The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-08-17
MISTAKEN NEWS DISPATCHER.

| in Wednesdays HERALD being
somewhat muddled as to the date Of
the gentlemen's departure from
Omaha. 1t was also much mixed a:
| 10 what the commission would dc
| upon its arrival. We apprehenC
| the dispatcher made up his item
from information gathered from
other sources than the commission
ers. for it would be unpleasant tt
believe the gentlemen had any
such ideas of their. duties a:
those conveyed in the kilograms. II
they believe their work is that sci
out for them Ly the Omaha press
reporter, they have not seen the
laws and will certainly be disap-
pointed. The commission derives
its only authority from the Edmunds
law, which is the author of its ex-
istence. and that law declares that
the duties relating to the registra-
ton Of voters, the conduct of cleo
lions, the receiving or rejection Of
votes, and the canvassing and re-
turning of the same, and the issuing
Of certificates or other evidence of
election in said territory, shall, until
other provisions be made by the
legislative assembly of said
territory rs is hereinafter by this
section provided, be performed
under the existing laws of the
United States and of said territory"
by the commissioners. The United
States has no law applying to
elections in the territory, except the
general statute governing the cleo
ton of delegate to Congress, hence
the elections must be conducted in
accordance with the laws of the
territory and the returns made and
canvassing done as now directed,
with this exception: "the canvass
and return Of all the votes
at elections in said territory
for members of the legislative I
thereof shall be returned |
to said board, which shall canvass
all such returns and issue certificates
Of election to those persons who.
Daing eligible for such election,
shall appear to have been lawfully
elected" The commission will have
to do with the returns from
he delegate election, which must
% canvassed as heretofore by the
i'll presence of the gov
rnor; nor will the returns from
he general election 60 to them, but
o the county courts as prescribed in
he local law. The powers of the
commissioners are narrowly lin
ted. We might almost wish they
vere broader, and extended to CAL
ng special elections and making
egistratiOns at times not permitted
the law. If they had this author
", the unpleasant situation in
Thich the territory finds itself
trough the clumsy and un-
Intelligent legislation of Con-
ress might be improved. and
good deal of annoy-
nee avoided. The election of a
which"follows" the dele
ate election next fall. follows it a
ong time nearly year, occurring
ext August. The only election
hat can possibly be held this year
that for delegate to Congress in
November, and in order to go ahead
With that there must be a general !
equiescence in a somewhat ques-
lonable stretch of law and author
ty.
However, brief as are the powers of
he commissioners, as they will find
pom reading the Edmunds act and
be local laws by which they must
e governed, the HERALD cordially +.
7elcomes the gentlemen to The ter
tory. We hope and believe they
ill perform heir difficult and un- !
leasaDt duties fairly and without
avor or prejudice, when they will '
ave the cordial support of the in
and conservative elements
Utah-elements that are largely ,
the majority here. Any other
purse than one of fairness will only \
matters, and longer
efer any settlement" of existing f
destions.