River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-08-21
MEN OF MANY WIVES.
Gov. Ramsey's Retrospect OF the Work
Done BY the Utah Commission The
Mormon Mafnr1fies

Gov. Ramsey, who has just returned from
Utah, in an interview yesterday related the
progress made by the Utah commission. His
prominent connection with the commission
gives peculiar yalHe to Gov Ramseys views
In response TO an inquiry, he said:
The commission is still in Utah, and shall
return within a month to my duties in connec-
ton with it. As to our work, there is moth
ing particularly new, nor do we care to say
much Of what is being done. We stand in
the relation of quasi judges TO those people,
put there TO enforce the Edmunds law.
Last March the election of county officers
took place. Judges, clerks, sherlffs, etc, were
chosen and elected by the Mormons, but no
polygamists received certificates of election,
nor do think they would presume to elect
one; neither can those polygamists vote Ia
November next the election of territorial del
egate will take place"
After referring to the purport of the Edmunds
bill, Gov. Ramsey continued
f'When the laws become so effective as to ex-
clude all polygamlsts from the polls there VIII
be enough Mormons left TO elect their chosen
candidates. We do not expect to accomplish
much now, under our presentlaw, The great,
effective bill, of which great hopes are enter
tanned, is the one now pending III congress. II
passed the senate last winter, and awaits the
action of the honse at the next session The
Edmunds bill is fully executed in all its parts
That is undisputed. The new bill, of which
we expect SO much, is composed of twenty
four or twenty-five sections The chief of
these are those that exclude women from the
polls-they now vote; makes public record
of every marriage, takes the management of
church property from church authorities and
puts it in the hands of board of trustees,
appointed by the president and appoints super
intendents of schools.
As to the success of our present work 1t is
hard to say. Sometimes we feel very much
encouraged, and again, our efforts seem una
vailing. The more active the government is
in its opposition to the vices of Mormonism,
the more the heads of the church press upon
the people"
In closing, Gov Ramsey said that he ex-
pected papers to-day from Utah giving full
information of the status of affairs at present
In connection with the above, Gov Ramsey
gave from the last report of the commission
valuable information from statistical point
of view. In 1882 the Utah Legislature was en-
trely composed of polygamists, with the ex-
ception of two or three, but since the commits
sion entered on its duties, 1851 officers have
been elected, not one of whom ia a polygamlst
In this number 800 municipal officers are in
eluded. By reason of polygamy fully 12,0OO
voters have been DISTINGUISHED OF schools,
there are seventy nine UNCONVENTIONAL ones,
with an average daily attendance of nearly g.
600 pupils The population of the territory IS
estimated at 160, 600, four fifths of whom are
Mormons, most of them accepting pologamy as
divine revelation, though only small per
cent have entered into that relationship.