The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-08-23

tory. There are no laws OF the
United States other than the one
from which we have quoted, bearing
I on the subject, save the general
statute in reference to the election
of territorial delegates; hence the
Commissioners must be guided by
the territorial law. This last men
toned law provided that in
1878 the assessors or their
deputies should visit every
dwelling in each precinct, and
make careful inquiry as to any or
all persons entitled to vote" and
upon the person taking a certain
| prescribed oath. to register him or
her. That was the registration, and
the law provides for no other. An
nually thereafter, at the time of
making the assessment for taxes,
the assessor is ito take up the
transcript Of the nextpreceding reg
istration list, and proceed to the
revision Of the same, and for this
purpose he shall visit every dwelling
house in each precinct, and
make careful inquiry if any
person, whose name is on his list,
has died, or removed from the pre-
clnct, or is otherwise disqualified as
q voter of such precinct, and if soto
erase the name therefrOm, or
whether any qualified voter resides
therein, whose name is not on his
list, and if so to add the same
thereto" During the week COM
mencing the first Monday in June,
the assessor at his Office, is to enter
on his list the name of any voter
that may have been omitted, on such
voter appearing and complying with
the provisions as noted above. The
list having been completed by the
assessor, is turned over to the clerk |
of the county court, but for the pur-
pose of revision for the delegate
election the assessor shall, during
the week commencing the second
Monday in September in 1878, ard
every second year thereafter, enter
the names Of voters" as was done
the first week in June. The regis
tration was made in 1878, and the
lists will stand till doomsday, unless
the law should be changed, the only
alterations being such as are made
annually during the yearly assess
nent, and biennially IN September
soT the November election. The
Commissioners have no authority to
)rder a new registration. If they
leciGe to hold an election in August
ne situation would be the same, for
,nly the old lists could be used. The
list might be made up entirely of
James Of those ineligible TO vote,
nd the Commission could make no
hange. There is a way pro-
ided for getting rid of the
ames of ineligible voters. and
will not be closed now. If
nyone has an idea that
nybody whose name is on the list
not entitled to vote, it is an easy
natter to make his objection known ~
nd have the question settled.
The Commissioners have simply s
,llewed the plain letter of the law,
nd in doing so have earned the
ommendation of all good citizens.
-buse under such circumstances is
fact praise, for it is the censuIe of
le yenal and wicked, which all
Onest men are proud of. We do not
9pTehend that the Commissioners
i'll be much hurt by the condem- =
alton they have received from the =
nor do we believe they 4
i'll suffer much from the abuse
lat is in store for them if they
lall perform their duty fairly and +
)nestly. They are not tender y
ct, they have no political capital
make in Utah, cannot be hurt by
Iything g country newspaper may
y against them, and will never
ffer from doino RIGHT