The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-11-07
UTAH CONFUSION,
UTAH .COMM1SS4oN'
The Second Annual Report Submit
ted to the Secretary of the 1nte-
rior-Progress Made, in
THE SUPPRESSION OF PoLYGAMY BY
rHE.EDMuSDs AcT-PLuEAL MAR
RrAaEs AND THE RECENT ELEc-
TIoNs.
TaE UTAH COMMISSION.
What Has Been Accomplished Undei
the Anti-POlygamy Law.

WAsHINGToS, Oct. 30.-Ihe Boaru
of ITtab Commissioners submitted their
second annual report to the Secretary OF
the Interior. After making aistatement
of the former legislation OF Congress IN
| relation to bigamy, or polygamy, they
sav the duties Of the commissioners per
tain only to matters of registration,
election and eligibility to office, while
punishment for polygamy is left, as nm
| der the former law, to the courts otssJus-
tice. Under the anti-polygamy act, the
commission had good success at the gen
eral election in August, 1888, in exclud-
inc polypamists from the polls, and as
far az advised, very few, if any, illegal
| votes have been cast in Utah since the
commission took charge of the registra-
| lions and elections in = August, 1857
The enforcement of the present law
against $4,000 polygamists who have
been excluded from the polls shows
that the act has been fully and sue
cessfully executed. 1t is thought that
! discrimination between those Mormons
who practice polygamy and those VINO
| do not, while not likely to nave mucn
i effect upon elderly men, VINO already
have plurality of wives and seyeral Iainl-
lies must have great weight with young
men MANY of, whom are ambitious ana
aspiring. and would not like voluntarily
to embrace political ostracism. The very
existence of the law disfranchising polyg
amists must tend to destroy their intiu-
ance whenever it is understood it is to
he q nermanent discrimination. The
fact. also. that it will be necessary for
the preservation OF the poht,cal ln!lu. ~.
ence of the Peoples Party as tne
Mormons style themselves) to nave a
large body of their members VINO are
not polygamists, must tend IN tlne 20
weaken the practice OF Polygamy' lot TOT
every married Mormon who taxes 1ut
one plural wife loses three votes Tor hlh
party-his own and those OF ms two
wives. woman suffrage being established
; by law in Utah.
IL PLURALITY OF WIVES.
l Concerning the plurality of wives, the
t ranort saws that doctrines and practlcei
, 20 odious throughout the kingdom
. should be upheld so many years against
r the laws of Congress and the sentlmenl
i. ~ the civilized world, is one OF thu
q maryeIs Of the nineteenth century, anc
can be scarcely appreciated even ..
those familiar with the worlds hlstor!
e IN relation to the difficulties OF govern
/ mental efforts for the suppression 0
i religious fanaticism. Certainly no gov
n ernment can permit a violation Of tn
u laws under the guise OF religious free
T. dom. and while Congress may not legi.
L late as to mere matters of opinion,
le NAV denounce and punish as crime
It those actions which are in violation {
re social duties or subyersive Of good orde
n The right of Congress to suppress tn
10 oreat evil is undoubted. 1t is equal
Dlain that the duty and good name
this great government among the NJ
tions Of the earth demand such Col
rs pressional action as shall efectuall
Eliminate this national disgrace. II
i. recommendation contained IN the !
in mort of November IL, 1882, notably u
he one regarding the enactment of ma
riaOe law by Congress, declaring all I
al ture marriages in the Territory null az
void unless contracted and evidenced
IRE the manner provided by the act, are aga
called to the attention of the Cover
mani. IL the next Legislature shall Fl
to adopt measures in conformity wi
the act of 1882 for the suppression
IN noIyoamy. the commission "will be pl
IRE pared to recommend, and Congress W
ed. Certainly not delay the adoption OF {
nd most stringent measures compatible WI
yer the limitation of the constitution, III
on nav be considered necessary for I
ads suppression of this great evil.
ny MUNICIPAL ELEcrIoSs.
no. The report refers 10 the various n
nd nicipaI elections, and says the imp
nte tant election was that Of August
.nts 1889. The total number Of votes east
no this contest was q GIG, against q !:
M. n the last November election.
; 4 principal falling of was on the part
!, is the Gentiles, or Liberal party. In
,an veu.ber the total vote of the Poop
.ced nartv was 20,309, Liberal 1864.
aost Auoust. 1888. the vote of the Poop
Marty was 20,O5s, Liberal 1853, Fl
AZ which it appears that large numbers
1 ~ /. liberals refrained from voting,
ects much to be regretted for reason that
/ be Il believed that by the proper effort
ate good management one or more non-A
4 an mons might have been elected to
s. a. I.egislative Assembly who would b
cen an opportunity Of putting the majO
aild- on record.
Ie" IN C0NcLUsIoN,
the
fhe the commission say recently some
!. 600 suits were instituted in the Third
) 81 frict Of Utah by Mormons against N
silent bers Of their commission, complain
that they had been unjustly depr
of the right to register and vote. q
are understood to be test eases, deslf
Il tol Is contest the constitutionality Of
Edmunds act, . veil As the legal
! ap-l ssrurtion which We put upon its
mni- visions. These suits are still undeci
Der and are likely to be appealed q the
{ nd preme Court of the United States
f fhe has been asserted that polygamie
|lool,s riaoes have increased since the pas
nace. 81 fhe Esdmunds act On the cont
sliish. we have the opinion of many MorI
,oieal and non-1 1Eorm0ns that they have
To- naratixeir decreased After dlligei
II fnr nnirV We believe chat this latter co
sr,aIl son IS correcf, but the Utah llegislI
reo1 viii have an opportunity y satia'
ohical tie country On this particular 50
81 passing such public marriag