Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-07-03
THE UTAH COMMISSION.

The Commission in Utah has outliYed
its usefulness, if it ever had any. 1t was
Republican experiment, and the object
for which it was created has been accom-
plished, namely, the disfranchisement of
polygamists. In their work in this direc-
ton they went further than the law gave
them warrant, and large class whom
they excluded from the polls have
been restored to their political rights
by decision of the Supreme Court. 1t
was clumsy makeshift to ap-
point Commission of five members,
whose sole duties are to appoint the reg
istrars in the various precincts and judges
of elections. From formulating ironclad
oaths and insisting upon their rigid ad-
ministration, they have assumed the
humber and more modest role of "sug-
gesting" forms of oaths, leaving it to the
registrars to ascertain a mans right and
qualifications for registering, after the Su-
preme Court had said that upon them
must rest the responsibility if they erred
in their judgment and refused registra-
ton to man who was entitled to it. The
work that is done by the Commission
might we'll be done by board consisting
of so many Federal and so many Terri
torial officers, much the same as the
grand and petit jurors are selected under
the Poland law. The aim of that law was
to make the juries half Mormon and half
Gentle. The judges of election that have
been appointed by the Commission have
been in the main appointed in that spirit
and on that plan. The Poland law pro-
vided that the jurors should be selected
by officers already in existence, while the
Edmunds Act created Commission to
administer it and enforce its provisions
There are many and grave objections to
such a plan, as it creates new offices and
is additional and cumbersome elective
machinery. The gentlemen who COM
pose the Commission have and can have
no interest in Utah aside from the inter-
est OF their Office. In Utah they are So
journers and will never be residents. To
them continued turmoil and strife in
Utah is continued Office holding. Seeing
things mend but slowly, to them it must
seem that they mend not at all. The
recommendations that they make are
recommendations in favor of more power
and greater latitude for foreign officials.
Forms of government do not change
human nature, and commissioners under
republics will be no less alien in feeling
and sympathy towards the people among
whom they are sent than like commits
sioners under kings. They do not be-
lieve that those to whom they are sent
are entitled to the same respect and con-
sideratien they demand for themselves
when at home and dealing with their own
affairs They are sent because those who
send them do not deem those among
whom they go capable or worthy to man
age their own affairs. This being the
reason for sending them, can those who
are sent entertain any other ideas than of
their own superiority and of the in
feriority of those over whom they
exercise authority? Sent because of
mistrust, they become more mistrustful.
Their ideas, their wishes, their sympa-
thies and their interests are all alien to
those whose election affairs they manage.
The majority of the employees of the
Commission are non-residents, and came
here merely TO get a fat thing. Every one
of those employees is a Republican, and
Republican of the ultra type. They may
very Justly be termed Offensive parti-
sans" whose main duties last year con-
sisted in telling terrible tales about the
Democrats, and how the Democrats of the
North were as bad if not worse than the
Secessionists of the South. They seem
to have been imported for this purpose.
The Commission should be abolished,
and the duties it performs devolve upon
some of the regular officials; and for the
same amount that the gentlemen COM
posing it receive as salaries the Territory |
might have very excellent and superior |
Supreme Court, thing of much greater
importance than the Commission. The |
qualification of the voters in Utah Ter
ritory, so far as polygamy goes, is set
tied thing, and whether Utah remains
Territory or becomes a State no man who
practices polygamy will ever be voter.
This is a certainty beyond doubt, and
such being the case, why would it not be
well for the Government to discontinue
the Commission and the great and need
less expense it entails?