The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-07-28
UTAH AFFAIRS.

Washington, 2O.-A determined
effort will be made by the mOrmons
Co render neugatOry the law en-
acted at the present session Of Con-
gress to suppress p0lygamy. Ex-
Delegate Cannon, who has passed
the greater part of his time in Wash
ingtOn since the seat to which he
was elected was declared vacant,
paid visit of one week to Utah
recently. and it is thought that
when he was there a programme Of
orderly resistance to the operation
of the anti-p0lygamous law was
mapped out. This bill it will be
remembered imposes a fine of not
more than $500 or imprisonment
for not more than six mouths or
both, in the discretion OF the court
upon any person convicted of cohab-
itation with more than woman, and
no polygamjst or person cOhabltlng
with more than one woman IS eleg-
IDLE for election or appointment to
any office under or for any territory
or place or under the United States.
Next Fall there viii be a great
struggle between the Gentiles and
MormOns in the election Tor such
territorial officers as are not APP
pointed by the President. This
election will be held under
the supervision of the commission
recently appointed by the President
in obedience to the requirements Of
the act for pressing of pOlygamy.
The MOrmOnS outHumber the Gen
tiles in Utah by many thousands.
The women are allowed to vote, al
though they are subject to the same
penalties as men for violations of
the anti-pOlygamy laws. Delegate
Cannon is authority for the state
ment that but one in every eight and
half Of the MormOns is pOlgam-
ist, and therefore MormOnS out
side of those practicing polygamy
are equal to, if not greater in num-
Der, than the Gentiles. The Nor
mons intend to do all that lay in their
power to retain political supremacy
they now possess in Utah. The con-
test between the friends and foes
of polygamy will be long and bitter.
In conversation with your CORES
pendent to-day, Cannon said: Our
people are determined to test the
conStitutienality of the Edm1nds
act, and it is probable that three or
four test cases win be made at the
first opportunity to lay before the
Supreme Court. 1t is true that
since the passing Of the bill many
MOrmons have ceased to live with
more than one wife. John Taylor,
president of the church, for exam
pie, who formerly dwelt in one
house with his family, has placed
his wives in different houses, and
is living with only one OF them.
There are other cases that L know Of
where Mormons having plural wives
nave separated from them entirely.
In one instance man who married
two sisters at the same time, many
years ago, put them in a dwelling
by themselves, refusingto live with
one TO the exclusion Of the other.
There will be many cases Of course
where men will refuse to abandon
their wives under any circum-
stances. I have endeaYOTed to per-
suade old men particularly to regu-
late the conduct of their households
so that they cannot be convicted
of violations of the law. Many Of the
old members of the church would
die If imprisoned, and we cannot
afford to lose the counsel OF many
of those VINO would be selected as
victims by prosecutors, if they per-
sisted in their OLD way OF living.
Do you expect many Of the Nor
mons having plural wives to vote at
the next election? / cannot tell
how many Will vote, but a great
number will attempt to vote, was
the reply. Take the case Of man
having two wives after the passage
o. the Edmunds bill; he places one
of them or both in separate reS1e
denceS; from the one he occupies,
he applies to register his name as a
voter; the registry officer says to
b i'm that he is a polygamist, the reply
Will be request for the production
of proof that the wOuld-be voter
has cohabited with more than one
woman. The man would be apt to
say, 81 have had, it is true, two
wives, but law has been enacted
making it unlawful for me in this
territory to cohabit with more than
one woman. You cannot presume
thatI am a VielatOr Of the law.
You must prove that I have VIC
lated the law before you can deny
me rights guaranteed a citizen OF
the Constitution" Agreat deal de-
ponds upon the spirit in which the
commission enforceS the law. If 1t
acts in a liberal spirit and it with
stands the bigOted sentiment that
made possible the passage Of such q
mOnstrOus bill, I think that In
course of time our people Will pass
through the ordeal without the loss
Of homes and families.