Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-11-07
A Government Commission Pro.
posed.

Correspondence of the Courier-J Journal.
SALT LAKE, November 1.-Gov.
Murray, who accompanied District
Attorney Van Zile, the Gentle can
didate for Congress, on his canvassing
tour, yesterday stated to the Courier.
Journal correspondent that the cam
paign was encouraging. Political
speaking is something new in Utah, "
said the Governor. "The Mormons
never saw a torch light procession
until the other night, and they never
attended any public speakings except
those of their minister. Hearing
politics and the Edmunds law dis
cussed is new departure from the
expouBding of the Book of Mormon
and the doctrine and the covenants.
The great majority of the people are
totally ignorant of politics, and many
do not even know the difference be-
tween the two parties.
What effect has your recent cam
paign speeches had upon the masses of
the Mormonsp" asked the Courier
journal correspondent.
while a great many attended the
meetings from curiosity" replied the
Governor, they also wanted to hear
the arguments made against them; yet
those same men are getting restless
under the tyranny of church rule, and
this is creating a dissatisfied element,
or even division in their ranks. And
again, the young element, who are now
SO strongly welded to their church,
are thinking for themselves and being
persuaded over. They see that their
polygamus parents are disfranchised,
and that the infamous institution
which they were taught to regard as
heaven born" is made crime They
wish to escape the odium of the one
and the punishment of the other, and
are cutting loose from the ignorance,
the superstition and immoral practices
Of their parents"
What proportion Of your audiences
are Mormono2"
"More than fifty per cent, replied
the Governor, "and the majority of
these are young men and married
women. They listen earnestly and
applaud with vigor, and it is very evi
dent that they come for a purpose
other than that of curiosity. Sc far
there has been no effort to break up
or disturb any of our meetings, though
| understood that eight years ago the
Mormons did break up Gentle meet
ings. When Mr.. Baskins was running
for Congress against the pOlygamous
Connor, an open air meeting was ad-
vertised in this city. The Mormons
came in force, took the stand and run
a meeting OF their own.
Said your correspondent: 1T was
thought that very few MOrmons would
attend Gentle meetings after the
Mormon candidate for Congress re
fused joint discussion on the ground
that it would furnish Gentiles with an
audience that they otherwise would
not get2"
THAT is exactly what was meant"
replied the Governor, but it seems
that the order had little effect, if any;
fer the audiences we're very large even
in the thickest Mormon communities.
A point that we impressed upon the
Mormon women is that they are de-
prived Of their natural right of dover.
Under the laws Of this Territory a
married woman is not entitled to a
dowry. They tell their subsequent
wives thar they have deprived their
first wife of her dover in order that
they may show no partiality. But
they do not explain to the FIRST wife
why they have robbed her of her
natural inheritance.
The Governor referred to the Sc.
cret ballot, which is a great lever to
those who wish to vote the Gentle
ticket, and yet from polite motives
would not care to have the church
officials know of their detection.
The Governor thinks if Congress
we're to appoint a Legislative Com.
mission and place the local govern
ment of the Territory in their hands
the power of this theorcracy would
soon be broken. OF course the Com
mission would have to abolish female
suffrage, and then the Mormons would
have 5000 or 1000 majority. Some
leading Gsntiles have said 10 your
correspondent: Let a Commission
be appointed and do away with the
elective franchise in Utah. 1t might
as we'll be done, for we are in such a
minority that our votes count for
nothing anyway" Others think that
if this is not done Congress should
pass a bill disfranchising those who
publicly uphold polygamy, such as
mOnogamists who make public
speeches saying that it is "constitu-
tional right" and advising the people