The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-06-11
THE UTAH COMMISSION.
ARTHUR's PRocRAsr1NATIoN.

Washington, June 1.-TSpecial. =
Apostle Cannon remains in the city
TO watch the makeup of the Utah
commission. Ee is familiar figure
about the capitol. His politeness
and good nature make him popular
with those who dislike bis people
and his opinions. This morning
Apostle Cannon said that, to the
best Of lis information, there was
no prospect Of tile appointment of
the Utah commission for some time
not until the tariff commission
had been disposed of, at least. The
bill authorizing the creation of the
commission provided that thew
should be paid salaries of So 600.
This the President thought would
not enable him to secure as good
men as he would like for the post Of
commissioners He has asked Con-
gresS to increase the compensation
to S., 900. The Senate has approved.
and the bill providing for the
INCREASE OF SALARIES
is now lying upon the Speakers
table. 1t is probable that the Pres
ldent will await action upon that
before he makes any selections. The
time is rapidly approaching, how
ever, when the commissioners in
order to properly perform their
duties, should be appointed. Under
the old law the registrars of election
in Utah hold their Offices until these
new ones Lare appointed, and regis
tratiOn should take place during the
month of June. The regular cleo
ton is IN August Apostle Cannon
reports that at present nearly all
business is suspended in Salt Lake,
awaiting the probable outcome of
legislation this year. The law passed
by Congress PROVIDE that no polyg-
amist shall be entitled to vote or
hold office, and it is thought that in
this way, if state government
should be established ia Utah, it
would not be in sympathy with
polygamy. During the consideration
of this question the MOrmOns did
not bring out the strongest feature
of their case. 1t is estimated that the
PROPORTION OF POLYGAMIsTs j
Is to 81, so that if an election
were to be held tomorrow the Nor
mons, through the votes of the mo-
nogamist, members of their church,
would be able to carry the Mormon
ticket Apostle Cannon says that
he has no doubt the originatOrs Of
the bill thought that if the political
power of the polygamist leaders
should be taken away, the rank and
file Of the Mormon Church, hitherto
kept down under an alleged system
of terrorism and despotism, would
assert themselves and unite with
the Gentle and anti-MormOn popu-
lation. The apostle thinks that the
canvass will demonstrate the fact
that the leaders of the polygamist
church, shOIn Of their political
power, will have as much influence
with the members of the church as
before. He thinks it will be de-
mOnSUrated that the members of the
church adhere to it on account of an
honest belief, and not through any
system of despOtism. He under
stands that the President is going.
to take great care in selecting the
commissioners. What
THE MORMONS ARE AFRAID
Of, however, is that the commits
sioner5, when they go out there, will
hold that MormOns who believe in
the institution of polygamy. whether
practicing it or not, shall be debarred
from voting. This,Of course, would
be beyond the bill authorizing the
commission, because no man has
ever before, in this country, been de-
barred from casting his vote on ac-
count of any belief which ne might
hold. The MOrmOns are confident,
too, that if any such course would
be pursued by the commissioners,
l.