The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-26
HAD IT IN HIS POCKET.
Judge" r. N. Baskin and Ellis
Resignation.
BAsKIN THINKsWE NEED
ireland Will Soon Be Obliged to Re-
tire-"The Political Power
Must be Broken"

Eyes sir, have the resignation of
Gov. Murray, of Utah, in my pocket
said Judge R. N. Baskin, o.. Salt Lake
City, yesterday, at the fremont House,
'and | am on my way to Washington
to tender it to President Cleveland, who
has lately demanded it" Judge Baskin
was in company with Charles G. Good
win, editor of the Salt Lake Tribune.
They are on their way to Washington,
Judge Baskin as the bearer of Gov.
Murray's resignation and Mr.. Goodwin
as the representative of the silver men
of the territory. In the opinion of
Judge Baskln, who will be remembered
as the prosecuting attorney in the
famous Mountain Meadow massacre
cases, there can be no question of the
proprety OF the demand for Gov. Muir
rays resignation from party stand
point, and while he regretted the action
of the president and the retirement of
the governor at this time, be did not
anticipate that any serious results would
accrue from it. AS good a man might
be selected as his successor. but certainly
no better one could be found. Gov.
Murray, too, had anticipated this action,
and long ago had, through Justice Har-
lam, informed Secretary Lamar that
when his resignation was desired 1t
would be promptly and cheerfully ten
dered. He did not know whether the |
new appointee would be selected from
the territory, although Col. Samuel |
Merritt, OF Salt Lake, was an applicant
for the Office. He did not think Gov, |
Murray's removal would affect the oues-
ton of constitutional government in |
Utah, but he would rather it had been |
deferred for a short time, because he |
knew very well that the Mormons would |
regard it as an intervention of Provi |
dence in favor of what they regard as |
the outra ged church. The other federal |
in the territory were, how
ever. men who could always be relied |
upon. Chief Justice Zane, formerly of |
Illinois. Prosecuting Attorney Dickson,
and Marshal Ireland, understood their
hi1chingly. Marshal Ireland, however,
the judge thought, would soon be
obliged to retire, in obedience to the |
same authority which compelled the |
decapitation of Gov. Murray. II regard |
to the present condition of Utah, Judge |
Baskin did not see any particular cause |
for alarm, although matters were in |
that nervous state that any unusual oc-
currence-a secret assassination, for |
fire the populace and |
incite a public demonstration which |
would be dangerous. The presence of |
the United States troops had beneficial |
and ought not to be regarded |
as a standing menace to the people, and |
they might as well be stationed tnere as
in any other locality. The total disfran |
chisement of the Mormon people, or,
what was far better, the establishment |
OF a legislative commission for the gov
eminent of the territory, were the only
two measures, in the judges opinion,
which would successfully overthrow the
hierarchy of Mormondom. Their politi-
cal institution must be broken first, and |
would soon fall. He would |
in Washington as the represen-
tatIve of the gentiles of Utah, and en-
deavor to secure such legislation as
would give the much-needed relief. The
bill DISTINGUISHING women was
q good thing, and the anti-polygamy
bill was another, but they would not !
accomplish everything. There had |
already been about one hundred convic-
tons under the law, and more would |
speedily follow. George Q. Cannon's |
case was referred to, ard the Judge ridi-
culed the idea of mans falling off |
train in motion with his pockets full of |
food and evidently prepared for long |
journey on foot. He thought that act |
had weakened the elder very much in
the estimation of the people, but many |
of them would believe anything he said. |
Cannon was believed to be either in the |
Sandwich islands or in Mexico. The |
conviction and sentence of young Can
10 -f,,lo Oh /, "a \
blow 10 the polygamists, and showed |
them that higher beliefs and princi-
pies" had no weight with a United |
States justice. Not until Mormonism |
was thoroughly crushed could the peo-
PIE hope for a better state of affairs in |
Utah.
Mr.. Charles c. Goodwin said he was |
going to oppose the proposed removal |
of the duty on lead. because free lead |
meant ruin and disaster to the miners |
of Utah.-Chicago Times.