Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-01-30
The MORMON MEASURE.
Text Of tho Bill Prepared by the sena
Committee.

Text sf the Bill Prepared by the Senate
Committee.
Washington, Jan. Ex-senator Hoar
reported from the committee on judiciary
the anti-pslygamy bill, which embraces
the principal features of tue Edmunds'
bill introduced at the present session,
and adds other provisions originating
with the committee. It provides that in
any prosecution for bigamy, polygamy
or unlawful cohabitation under apy
statute of the United States the lawful
husband or wife of the person accused
shall be competent witness, and may
be called and compelled to testify; that
attachment may be issued for any such
witness without previous subpoena, when
there is reasonable ground for believing
he or she will unlawfuily fail to obey q
subpoena issued in the usual
course; that such prosecution NAV
be commenced at any time within
five years after the commission
of the offense, except cases already
barred by the statute of limitation. It
provides for the codification of laws re.
latlng to marriages in the territories and
fixes the penaly for violations of its pro.
visions; that the records of marriages or
anything in the nature of marriage
ceremony, civil or ecclesiastical, lawful
or unlawful, in any territory, shall be the
subject of inspection at all reasonable
times by judge, magistrate or other
officers OF Justice, under penalty not to
exceed 81 600 fine and two years. impri.
sonment. It provides for the amend
ment OF all laws permitting woman suf.
frage in Utah for any public purpose
whatever; provides for the amendment
Of all laws of Utah for the Identification
of voters; and for the recognition of and
capacity Of illegitimate children to in.
herit, and which confers jurisdiction on
the probate courts, except in respect to
declared persons and guardianship of
Infants and insane persons; provides for
the annulment of all laws which provide
that prosecution for adultery can only
be commenced by complaint Of the hus.
band or wife and parents. and such pros.
ecution may hereinafter be instituted IN
the same way as prosecution for other
crimes. 1t provides that all laws incor.
poratlng, containing or providing for the
corporation known as the Mormon
church. 80 far as they may preclude the
appointment of certain trustees of
said corporation, or hereinafter pro.
vided. be annulled. 1t directs the presi.
dent. the senate concurring. to appoint
fourteen trustees for such corporation,
they to make an annual report to the
secretary Of the interior. It makes it
the duty of the attorney general of the
United States to institute proceedings
for the forfeiture to the federal govern.
ment of the property of corporations
held in violation of section one OF the act
of congress of July, 1882, the property SO
forfeited to be disposed of by the secre
tary of the interior, the proceeds to be
applied for tho benefit Of the common
school of the territory in which the prop
erty is situated. 1t gives the court j,
such proceedings power to compel til,
production of books and papers by per
sons managing property. It arnulls al
laws for the continuance of the Perpetua
Emigrating Fund company, directs tbt
attorney general to proceed to dissolve
that corporation and escheat to th,
United States all its property in exces.
of its debts, the same to be invested BY
the secretary of the interior for the bene
tit of the common schools OF Utah
abolishes the existing election district.
and apportionments of representation
in the territorial legislature O
Utah, makes it the duty O
the governor, territorial secretary
and United States judges Of the terrltor,
to redistrict the territory and apportioi
the representation SO as to secure equa
representation Of citizens of the United
States according to numbers in sait
Legislature, such establishment of dis
tricts and representation to continue til
congress otherwise provides; that all th
registration and election offices in Utal
be declared vacant; that the duties O
registration, conduct of elections. recep
tion of votes, canvassing of returns ant
issuing of certificates OF election b.
vested for the present in special elec
tion hoard, this board to consist of fiv,
person selected by the president, Will
the concurrence OF the senate, not NOR,
than three of whom shall be of on,
political party, each to receive $500,
per annum, to continue in Office till til,
territorial legislature shall provide TO
filling territorial offices, and that tn
secretary of the territory be secretary o
the board, and attest Its action; provide
that such board shall not exclude from
the poll or refuse to count the vote o
any person Otherwise eligible to vote OF
| oooonnk of orv n,,nl,