New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-31
THE WAR ON MORMONISM.
REPORT OF THE UTAH COMMISSIONERS,
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND WHAT REMAINS TO DE
DONE AGAINST THE EVIL.

pointed by the President under the ti-polygamy
act to-day presented their second annual report to
the Secretary of the Interior. The report hrst
makes statement of legislation by Congress In re-
lation to bigamy or pOlygamy, reciting the proVi-
sons Of the law of March %, 1892 The report then
says 1t will thus be that the duties OF 'nis
Commission appertain only to matters OF regisVra-
tion and election and eligibility to office, while the
punishment of the crime of polygamy is left as I'M
der the former law to the courts OF justice. NOR
are we invested with legislative authority. Our
powers are of n ais-juidcial and administrative
character But from the general terms of many
narts of the act we have been obliged to exercise
considerable latitude of discretion to make the act
effectual confning ourselves within the limits Of
the law according to our best Judgment.
ave have heretofore communicated to the De-
nortment of the Interior the difficulties we en-
countered in entering upon our duties last year;
also the measures we adopted for excluding
polygamists from registration and from the polls;
and that we had excluded some 1000 men and
women from registration and voting by reason of
their disqualification under this act. Pursuing the
same policy we have had equal success at the gen.
eral election held on August 9, 1888 in excluding
polygamists from the polls The theory of the Act
of March % 1882 appears to be this: That dis
elimination between those Mormons who practlse
polygamy and those who do nOt-placing stigma
upon the former and deprving them OF the right OF
suffrage. as well the right TO hold ofhce; whlle'
on the other hand, inducement is held out to the
latter class that, by abstainng from the polygamo
relation they will enjoy all the political rights OF
American citzens-wOuld in time have the effect of
inducing great numbers Of the Mormon people TO
refrain from plural marriage.
THE YOUNG MEN INFLUENCED.
"While such considerations not likely 70 have
much effect upon the eldory men, who already
have a plurality of wives and several families of
children, they must have great weight with the
young men Of the Territory, many of whom are am
bilious and aspiring, and would not like voluntarily
10 embrace political Ostracism.
''Tbe leading Mornons, who are generally in pOlyg
any. evidently perceive this tendency, and, there
fore. ever since the passage of the act they have
assiduously taught their people that this measure
is transient and that it will soon be set aside by
the Federal Courts b. the action non-action of
Congress. 90 far as we are advised, very few, if
any, illegal votes have been cast in Utah suce the
Commission took charge of registrations and cleo
tions in August, 1882. AS to the declared objects
of the act of Congress- so far as appeTtalns to
duties it is not denied that the operation of the act
has beeu eminontly successful; that is to say, the
povgamists have all been excluded from the
polls and from eligibility to office.
We deem it proper to observe that person well
informed with regard to Utah affairs could
reasonably have expected at the passage Of the act
that there would be an immediate change in the
political situation; nor that it would have an i'm
mediate effect in. destroying the practice of
polygamy but the act must necessarily have a
strong influence in that direction The very existence
Of the law disfranchisng the polygamists must
tend to destroy their influence whenever it is
understood that this is TO be a permanent dis
elimination.
Those Mormons who have the ballot will aftera
time, be conscious of a power which they will be
unwilling to use forever at the bidding Of those
who have it not. The fact also that it will be
necessary to the preservation of the political inilu-
ence of the peoples party las the hormons style
themselvesl to have large body of their members
who are not polygamists, must tend in time to
weaken the practice of polygamy fOreveTy married
Mormon who takes but one plural wife loses three
votes for his party-hs own, and those
Of his two wives woman suffrage being
established by law in Utah). Another cOnsdera-
ton already adverted to, the influence upon the
young men and the rising generation, is entitled to
great weight. Seeing all the offices OF honor, trust
and profit such as Delegate to Congress- members Of
the Legislative Assembly Probate Judges Clerks of
the County Courts, Sherilfs and Others, many OF
them quite lucrative, held by monogamists, while
polygaInists are wholly excluded the aspiring young
men of the Territory would present an anomaly In
human nature if they should fail to be strongly in
8uenced against going into a relation which thus
subjects them to political oStracism aud fixes on
them the stigma of moral turpitude'
ONE or THE MARvELs OF THE CENTURY.
". The Mormons believe in the Old Testa-
ment, the New Testament, and a great deal besides,
namely the Book of Mormon and divers so-callcd
Revelations Among these so-called Revcla-
tions is one in favor OF plurality Of wives. That
q doctrine and practice odiOus throughout Chris
tendon should have been upheld so many years,
against the laws of Congress and the senti-
ments of the civilized world, is one OF
the marvels Of the nineteenth century,
and can be scarcely appreciated even by those
who are familiar with the worlds history in rea-
tion to the difficulties of Governmental control or
suppression of religious fanaticism,
Certainly no Government can permit a violation
of the laws under the guise OF religious freedom,
and while Congress may not legslate as to mere
matters of opinion yet it may denounce and punish
as crimes those actions which arc in violation of
social duties OF subversive of good order.
The right Of Congress to suppress this great evil
IS undoubted. 1t is equally plain that the dignity
and good name of this great Government among
the nations Of the earth demand such Congressional
action as shall electualy eliminate this national
disgrace"
The Commissioners, as a part of their present re-
port re-submit several recommendations formerly
submitted and which were substantially incorpor-
ated into Senate bill No 1888 of the last session Of
Congress, reported by the Judiciary Commttceon
December 13. This bill, which also contains other
measures is recommended TO the favorable consid-
saation of Congress. The report then continues:
The present Legislature, chosen at the August
sleetion is composed wholly Of Momons-noue of
Whom, however live in poygamy This Legisa-
ture VIII convene in January next. IL will be their
auty, under the act of 1852 10 adopt measures IN
conformity with the provisions of that law for the
suppression OF pOlygamy. Whether the Legislature
VIII taKe such action nroueTlV he discussed