The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-05-21
Tue COMMISSIONS REPORT,

The report of the Utah Commits
sion to the Secretary of the interior
a synopsis of Which was telegraphet
from Washington q few weeks ago
has been presented to Congress by
the President, and published as ar
executive document. The Com
missioners announce that the Legis
lature which adjourned in March
failed to provide "such legislation
as is contemp plated by" the Edna
act: but they DO not explain the
cause for the failure; they conven-
iently forget to tell what is the fact
In the case, that the Governor
stood between the Assembly and
the law contemplated, putting
his veto to the bill which
would have deprived the
commissioners of an Office TO which
is attached the salary of $1,000;
they do not say thst they we're ex-
ceedingly anxious to have the exec
utive withhold his approval in order
that they might hold their soft
places for two years more: II the
Governor had done his duty the
Commissioners would to Gay be
hunting around for something to
do, or rather for salaries and nothing
to do.
They ask "To what extent has
the laWs been executedS and what
are and what will Re the probable
results in the solution Of the so-
called sproblem'?" And say that
Justice to the Statesmen" who
enacted the law, as well
as to the Commissioners them
selves demands . full and explicit
answer to these questions. The
"answer" coyers FIVE pages Of closely
printed matter, and after all does
not amount to much Of a reply.
They tell what has been done in
the matter of acknowledgements and
the election Of officers against whom
the provisions of the act do not run,
and quote from a previous report,
and from sermon by Bishop
futile: they say it has been proven
to their satisfaction Ia many ways
that the pleading polygamists" feel
the effects OF the law as a heavy
blow; the evidences Of this being
"their newspaper distrIbes and pull.
pit harangues against the law" etc.
They undertake to state what Is the
belief Of the Mormons, and assume
to suggest that there are "many
persons among the Mormons
who would be glad to find al
way out of polygamy;" as if there
were a Mormon SO wanting in per.
ception that he couldn't see his way
out oga my or outof the church, |
where so many persons hereaboutI
are making it their special business
to show the way and encourage
people to follow it. It is cause for
annoyance to the Commissioners
that the Mormons are not more
anxious to find their way out of |
poIygamy and out Of the church.
Regarding the question as to
whether poly gamy is on the decrease /
or not, the commissioners say they
have made Investigation, and that
In rural districts "there is not
much decrease, while in Salt Lake
and other counties where there are
considerable cities and towns there
has been a decided decrease"
It is possible the Commissioners
know what they are talking about {;
it Is probable they are guessing in
this matter. If they have learned
the condition Of things in respect to
the matter, they have been shreWder
than others who have endeavored
to ascertain the facts, but failed.
Wouldn't it be proper for the grand
jury to cite Messrs. Ramsey and
associates to unfold the facts. for it
is just such information as the Com
missioners claim to possess that the
inquisitors are anxious to get hold of.
The Commissioners have discov< Is
cred new obstacle to the speedy d
solution of the difficulty, being 9
nothing less than "the physical I
geography and other conditions of q
the Territory" the argument /
being that the Molmons own
al the arable land, and thus
make it impossible for others-anti.
Mormons presumsbly-to settle {
here. The gentlemen recommend {