Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-11-01

NEXT OF the Law. and not 60 an actual
surrender o9casioned By a general and
seeded change OF sentiment regarding
the doctrine itself. Indeed, il ia be
eyed that II all operations BY the Com.
uiss.oners asd the Courts should al
once G ase, OF even IL batting. heSits-
ting policy should take the place of the
vigorous one nov ID force, II In alto
q thsr probable tsat plnral marriages
would again become very general ia
Utah. The firIn attitude Of the Govern
meni and tie faithful execution Of the
law, sustained by public sentiment, have
e1eried 10 the past year repressIvs ia
huence upon the Mormon people never
before experienced by them since their
establishment in Utah"
The course of certain polygamists
Who have declared their intention of
ODE yibR the law In futnre, thereby in
c0friDe the wrath Of the chorcn,Is cited
"a evidence of az Internal dIssensio
which although feeble, ~ m encoaraa
log feature of toe situation. Every
step forward by the Government" says
tue CoDmissiOner. will give more
strength snd courage TO the men who
desire to respect and obey the laws. A
administration. will help the Churcn TO
ernsn out this crossing spirit Of opposi-
sion, and perhaps lose TO the movement
against polygany AL that has been
gained by the Passage of the Eimunds
act
The report pays high tribute TO the
zeal and suocess Of the present officers
Of the court. Within two years 50 in
a al - a..
and ublagiul oohabitation. There have
been q convictions and % cases are
nov awaiting trial. The great increase
Of business before the federal court at
salt Lake City resulting from the pro-
secation OF the polygamy cases has
made II necessary that the appointment
of an additional Judge should be au-
thoriZ.d by Congress. 1t is regretted
that the Prosecuting Attorney and his
assistants have found it necessary to
tender their designations owing to the
inadequate remuneration for their ser
vices.
The Commission reply at some length
to the allegations which have been
made by the defenders of pslyg,m,
that the prosecutions under the Ed
munds Act are directed solely against
those who maintain polyRsmous rela-
tons, and ii It alleged 5 xnal derelic-
tiens by other p, rsons are no; iavesti-
gated. The burden of their rejoinder
Is that the law "a. not directed against
individual las0ivlous practices, bat
against the assault by the Mormon
Church upon the monogsmic system.
Little hope is sntertai ed, in view of
the past action of the Legislative As
sembiy, that ii will this .ater provide
for filing the offices 90 ared vacant by
the Edmunds Act. Not the least OBJ
stscle TO the enforcement of the Law Is
found IN tie fact that the legislative
power Is arrayed in all its force and
strength against the desires OF the peo-
pie and the Government. and no help
fol legislation can be expected, although
the Legislature ia supported by the
National treasury.
The Commissioners renew all the re-
contained in Senate
bill 1888. which failed to pass tie House
of Representatives during the last SEES
sion, aud In their report of last year,
and submit the following additional re.
That the term of i'm
prisonment for uRlawful cohabitation
be extended to At least two years for the
first. and three years for the second
Offence; that all persons be excluded by
law from making location or settlement
on any part of the land Of the United
States, WHO shall refuse on demand to
take oath before the proser ofii,ers of
the land office, that he Of a mani does
not cohabit With more tEan one woman
IN the marriage relation. and will sup
port tue laws of the United States; or
Of q woman that she does not cohabit
With a man having more than enc living
and undivoroed wife; that the laws With
reference to the immigration of Chi
uese and the importation of contract
lsborefs, paupers and criminals, be SO
anne L ded ~ to prev mt the Immigration
NJ persons claiming that their religion
teaches aud jusiities the crime of polyg
amy, a. thus would cot of the chief
source of supply to the Mormon chursh.
The Commissioners say they have
felt IL to be their duty 30 resist the gen
tral demand Of non Mormoas In the
Territory that they should recommend
that would place all OWL
power IN the hands Of a Legislative
Commission 10 DO Appointed by the
President. until the Edmunds act had
been fairly tested. The hope had been
lndalced that the Mormon people
would finally see their line Of duty In
Welding willing acq aiescenoe 10 the
law. bat the result has been a disap-
po ntment so far as the leaders OF the
church aud the priGoipal part OF their
are concerned. The declara
lion, often repeated during the past
wear by the Off sers Of the church, that
Il is their settled determination to re-
fuse .edience 10 the law. their persist
ant use of their great power and
Influence invariably to defeat all the
efforts from within as well a. from
without the church to put an end to
aud their persecution OF GER
sons who desire 90 obey the law have
convinced the Commission that some
more decisive plan To reduce the pow
ers OF the poly9smOus element. and to
increase that Of the
Federal authority in the civil govern
Inent of Utah, should be presented to
Congress at this time for Its action. In
addition 10 the legislative commission.
the plan above referred 20, there have
been suggested the appointment plan.
making appointable all offices now flled
by ,lections, and the Idaho plan, dis
all contributors ~ the sup
port Of a polygsmic church. There are
objections to all Of these plans and to
any that could be devised Il may be
said for the Legislative commission plan
that il Is simple and direct: OF the ap-
pointment plan, that all the offices. TO-
GLIDING those of the Legislative Assem-
bly,. remain undisturbed, that they are
all to be filed frem the body of the
people as nos by agencies under the
control of the Federal Government. and
that the influence of the same would be
potential and of the Idaho plan, al
though more extreme and more severe
remedy than either Of the others, that IL
reaches to the vsry root Of the system.
Ia conclusion" says the Commis-
sion, whatever NAV be thought OF
these suggestions, Congress would Ger
tainly render n service Of incalcalahle
bsneat 10 Utah. End indeed to the whole
il 10 would devise some meas
ure whereby these misguided people
could be hrought from under the thral-
dom which has so warped their minds
and their consciences that crime com
mitted in the name Of religion is con
sidsred ~ thsm q duty and q blessing
equally 10 those who commit it and
those who aid and sbst their commits
slop."
The Public Debt
WASHINGTON, O,t. ST. The estim sted