Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-31
UTAH COMMISSION.
The Second ANIMAL Report Submitted to
the Secretary Of the Interior
Progress Made in
The Suppression of Polygamy by the Ed
munds Act-Plural Marriages and
the Recent Elections.
TIE UTAH COMMISSION.
What Has Recr, Accomplished UnGe
The Amti-RolYen,il LAW.

the Anti-PoIysnniy Law.
WASH .NGToN, October 30.-The Board
of Utah Commissioners submitted their
second annual report to the Secretary of
the Interior. After making a statement
of the former legislation OF Congress in
relation to bigamy, or polygamy, they say
the duties of the commissioners pertains
only to matters of registration, election
ard eligibility to office, while punishment
for polygamy is left, as under the former
law, to the courts of justice. Under the
anti-polygamy act, the commission had
good success at the general election
In August, 1888, in excluding polyga-
mists from the polls, and as far as
advised, very few, if any, Illegal
votes have been cast in Utah since the
commission took charge OF the registra-
tions and elections in August, 1882. The
enforcement of the present law against
1900 polygamlsts who have been ex-
cluded from the polls shows that the act
has been fully and successfully executed.
1t is thought that discrimination between
those Mormons who practice polygamy
and those who do not, while not likely to
have much effect upon elderly men, who
already have plurality of wives and sew
eral families, must have great weight with
young men, many of whom are ambitious
and aspiring, and would not like voluntari-
ly to embrace political ostracism. The very
existence OF the law disfranchising polyg-
amists must tend to destroy their influ-
ence, whenever it is understood it is to be
a permanent discrimination. The fact,
also, that it will be necessary for the pre-
servation of the political influence of the
Peoples Party" (as the Mormons style
themselves) to have large body of their
members who are not polygamists, must
tend in time to weaken the practice of
polygamY, for every married Mormon who
takes but one plural wife loses three votes
for his party--his own and those of his
two wives, women suffrage being estab-
lished by law in Utah.
PLURALITY OF WIVES.
Concerning the plurality of wives, the re-
port says that doctrines and practices so
Odious throughout the kingdom should
be upheld so many years against the laws
of Congress and the sentiments OF the civ
ilized world, is one of the marvels of the
nineteenth century, and can be scarcely
appreciated even by those familiar with
the worlds history in relation to the diff
ficulties Of governmental efforts for the
suppression of religious fanaticism Ger
talniy no government can permit viola
ton of the laws under the guise of re-
ligious freedom, and while Congress NAV
not legislate as TO mere matters OF opinion,
it may denounce and punish as crimes
those actions which are in violation of social
duties or subverSive of good order. The right
ofCongress to suppress this great evils un-
doubted. 1t is equally plain that the duty
and good name of this great government
among the nations OF the earth demand
such Congressional action as shall effect
ually eliminate this national disgrace. The
recommendation contained in the report
OF November Il, lSS2, notably the one
regarding the enactment OF a marriage
law by Congress, declaring all fu-
ture marriages n the Territory
null and void unless contracted
and evidenced in the manner provided by
the act, are again called to the attention of
the government. If the next Legislature
shall fail to adopt measures in conformity
with the act of 1882 for the suppression OF
polygamy, the commission "will be pre-
pared to recommend, and Congress will
certainly not delay the adoption of the
most stringent measures compatible with
the limitation of the constitution, that NAV
be considered necessary for the suppression
of this great evil"
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
The report refers to the various munich
pal elections, and says the important cleo
ton was that OF August 6, 1888. The to-
tai number of votes cast in this contest
was p ,9l6, against % 1913 in the last No
vember election. The principal falling off
was on the part of the Gentiles, or Liberal
party. In November the total vote
of the Peoples party was 2O,309
Liberal 1864. In August, 1885, the
vote OF the Peoples party was 20,05S, Lib
eral l453, from which it appears that large
numbers of Liberals refrained from voting
a fact much to be regretted for reason that
it is believed that by proper effort and
good management one or more Nor
mons might have been elected to the Legis-
lative Assembly who would have an oppor-
tunity OF putting the majority on record.
IN CONCLUSION,
the commission say recently some ten
suits were instituted in the Third. District
of Utah by Mormons against members of
their commission, complaining that they
had been unjustly deprived of the right to
register and vote. These are understood
to be test cases, designed to contest the
constitutionality of the Edmunds act, as
well as the legal construction which we
put upon its provisions These suits
are still undecided, and are likely
to be appealed to the Supreme Court of
the United States. 1t has been asserted
that polygamic marriages have increased
since the passage OF the Edmunds act. On
lilS COHlIdIy, We nave lne opinion OF many
Mormons and non-Mormons that they
have comparatively decreased. After dill
gent inquiry we believe that this latter
conclusion is correct, but the Utah Legisla-
ture will have an opportunity of satisfying
the country on this particular subject by
passing such a public marriage act as
that we have suggested to Congress. By
this they will give the government assu-
rance Of their loyalty and patriotism, and
avert a contest that cannot but result in
their discontinue. We consider it proper
to recommend the zeal of the Governor of
Utah in his efforts to enforce the law.
ALEX. RAMSEY.
A. $. PADDOCK,
G. l.. GODFREY,
A. b. CARLTON.
j. X. PETTIGRFW.
10 the Hon. II. NJ. Teller, Secretary of the In