The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-11-08
MOIlsIONISM.
Annual Report of the Board o,
Utah Commissioners Made
Public.
Operations Of the Anti-Polygamy Act
Reeonwendatloas.

The Utah commission, composed of Alex.
Ramsay. A. $. Paddock. q. l.. Godfrey. \. u.
Carlton. and j. X. Petit grcw. have made Their
report to Secretary Teller The clear intina
tlon Is that. unless the monoeamic Mormon
legislature shall enact laws which will carry
out the Edmunas net IN the spirit and p:ovda
for the disfranehi~cment Of polyaamists. the
most severe legislation compatible with the
limitations Of the constitution will hc recon-
mcnded. Tho commissioners privately say
that this reserve recommendation is the ;lho-
lition of suffrage. They do not expect the
Legislature Will enact any such laws, 50 that
IL may he presumed that the most important
recommendations for the overthrow of pplsg-
amy will he made In a report next January or
February.
After making 4 statement of tho former
legislation o' Congress IN relation 10 higamy
or polNpamy. the commits sion said;
The au les uf the commission app ri lin only
to matters OF r'uistla ioa. and rltc ion. AMI
eligibility 10 Office. while the punishment of the
crime ot rolygamy Is let. as under the former
law. to the courts ot jastiae lnder the An l.
FolyGlmy act the com mission he'd Z, Oh success
M tie general election uf August, 1881, III cN-
Gliding polNgamt ~ from iha ptll and a. far
as advised very little II any Illegal Votes have
h.en cast in Utah since the cuinmis sion took
charge of the rggiStrat on and cccti n. in Au-
gust. Esa. The rn'orc. r,rnt Of III. Ifesen' Law
against l..en ioly lamb wao have Teen eN-
clndei from the polls shows the net kas
been fully ard successfully executed. II
II thought that the II crimiaaton between
those Mormon~ who practice rolsgnny and
III - who d. not. white not likely - have much
effect np.n ei'lcrlN mn who have alf.,aay
plurality oil Nisct, mHst have
great weight Oh thu soang m n of tho Terri
try. many Of whom asc anti ions and aslir.
ins, and would mot like voluntarily "a embrace
lolltttal ost,ae.~m. 1ha very existence ~ u laM
d.sfranchisl lng lolNganlis smust tend 70 destroy
/ thcr influence Mheacs.ri II uni sstut Il II i
I 70 be permanent discrimination III tact
also that II Will " II ess Saiy "a tha res r. atios
of the Mliti,al iniscacr ~ the "fcoplc's party
\ tas tie Mormons stNlc thcms elves 10 have
4 large hodr of their mciu'srs wlpa a = no. poly,
1 camists, must tend Ia time ~ ", ak the rae
4 ticc OF / oylamy. cstly Mormon who lakes
\ hui one piniai wife lfSe. three votes tor Iii
4 party-his own aud those ~ hi twa wiye
I woman sniftagt bs!n- established nv law II
Utah
Concerning PLURALITY Of wi,,s, that doctrin,
and practice 80 oaious throughout Christ ndan
should have b TN upheld 80 many wears against
/ the laws Of Congress and the Sen'm nts uf In,
civilized world il one rf the marselS Of tn
/ nineteenth century aud can We scarcely aprre
ciatcd, even hy those familiar " tn the world,
history In relation to The difficulties ot Govern
mcnts To c,ntrpl or suppress religious fana,i
| cism. Certainly no Government can permit tin
i violation OF laws unicf the guiSe OF religion
| freedom. and. while Congress NAV not le-i~la.
as to mere matters II opinion, yet 1t may dc
n0uncc and punish crimes those action
| which are In violation II social duties or sub
ysrsisc of good order The right OF Congress
to suppress this great evil undouhted. 1t Il
| equally plain the digni y and good name of thi
great Government among the natiohs OF tn
earth demand such Congressional action q
shall cffcctually eliminate this national Ills
grace.
The commission renew the rccommcnda
tions contained i'm the report of Nov. Il. lss.
notably the one REGARDING the enactment o
n marrige law hy Congress declaring all fui
,f.s, mn h.. N an Nn
unless contracted and evidenced in the man
Nor provided by the act. III the next Legisla
turc shall fail to adopt measures in conform
itywi,h the provisions of the act of 1852 forth
suppression of polygamy. the coMmissio
Twill bc prepared To recommend. and Cor
gress certainty will not delay the adoption q
the most stringent measures compatible wit
the limitations of the constitution that ma
be considered necessary for the Suppression
OF this great eSil.''