St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-10-07
THE UTAH co "a MISSION.
Annual Report Regarding the Sta.
tus of the Mormon Church.

Annual Report Regarding the Sta
tus Of the Mormon Church.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 6.-The Utah COM
mission, by its chairman, A. B. Carleton,
has filed with the secretary of the interior
it's annual report, of which the following is
a synopsis:
During the year the law regarding the dis
reimbursement of polygamists and those liv-
ing in unlawful Capitalization has been fully
and successfully enforced. All such persons,
with very few, if any, exceptions, have been
excluded from voting and holding Offices. A
large number have been fined and imprisoned
in the penitentiary for poygamy or unlawful
cohabitatlon, chiefly for the latter Offense.
1t is reported and believed by many resident
non-MormOns that during the year large
number of polygamous marriages have taken
place in the temples Of Logan City and st.
George. We have not the means of verifying
such reports, yet we have no doubt that
considerable number of such
MARRIAGES HAVE BEEN CELEBRATED
with the knowledge, approval and active Co
operation of leading members OF the Mormon
church. Whether upon the whole, polyga-
nous marriages are on the decrease in Utah,
is a matter on which different opinions are
expressed, though we think it safe to say that
in the more enlightened parts of the terri
tory, as for example, Salt Lake City, very few
polygamous marriages have occurred within
the last year. Referring to the joint reSOlu-
ton now pending in both houses of congress,
proposing an amendment to the constitution
prohibiting and Furnishing polygamy in all
the states and territories, and extending the
judicial power of the federal government to
the prosecution of such Offenses, the report
SAYS: 'sWhile we are of the opinion that this
should not supersede other measures, we are
satisfied that it would be al efficient factor
in effect1ng the desired result. In addition
to the reasons presented by the judiciary
committee we suggest that the incorporation
of this provision in the constitution would
serve as an advertisement to the people of
all civilized nations, that in the United states
polygamy had been
PUT UNDER BAN
in the most authoritative and emphatic man.
ner.'' The report calls attention to the mag
nitude OF the evil by saying that there are
more than two hundred thousand Mormons in
the world, large majority OF whom live in
Utah, and that while only portion of them
practice polygamy they all believe in it as o
divine revelation; have been taught in their
schools and churches for third of century;
are led by men of great ability and are fanat-
ical to a marked degree; that the only i'm
mediately effective remedy would be the use
of the military, but that the sense of modern
civilization will not permit the use Of bayo-
nets against women and children. Yet the
American people regard polygamy as a crime
and it cannot be ignored by the government.
sHere we may say that, while we recognize
the obligation of the government to protect
the personal and property rights of the Nor
mon people, and to deal with them as equals
before the law yet it is equally the duty Of
the government to punish crime within its
jurisdiction, and religious liberty cannot be
pleaded as bar to punishment for criminal
actions in violation of the laws OF the land