Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-01
| SURPRISING P0LYGAMY.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UTAH
COMMISSION.


Registration Books and Driven frOm
ofhce-LeuGer Terms OF ImprisOn-
msnt and Closing of Public Lands to
Offenders Recommended.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.-The Utah COM
mission, through its chairman, Alexander
/ Ramsey, has submitted to the Secretary
of the Interior their annual report upon
| the transactions and proceedings of the
commission since Nov. is, 1884, the date
OF thsir last report. The report begins
with statement that the usual revisious
Of the Utah registration lists for the
present year were duly and thoroughly
made by the officers of the board, and the
general election was held on Aug. last.
/ No person living in the practice of polyga-
j my was allowed to register or vote, nor
was any such persons elected or COM
/ mlssioned to any Office.
| ALL RULED OUT.
J The point, therefore, has been surely
reached, says the commission, that the
name of polygamist cannot now be
! found upon the registration lists, and
none of this class are holding office.
/ Nevertheless 1t is true that nearly all the
! officers chosen at the last and in the pre-
/ ceding elections we're MOrmons VINO,
while they don't actually live in polyga-
my, subscribe to the doctrine of polyga-
nous marriages as a divine revelation, q
law unto all higher and more binding
upon the conscience than any human law.
A NoN-MoRMoN VICTORY.
A notable exception, however, occurred
Ia Summit county, where the entire nom
Mormon ticket, including a member of
| the 3ouse Of Representatives and Assem-
bly,, was elected, and this representative
was the first non Mormon elected for
many years. The commission refer 10 the
| recent decision OF the Supreme Court in
pOiygamy cases as timely and valuable
interpretations Of the law. IL is believed
| that there have been very few polygamOus
marriages during the present year, but it
is not regarded as prudent to look upon
this fact as indicating anything more
than a suspension OF the practice,
/ resulting from the vigorous enforcement
Of the law, and not as an actual sur
render, occasioned by general and de-
cIded change of sentiment regarding the
doctrine itself.
FIRMNEsS NECESSARY.
Indeed, il is believed that IL all opposi-
tion by the commission and courts under
the present law should cease, or even if a
halriug, hesitating policy take the place
Of the vigorous one now in force, 1t is
altogether probable that plural marriages
| would again become general IN Utah.
The firm attitude OF the government and
the faithful execution of the law, sus-
tained by public sentiment, have aXerted
in the past year a repressive influence
upon the Mormon people never before ex-
perienced by them since .beir establish
ment in Utah. The report pays high
tribute to the zeal and success OF the
present officers OF the Federal court.
EIGHTY-THREE INDICTMENTS,
Eighty-three indictments have been
found for unlawful cOhabitaton. There
! have been % convictions, and As cases are
now awaiting trial.
The commission reply at some length TO
the allegations made by the defenders OF
! pOlygamy, that prosecutions under the
Edmunds act are directed solely against
those hO maintain p0lygamous relation,
and that alleged sexual dereliction by
other persons are not investigated. The
| burden Of their rejOinder is thai the law
was not directed against individual
/ lasCiviOus practices, but against assault
! by the Mormon church upon the mono
gamic system. The commission renew
all the recommendations contained in the
! Senate bill 1898 which failed Of passage
! in the HOuseslast session }, and in their re-
/ port of last year,
LONGER IMPRISONMENT RECOMMENDED.
tiOnal recommendations:
Tba the term Of imprisonment for unaw-
I ful cunabitation be extended TO at leasl two
years Tor the frs and three years for the sec
ond Onehse; that all persons be excluded by
Jaw from making location or settlement upon
any part OF the lands Of tho United states
who shall refuse on demand 10 take oath be-
fore the proper officer OF the land Office that
he Lf a man) does not cohabit with more than
one woman in marriage relation, and will
! support the laws OF tho United States, or III a
woman that she does rot cohabit with a man
] having more than one living and undivorced
| wife; that the laws with reference to the i'm
! mipration OF Chinese and the importation OF
! contract iab0rers, paupers aud criminals be 80
amended as 10 prevent The immigration OF
! persons claiming that their religion teaches
would cut OF the chief source Of supply TO the
Mormon church.
CIVIL POWER IN THE TERRITORY.
The commission say they have felt it to
be their duty 70 resist the general demand
OF nOn-M OrmOns IN the territory that tnev
should recommend legislation that would
place the exercise Of all civil power in
the hands OF a legislative commission
appointed by the President until the Ed
munds act had been fairly tested. The
hope had been INDUCED that the Mormon
people would finally see their line OF duty
in Yielding willing acquiescence TO the
law, but the result has been disBppoint-
uent, so far as the leaders Of the church
and the principal part Of their following
are concerned.
MORE DECISIVE LAW ADVOCATED.
The declaration often repeated during
the past year by the ch ef officers OF the
church that Il Is their settled determina-
tiOn TO refuse obedience 10 the law, their
persistent use II their great power and
influence 20 defeat all efforts from within
as well an without the church % put an
end to polygamy and their persecution Of
those VINO d-sire 10 obey the law, have
convinced the commission that some more
decisive plan 20 reduce the powers OF the
pOlygamic element and 20 corresponding
IL Increase that OF the FEDERAL authority
in the civil government OF Utah should be
presented to Congress at this time for its
action.