The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-12-18
THE EDA1UNDs BILL.

The new Edmunds bill which was 1
troduced in the Senate on the Sth i
slant, is almost verbatim copy of Il
bill introduced by him in the last Coz
gress. 1t is a long bill, comprising fou
teen pages of open-line printing. TIL
full text will appear in the SUNDAY HEI
AID. Meantime we may give a synoI
SIS of the measure as follows: The frs
section provides that in any proceeding
for bigamy, polysamy or unlawful co
habitation, the husband or wife may b.
a competent. witness against the othe
and be CO npelled to testify, but not al
TO confidential communications between
each other. Section two gives the Judge
Justice or commissioner power to issue
an attachment for witness previous to
the issuance of a subpoena, compelling
the immediate attendance of the wit
ness, but in such case the party at
tached cannot be held more than ten
days, and may be discharged at any
time by giving a sufficient bond for at
tendance when wanted to testify. Sec
ton three extends the time for instItut-
ing prosecution for bigamy polygamy
or unlawful cohabitation to five years
from the commission of the ,Offense,
though this cannot apply to any exist
ing case, the prosecution of which is
barred by the statute of limitations. The,
fourth section requires thatall marriage
ceremonies whether either or both the
parties are competent TO marry, shall |
be certified ia writing, together with the
names of the parties concerned. the
officiating officer or priest, thecertifcate
to be signed by all the parties and fled /
with the probate court, said certificate
TO be prlma facie evidence of the facts
set forth, in any civil or criminal pro-
ceeding in which the matter shall be
called in question. The maximum
penalty for violating this provision is a
fine of S1,o00 and two years imprison-
ment. Section five declares the certif-
Gates and records of marriages subject
to inspection at all reasonable times, by
any judge, magistrate or officer of
justice. The penalty for violating this
provision is the same as that above J
noted. The next section allows mar /
,iages to be proven by any evidence S
low legally admissible. Secrion seven
epeals the female suffrage act. Section !
light annuls all laws in Utah which pro- v
Tide for numbering or Identifying the a
7otes Of electors; as there are nc such q
avs this provision is use. ess. The 2
lext section is also of non effect. as it Il
epeals all laws comforting any other !
han probate jurisdiction on the pro- D
ate courts. There are no such laws in +;
xistence. Section ten reEeals laws en- Il
cted by the Utah Legi,tature reeog- q
izing the capacity OF Legitimate 81
hildren to inherit any share of the IA Il
hers estate. Section eleven repeals Il Il
AVS which provide that prosecutions for G
dultery are only to be commenced on c.
of the husband or wife, and o.
Lowing such prosecutions to be insti- r.
lted in the same way that prosecute as
ons for other crimes are. Section gi
Telve annuls 1.-The ordinance Of the So
allied General Assembly OF the State of nj
eseret incorporating the. Church of ia
ssus Christ of Latter-day Saints" and IA
the President to appoint de
urteen trustees of said corporation. tn
be next section makes it the duty of WI
-e Acknowledgement TO institute pro da
edings to forfeit and escheat TO tba AS
nited States the property of the th
lureh. which property shall be dis thu
'sed of for the benefit of the common
hools of the Territory. Buildings used =
,clusively for religious worsbin 40
e exempt from the proposed forfeit n
ne next section gives the court so,
mmary power in proceedings for the bo
forcement Of the law against ineor- To-
to compel the production Of nae
oks, records, etc. Section AZ -
N repeals all laws creating No
ganizing, amending or confirm -
: the Perpetual Emigrating Fund rat
mpany, and makes it unlawful for los-
E Legislature to create or organize D.,
Y association for bringing persons wb
o the Territory. The following sec sbo
n makes it the duty of the United ma
ties Acknowledgement to proceed Mo
linst the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Iiet
npany to dissolve the corporation ma
? the debts and dispose of the as nar
8. The assets in excess of the debts the
Il escheat to the United States. and rlea
invested for the benefit of the com ann
n schools OF the Territory. Section digl
enteen authorizes the Governor. beer
rotary and United States Judges to too
istrict the Territory and aTportion beer
resentation in the Legislative As cur
by. Section eighteen simply con- CON