The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-05-30

L N"ANA PuI DOeSSg tudb lOCAl
might be preserved. If such had ;beel
the design 1t would have been futile. w
lived IN Utah Territory twenty years be
fore the land laws we're extended over us
We nad TO do the best We could. As sooI
as tnese laws we're extended over our ter
rItory we then obtained title to our lands
Ihese towns which have been spoken o
could only get the same amount of lanC
TO their population that towns in othe
parts OF The United States obtained
Where the Inhabitants numbered 100
the law says, and less than 200, sites shal
EN- orace not exceeding 800 acres, and 81
on Inc highest number that was al.
lowed was l,2SO acres. That was TO &
town containing 5000 inhabitants. Now
Salt Lake City had outgrown the condi
tons for which the toWhsite act was de-
signed and the inhabitants could not OBJ
tain title under it to their homes, NY
predecessor, Hon. w. h. Hooper, sue.
ceeded in getting special act of Congress
passed to meet the exigency.
The boundaries of the incorporated
cities OF Itch Territory we're made yerS
extensive. There was a good reason for
this. 1t is to be found in the fact that
the settlements of Utah territory were
differently situated from those of every
other part Of the country. We had to
do our farming by means of irrigation.
We had to adopt the Mexican system of
living in pueb.Os or villages. And it
was thought wise thing for municipal
authority to be extended over the farms,
the feds, the water, 60 that the water
could be controlled and come within
municipal regulations, and that men who
EARNED In the country might be within
the towns, and have the social advan-
tages, the school advantages and other
advantages that were there TO be obtained.
Besides, it was an Indian country, and
We had TO live in villages to secure pro-
lection. But under the old law no man
could pre-empt inside of an incorporated
city. This was found out after the land
laws were extended over the territory.
IL was not supposed at the time these
corporations we're granted that they
would thus interfere with the settlement
OF lands outside Of the town-side limits;
and 1t put the Mormon people, as much
as it did ali others. to great inconveni-
ence. They could not obtain title to
their lands any more than anyone elze,
until law was passed by Congress,
which relieved the people in that respect
IN that territory and in all the territories;
go that every settler who came within the
limits of an incorporated city could OBJ
tain his land if it was open to pre-emp'
ton or homestead entry. That is all
there is connected with this allegation
that the people Of Utah have plastered
the whole country with their incorpora-
tons in order TO prevent settlement.
Another point, Mr.. Speaker, in connec-
ton with this case. Let the resolution
that has been proposed by the majority
of the committee on elections be adopted
and what will be the result? Nearly
eighteen months have elapsed since the
election for this Congress; President
Hayes was President of the United
States at that time. President tar
field succeeded him. President
Arthur now fills the ex-
ecutiVe chair. During these three ad
minlstratjOns the governor Of Utah Terri
tory, who rUthlessly violated the law and
robbed the people of their franchise, still
occupies that position.
Let this seat of the delegate from Utah
be declared vacant, and you say TO every
governor in the United States who acts
as q ministerial officer in declaring the
results of elections, ~ on can give GER
'saEcates to men not elected with impun-
ity if we are il power, as was done in the
Utah case, and no one will call you in
question" And the returning board
which goes to Utah Ter itory under the
law just passed, if not superior men,
will feel emboldened to do the same
thing with every man who may be
elected under that law, and who may be
Gispleasing to majority of that board.
They may assume the same right, and
say to the man, you have received the
votes, but we question your right, your
eligibility. and we refuse to give you the
certificate" Gentlemen can you see
what the effect will be?
You may depend upon it thst the con-
sequences Of this action, if the report of
the majority Of the committee be adopted,
will not end with Utah Territory. Crys-
talize this fraud, make it effective by
your votes, a3d its consequences will be
far reaching and extensive. The delegate
elect from Utah may be an Insignificant
person, but great principle is involved
in this case. 1t will not be the Mormons
always. There will be someone else,
perhaps, who will be unpopular. There
will be some party in the minority
against whom strong prejudices will be
aroused and strong feelings evoked.
This case will be cited as precedent for
refusing right and justice to such persons,
and it will be pleaded in justification
that this FOrIy-seventh Congress en-
lorsed such action by sustaining the re-
port of the majority of the committee on
elections. A great wrong Of this chsrac-
er cannot be perpetrated even upon the
people of Utah without producing terri |
Die results, which will be fsr.resching |
md widespread.
TEere is one statement which feel |
hat ought not to permit to pass unchsl-
eIged. 1t was stated upon this floor by
he gentleman froN Pennsylvania, (Mr.
3elthoover,) and he assigned it as q
trong reason for joining in the majority
eport, that in the Forty-third Congress
had unequivocally denied that | was
What I have since acknowledged myself
o be. And the gentleman from Ten
lessee (Mr. Pettibone) made that the
fer his argument. He read
rom the statement which made in the
Congress, and he certainly
Hs al dQmlraOl6 way OF T6aulaR any"
hing so as to make it suit the purpose of
Is own argument. He read:
l deny that 1 am now living with four
'ivea.
And then he paused. Well, if that
7ere without qualification it would look
though the gentleman from Pennsyl-
a1is was quite correct in saying that l
al unequivocAlly denied the accusation.
lat there is something else In the sea-
snce. There l. a naranthst ical santence