The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-10-31
PoLYGAMY.
Cannon Says HI No Longer Exists-IIor-
mons Ready to Obey Marriage Laws.

mons Ready TO Obey Marriage Laws.
WASHINGTON, Oct. SO.-Bishop Cannon, the
head of the Mormon church, who has arrived
in this city for the acknowledged purpose of
watching Congress to see that it does nothing
against the Mormons, in an interview said that
polygamy no longer exists in Utah. He says
that when the Edmunds bill went into effect
those having plural wives selected one to live
with and placed the Others with their children
In separate houses, where they support them,
but their marital relations have been severed,
except that ex-husbands continue to support
the families the law has compelled them to
desert. There is little said of that by the
church, but, so far as the world and the church
are concerned, the marital ties in plural mar
rlages were severed when the Edmunds act
took effect. He insists That there are no diff
cultles OF any nature whatever existing in
Utah, and there is no more need of United
States troops there than there is in q Sunday
school in the city of Washington.
The report sent abroad recently from Salt
Lake City, that the Mormon immigration into
Utah is nowsenormous, he brands as false, and
says that, instead of receiving $4,000 immi-
grants and accessions to the church during the
past year, as has been stated, the church had
not received more than $500. During the past
ten years the accessions have been from 1000
to 2500 annually. He said: Our people are an
abused people. and we are spoken of with great
prejudice. Our women are as happy and pure
as those of any section or country III it was
wrong for man to have more than one wife,
people may now rest atsease for the Edmunds
act has, IN that particular, had great influence
quieting effect, wonderfully SO. I doubt if
there is any single thing in the experience of
the commissioners which has more surprised
them than the fact that the Legislature elected
under system of registration devised by them
selves, at which not q single polygamist was
ftn1 ,I..
altogether of persons who, although monogaM-
lists are Mormons. The result could easily have
been foreseen by persons familiar with the ter
ritory and With our people. foresaw it and
SO told the friends of the bill here, but they
could not understand it, There is no mystery
about it. The bill united u.s. Young people
who have never taken much interest in rei-
gious matters found the conditions such that
they were compelled to take sides, and they
sided and voted with us. The law and the reg
istration uuder it were considered blow at
our whole people, and the monogamist Nor
mons stood by their associates. The conse-
quence was victory. Probably the commits
sion will recommend marriage law, aud prob
ably Congress will pass it, We expect it and
We shall obey it, as we do all laws
Mormonism the Curse of Idaho.
Delegate Singhelser, of Idaho is in Wash
iugton, attending to the affairs Of that Terrific
ry. met him to-day, and he said: "1daho is
making immense strides. Just think of it,
we are only having our first railroads. The
Union Pacific has extended line across the
Territory from east to west, and there is also
narrow gauge railroad running from north to
south. Our population is now little over TO-
600; but inside of four years we shall be knock
ing at the door of the Union asking to be ad-
mitted to the sisterhood of States. / think
that by that time we shall number the 10000
required by law before we can make an appli-
cation. Idaho has but one curse-the Nor.
mons. In three of our counties the Mormon
church dictates and elects the officers, and for
some years past it has held the balance of
power in the Territorial legislature. The spraed
OF this diseased sect cannot be understood by
men in the East. People do not realize that
the Mormon have armed and equippedan army
of fully 100000 men, which could be put into
the field ia very shot time. They are all
men who wonld fiht to the death. All of them
are fanatics, and the time may come when we
shall have bitter struggle over the Mormon
question. There are only two methods which
can be used by our government to check this
evil. One is determination and the other is
disfranchisement. Mormonism is not only
strong in Utah, but is gaining foothold upon
all the surrounding States and Territories.
have told you how it has succeeded in Idaho,
and will make the prediction that within the
next five years the Mormon church will dictate
who shall be the United States Senators from
Nevada and Colorado. During the present
session of Congress [ intend to introduce q
number of bills upon this subject, which is one
of the most important now before the Amer-
can people,"
Report of the Presidential Conimission.-
A Marriage law Recommended.
The commission appointed by President
Arthur under the anti-polygamy act of last
year have submitted their annual report At
the general election in Utah Aug. 6, 1888 they
were as successful in excluding polygamists as
at previous years election when some 200
persons were denied the privilege of voting.
Il <t.r& Al. H.
22, 1882, to be that discrimination between
those Mormons who practice polygamy and
those who do not is placing stigma upon the
former and depriving them of the right of suf-
frage as we'll as the right to hold office, while
on the other hand an inducement is held out
to the latter class that by abstaining from the
polygamic religion they will enjoy all the
political rights ofAmerican citizens and would
in time have the effect of inducing great num-
bers of the Mormon people to refrain from
plural marriages. Few if any illegal votas
have been cast in Utah since the commission
took charge of registrations and elections in
August, 1882.
AS to the declared objects of the act of Con-
gress as therein set forth so far as appertains |
to our duties it is not denied that the opera |
tion of the act has been emiDently successful; |
that is to say, polygamists have all been ex
cluded from the polls and from eligibility to
Office.
The commission believe that marriage law |
On CI6Q ny ONuSr6sS WOulQ 10 al 6IuOl6iib aux
Hilary in the suppression OF polygamy. 1t is |
asserted and generally believed by non-Mor- |
mons in this territory that plural marriage is |
still practced here in secret, and we would |
that Congress enact a law declar- |
ing all future marriages in this territory null |
and void unless they are contracted and evil |
deDced in the manner provided by the act; |
that all marriages shall be solemniZed in des- |
ignated public places, witnessed and registered |
in such public places SO as to make the proof |
Of the marriage morally certain; allow mar
riages in private but with the like guarantee |
Of registration, etc., and in either case pro-
viding penalties for violation of the act.
In regard to female suffrage the report |
says: without expressing any opinion on the |
question of woman suffrage in general, we are |
satisfied thet owing to the peculiar state of |
affairs in Utah this law is an obstruction to a |
speedy solution of this vexed question. In |
the prosecution of polygamy cases here it is |
difficult to prove the first or legal marriage |
and we would suggest as remedy that the |
FIRST or legal wife be declared by an act of |
Congress-"
In case Of failure of the Legislative Assem-
bly, at its next session, to make the requisite |
laws for governing elections, the Commission |
believe that Congress should adopt extraordi- |
nary measures to compel the observance of the |
law in Utah. The present Legislature is COM |
posed wholly of Mormons, none of whom how |
ever, live in polygamy.
They note large decrease in the Liberal |
lGentile) vote at the August election. and de- |
plore the fact, as they believe that by proper !
one or more non-Mormons might |
have been elected to the Legislative Assembly, |
who would have an opportunity OF putting the |
majority on record.
The Commission say they have reason to he |
lieve there has been comparative decrease in |
the number OF polygamic marriages, since the |
passage OF the Edmunds' act By this and |
such other legislation as we have ind icated,
they will give the government the assurance of |
their loyalty andpatriotism, and avert con-
Test that cannot but result in their discontinue
In conclusion, we consider it proper to COM |
mend the zeal of the governor OF Utah, in his |
efforts to enforce the laws.