Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-09
THE MORMoNs.
The Work Of the United states Commits
sion-Ten Thousand PoIygamists Dis
franchised.


St. Paul. Nina, Special TO the Chicago Tribune.
The Hon. Alexander Ramsey, Chairman
OF the United States Commission appointed
under the provisions OF the Edmunds biIl Ia
carry out the new law in Utah, arrived home
on a short vacation. from his labors Nor
day, and was interviewed In regard to the
progress of the task of making polvOannr
odious. 81 left Salt Lake Tuesday. >, eaid
Governor Ramsey, "for a short rest snd
visit home, the commission having com
pleted the registration of the voters for the
Territory of Utah. Thirty-fve thousand
persons, men and women-the women
vote there, YOU know-were registered
and 10000 poiygsmists of both
sexes were disfranchised. The cepsus
of 1880 showed that there were l44 OOG
people living IN the Territory, and It is es
timaeed that there are now about 16O.O 600. of
whom 100, 900 are Mormons and the balance
Of 10000 anti-Mormon. OF this populs-
ton, which registers IS 600 voters, the Nor
mons claim that not to exceed from 5000
to 1000 are nOn-Mo-mops, while the Gen
tiles assert that their voting strength Is
from 1000 to 10000. At very early dav
after the arrival OF the commission leading
polygamists came to us and said they de-
sired to assure us they would make no at
tempt to be registered, nor would they
make any attempt to vote, and would do all
In their power to assist us. In q general
way think they kept their word. 10 fact,
the Mormons conducted themselves fairly,
as far as we could learn. We have, besides
completing the registration, appointed a
County Register in each of the tWentv-four
counties OF Utah and selected a Register for
each voting precinct, so that there are about
200 of them. We now have to appoint three
judges In each electing precinct making
about 600 judges. With regard to these
appointments, there has been a good deal
OF nonsense In the papers about the com
mission faYOring the M0rmons, while the
fact is that there are whole counties where
none but Mormons reside, and as the law is
intended to make polygsmy odious and does
not disfranehise a -polygamist Mormon,
we could not do otherwise than do just
what the law dOes-recOgnize that class.
So far as the elections are concerned, they
will OF course be carried by the Mormons.
OF course the Mormon vote, which is at
least two and a half to one GENTLE, will
elect the Delegate to Congress, aud the
polygamists, knowing that their man and
officers generally will be chosen, can well
afford to acquiesce in their own dlsfran-
chisement. l heard it said that the pres ent
Mayor OF Salt Lake City, Mr.. Kane. stood
good show for the Mormon nomination
and election"
"Whst viii be the general effect OF the
law as It pertains to the eectionsin
"lt will take pretty near all the wealth
lest men of the Mormon Church out of poll
tics and make polygamY odious, especially
to the rising generation, who will dislike to
be disfrsnchised on arriving at their ma
jority. The old fellows now thrown out
will be looked upon by many as martyrs,
and, in fact, so consider themselves already.
So far as the general effect OF the law Is
concerned, 1t cannot now be determined
what that win be, for 1t is, of course, an ex-
pertinent"
Governor Ramsey will return TO Salt Lake
City before the election, which will be held
November q.