Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-16
THE UTAH ELECTION
Effect OF the Commissions Work.
Homogeneous and POlygamous Nor.
mons and Gentiles.
of the New York Evening Post.

SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. z, 1882
The election In Utah has not turned upon the
question o. democracy OF republicanism. both
of which are entirely ignored by the two parties
styling themselves the peoples" and the
liberal" Still the struggle has the same ends
IN view-the keeping or the acquisition of office
IL ls the first year of Oh organized resistance on
the part of the liberals to the power of the
great majority, which has heretofore been
scarcely disputed. The exertions on both sides
nave been SO strenuous that. whereas year
ago there were less than 90 900 votes cast. this
year there will be an aggregate of more than
10000. notwithstanding that more than lO. 600
nave been ruled out by the commission. Had
all been Included it would have been the largest
vote ever polled by community of 145, 900 peo-
pie the United States. So much for female
Suffrage, and the determined character of women
when they are aroused.
The estimate made by me In letter to the
Ereritfg Post from this place. in July last has
been almost literally verified by the results.
When the returns are all in both parties COM
pute that the People (the MOrmOns) will poll
1900, and the liberals (the Gentes) G. 900 votes
When | made almost the same calculations
estimated that 1000 voters would be ruled out
on account of polygamy, whereas the number is
5000 in excess of my estimate, which rested
upon the suppOstion that the commissioners
would interpret the Edmunds bill according to
its reading and that they would not make 1t
retroactive; but these gentlemen, discovering
that there was SO little actual pOlygamy re-
manning in Utah, found it expedient, in order
TO make 1t appear that their office was a neces-
sIty, TO dlsfranchise every one who had been
guilty of the crime within twenty years although
death. divorce. or voluntary abandonment of
the practice had made them monogamists. or
even solitary widOwers or widows. This forced
ruling was unnecessary, because in any event
the Mormon monogamist vote was four to one
against the Gentiles, and it was impolitic be-
cause it holds out no inducement for refOrma-
tiOn As examples of its injustice. the cases
may be cited of two of the Weather and most
respectable citizens Of Salt Lake City.
THE GODBE PARTY.
Many years ago these gentlemen took the
lead of what was called the Godbe party in
opposition TO pOlygamy, and on account of their
action, We're read out Of the church by Brigham
Young. This they expected but acting upon
their honest convictions of duty even against
what may be supposed to have been their own
natural feelings of affection. each put away his
plural wives and pensiOned them in comfortable
homes to live by themselves. the husbands re-
turning to the allegiance due to their first and
legal spouses. One would suppose that of all
men these deserve commentator for doing
precisely what we would have them to do
Instead OF this they were DISTINGUISHED The
role OF arepentant sinner does not meet with
encouragement.
The worst of these extreme rulings is that
crying persecution" even when they are not
prosecuted at all. an opportunity to substanti-
ate their claim to sympathy. Accordingly in
their public meetings they make the most of it.
while In private they care very little about it,
The commissioners are rather welcome than
otherwise. and so are extra battaliOns of troops.
In short. anybody is welcome who brings money
INTO the Territory. The registration law cost
nearly fifty thousand dollars. and no small part
OF the twenty-five thousand dollars paid to the
9
duties will be disbursed among the people.
Their good nature was manifested the other
evening when the worthy mayor of the city,
who had been polygamist in times past and
has been accordingly DISTINGUISHED. although
he Is now mOnOgamist. gave q dinner party to
the commissioners inviting them to meet John
Taylor. the president of the church: the notori-
0ns George z. Cannon, and other poly@amists.
me dinner was great success. the bOuntiful
repast and flow of champagne being discussed
with Zest, discussions of irritating topics not
coming before the guests
This election will do something for Utah in
silencing forever the atrOcOus falsehOods about
the insecurity of life and property in the Terri
tory. The canvass has been conducted with the
greatest good humOr. The liberal orators have
had free access everywhere to the people and
their own organ has not reported a single in
stance of their being insuted or restrained In
some cases the MOrmOns have rendered them
the use of their halls and schoOl-houses In
Delegate has not harshly attacked their rel-
gious prejudces and although others of his
party have not manifested the same good taste
their rudeness has been overlooked.
THE MORMON CHURCH.
While it will not impair the influence and
progress of the Mormon church. the election
held in accordance with the ruling of the COM
mlssiOners@will have some good results First.
1t places the ecclesiastical leaders in false posi-
ton that might have been avoided by timely
revelation. 1t will be a difficult matter for them
to insist that it is the duty of every adult men,
Der OF the church to enter into the condition of
plural marriage, and at the same time to
take care that their orders are dis
obeyed by such large majority that
their political power may still be
maintained. Again. although it offers no re-
ward for the abandonment of pOlygamy it gives
fair warning to young men that if they are led
astray by the false teachings of their caurch,
they will forever forfeit the right of suffrage so
dear to every American freeman. The utmost
straning of authority on the part OF the COM
mission has failed to show that any considerable
part OF the population of 145, 900 are living or
at any previous time have been living in plural
marriage, and so the bugbear of polygamy has
been greatly diminished in size. Finally of the
commission 1t may be said that no great harm
can come Of it. but that it may become an adj
1unct to other civllizing influences which with
out its aid would ere long have ACCOMPLISHED
the end that Congress had in view. j. c.