Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-30
Wednesday,. January 30. 1884.
THE ANTI-POLYGAMY BILL.

!
 The anti-polygamy bill reported by the Senate Judiciary committee is a radical meas
 urs. It embraces the principal features of the Edmund bill, introduced during the
 present session of Congress, and adds to them other provisions originating with the committee.
 This bill makes provision for certifying and recording marriages and proving the
 facts of bigamy and polygamy. The first
 section provides that in any prosecution for
 bigaoy, polygamy or unlawful cohabitation under any statute of the United States the l lawful husband or wife of the person accused
 shall be competent witness and may be called and compelled to testify in such pro- ceedings. The second section provides that in any such prosecution an attachment may be issued for any witness and his or her imme diate attendance compelled without pre- vious subpoena when there is reasonable ground for believing that he or she will un- l lawfully fail to obey a subpoena issued in the usual course; and the third section that 8 prosecution for bigamy, polygamy or unlaw- fuI cohebitation may be commenced at any time within five years after the commission of the offence, this provision, however, net to apply to an offence already barred by any statute or limitation.
 This is stringent enough. The seventh sec- tion of the bill provides for the annulment of all laws providing for or allowing the registra ton or voting by females in the Territory of Utah, and makes it unlawful for any female to vote at any election hereafter held in the Territory of Utah for any purpose whatever.
 Section eight, nine and ten provide for the annuIment of all laws of the Territory of Utah which provide for the identification of voters at elections and for the recognition of the capacity of illegitimats children to in- herit and which confer jurisdiction on pro- bate courts except in respect of deceased per- sons and the guardianship of infants and in- sane persons.
 Other sections of the bill practically de- stroy the corporate powers of the Mormon Church. The twelfth section provides that all laws incorpor ting, continuing or provid ing for the corporation known as the Mor- mon Church, so far as the same may preclude the appointment of certain trustees of said corporation, shall be Rnnulled. It also directs the President, with the consent of the Sem ate, to appoint 1OurGeeR trustees "no SuAiA exercise the functions prescribed for by trus tees of such corporation, and shall hold of fee for two years and shall report annually to the Secretary of the Interior as te the property, business affairs and operations of said corporation. Section 13 pro Vides that it shall be the duty of the Attorney General of the United States to institute and prosecute proceedings to forfeit and escheat to the United States the property of. corporations obtained or held in violation of section of the act of Congress approved July l, 1882, all property so forfeited to be disposed of by the Secretary of the Interior and the proceeds applied to the use and benefit of common schools in the Territory in which such prop erty may be.
 The bill also wipes out the Perpetual Emigration Fund company, and places the registration of voters and conduct of cleo tions in the control of board to be appointed by the President If the bill becomes law the Mormons will certainly have chance to Asel that thsyj are martyrs. is, however. not more severe than the majority of the people of this country will think it ought to be. There is unquesGionably very general feeling that the Mormon problem ought to be attacked in earnest