstituiioppO %es
laws they can WELD for its dest anu
ton. Reference has been aIrsoSS+
made to the obstacles United Sfofcyy
officers have encountered in tbois
efforts to punish the violations of
law. Prominent among the obsts
Giles is the difficulty of procurinn
legal evidence sufficient to warrant
a conviction, even in the case of
most notorious offenders. Your at
IGNITION is called to the decision of
tne supreme Court of the United
states explaining its judgment of
reversal IN the case or Miles, WIN
nad been convicted of bigany in
y tan: The Court refers to tho fact
Lhat the seeresy attending the cele-
pratlon OF marriages in that Terri.
Tory MAKE the proof of polygamy
very olf1cult, and the propriety is
suggested Of modifying the law
or evidence which now
makes a wife ineomnetent
10 testify against her husband.
This suggestion is apnroved and 70.
commenced; also the passing # an
act providing that in the Territories
OF the United States, the fact that
a woman has been married to q ner-
son charged with bigamy shall NOT
disqualify her as a witness mon
his trial for that offense T
further recommend IeoisIstion
by which any person solennizino a
marriage in any of the territories
shall be required under STRINGENT
penalties for neglect or refnsq1 fo
file certificate Of such marriages in
the Supreme Court Of the Territory
unless Congress make or devise ofhe2
practicable measures for obviatinU
the difficulties which have hitherto
attended the efforts to suppress this
iniquity. l assure you Of my deter.
mined purpose to co-operats with
you in any lawful and discreet mea-
sures which may be proposed to that
end.
NATIONAL EDUCATION.
Although our system of govern
ment does not contemplate that the
nation should provide or support a
system for the education of our
people, no measures calculated to
promote that general intelligence
and virtue upon which the perpetu-
ity OF our institutions so greatly de-
ponds, have ever been regarded with
Indifference by Congress and the
Executive. \ large portion of the
public domain has been from time
to time devoted to the promotion of
education. There is now especial
occasion why, by setting apart the
proceeds of the sales of public lands
or by some other course the govern
ment should aid the work of educa-
ton. Many who now exercise the
right Of suffrage are unable to read
the ballot which they cast. Upon
many who had just emerged from a
condition Of slavery were suddenly
deVOlyed the responsibilities Of citi-
Zenship, in that portion of the
country most impoverished by the
war. [ have been pleased to learn
from the report of the commissioner
of education that there has been
lately a commendable interest and
effort for their instruction, but all
that can be done by local legislation
and private generosity should be
supplemented by such id as can
be cOnstitutiOnally afforded by
the national government. I
would suggest that if any fund be
dedicated to this purpose it may be
wisely distributed in the different
states according to the ratio Of illit-
eracy. BY this means these lOca-
lions which are most in need Of
such assistance will reap its sepa-
rate benefit.
AGRICULTURE.
The report of the commissioner Of
agriculture exhibits the results Of
the experiments which that depart
ment has made during the past
year and makes important Sugges-
tions in reference to the agTlcultu-
raj developments of the country.
The steady increase of our pOpula-
,tiOn and the consequent addition TO
the numbers of those engaging IN
the pursuit of huSbandry are giving
to this department a growing dig
nifty and Importance. The commits
sioner's suggestions touching IT'S
capacity for greater usefulness de
serve attention, as it more and more
cOmmends itself to the interest
which it was created to promote.
PENSIONS.
It appears from the report OF the
commissioner Of pensions that since
1850. 789, O63 original pension claims
have been filed; 45O,949 of these
have been allowed and inscribed on
the pension rolls; 1883 have been
rejected and abandoned, BENG
thirteen. plus per cent. Of the WnOIe
humber of claims settled. There are
now pending for settlement 256'9I2e
original pension claims, 22,7O+ Oh
which were filed prior TO uiy h LSS
1880. These, when allowed VIII
involve the payment Of arrears
from the date Of discharge III case
of an invalid and from the date OIL
death or termination of a prlor, TlghD
in all other cases. From all tnt
data obtainable it is estimated tnaC