Morning journal and courier., 1884-04-15
.SournaI arlN Gaurier.
SINGLE COPIES TWO GENTS.
Tuesday, April 15. 1884.
THE UTAH LRGIsLATURR.

I The Utah legislature which recently ad 4 l journed was chosen in August last by votes of monogamists, under the operation of the Edmunds law, and was composed wholly of men who are not polyganous in practice. It is therefore interesting and importan. to mo- tice what such legislature did.
 Unfortunately there does not seem to be much to say in praise of this legislature. It was composed mainly of weak men who were used as tools of the polygamists. It sat sixty days It attempted to frame bill re- lating to territorial elections, which should seem to meet the requirements of the com gressional law of two years ago, and so end the occupation of the five commissioners and remand the control of the ballot box to Norm on hands. Governor Murray frus- trated this little scheme by his absolute veto. Another scheme which did succeed was con- nected with the proposed revision of the Territorial laws. The statute book had long been in confusion, and the last legislature appointed a committee consisting of five lawyers and upon them was imposed the task of bringing order out of chaos. In particular they pointed out the serious defects of the
 
 into conformity with the statutes of other States and Territories. But the legisl ature was not willing to sanction anything that might interfere with polygamy and so it eliminated every word designed to make criminal before the law, and help to punish such gross offences as incest. adultery, ssduc- tion and bsstardy. And hence the statute bookof Utah is silent as touching that whole class of misdseds, and they may be commit ted with impunity from Idaho to Arizona.
 A very significant struggle occurred over an appropriation which it was proposed to make to She Deseret university. An item of $50, GOO for the university was included in the general appropriation bill A bill was also introduced for the founding of new university of Utah, private corporation to which could be turned over all the franchises of the old institution, public lands included. Another point in hot dispute between the Mormon lawmakers and the Gentle gover- nor related to the nomination of regents, he claiming that by the fundamental law the naming of them belonged solely to him, and hence two years ago, and again this year, he sent in an admirably chosen list for appointment On the last day of the session the appropriation bill was returned with several suggestions, and the threat of a veto close at hand if the | wise hints were not duly heedad. The legis. lature might have the $50, GOO on eithar one | of two conditions: CD insert clause making the school absolutely nOn-sectarian, by re- l quiring no religious tests of either teachers l or pupils, etc, or CD by leaving the money I untouched in the treasury uRtil she supreme I court of the Territory, or of the United ! States as they might elect, should decide I whether he or they had ths right to name the I regents. After long dsliberation and much ads I vice from the chief men of the Mormon church ! it was concluded that rather than suffer unholy | hands to share in the management of the uni- versity, or yield an inch to hostile encroaah- ment, it was wise and right to sacrifice the I $50 900, though all along for months it had I been loudly proclaimed that the management | of the school was very catholic and liberal.
 It is plain that the Church iran" the legis- 1 lature. And there does not seem to be any ! way of taking the legislature out of the hands of the Church. It was hoped, and some be- | lieved, that legislature composed of mem- bers who did not practice poIogamy would l not be quite as much under Mormon control as other recent Utah legislatures have been, but it's course has been entirely disappoint- ing.