Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-06-18
WEAK FEATURES OF THE NEW
UTAH BILL.

Dill, D0tn oil winch III WOulu naNe Deeh
better to have avoided, as calculated to
lessen the chances OF the Act. One OF
them adds nothing, practically, to the
strength of the general measure in effect
ing the purpose designed, while the
other, if retained, is liable to prove an
actual barrier to such local legislation as
it ostensbly purposes to facilitate. The
notification of the laws chartering the
Church Incorporation and the Perpetual
Emigrating Fund Company will effect
nothing additional to the results from the
other provisions OF the law. Before the Act
can 90 into effect, all OF the church
property except that exempted, will be
transferred to leading individual men,
bers OF the organization and it will be
under the absolute control OF the same
persons who now direct its management.
The same with the Emigrating Fund
Company. Matters relating to immi-
grafton are, and always have been,
directed by the ecclesiastical leaders. No
attention has been paid to the provisions
OF the charter Of the company, and the dis
solution Of the latter will in no wise change
the system or methods now practiced in
peopling the Territory with converts
from foreign countries. The provisions,
while inviting opposition to the general
measure, thereby endangering its success,
will, if retained, be practically useless,
and will only represent that much super
huous matter in the body'of the enactment
The other and more Objectionable feature
to which we allude, is the appointing
power vested in the President and the
Governor of the Territory. Taken in
connection with the test oath and the
purpose it is intended to accomplish, it
is contradictory, incongruous and even
absurd. If, as it is designed, the oath
restricts the elective franchise to the loyal
element OF the Territory, it will be per-
fectly safe to trust the election OF our
local officers to the people, from whom
the privilege should not be with
held, except for the most important
and unusual causes. If, on the contrary,
the elective restriction is not sufficient
to effect its object, so far as local legisla.
ton is concerned, the loyal people OF Utah
will remain in their present powerless
condition. A Gentle Territorial Council
can effect nothing with its coordinate
branch composed OF representatives Of
the Mormon Church, which it most GER
tainly will be if the oath provision proves
Intellectual. Legislation relating to the
leading local issue will be deadlocked, as
it has heretofore been with Mormon
Council and Assembly and Gentle
Governor, possessing absolute veto
power. The matter can be summed
up briefly as follows If the
test. oath DISTINGUISHES sufficient
portion Of the dsloyal element to destroy
its political power, there is no necessity
for the appointment of our local officers
by the President or Governor. If thu
contrary is the case, the President SHOULD
have the appointment OF the members o
the Assembly as well as the Council
His power should be extended to EN-
brace the whole or none at all SHOULD
be conferred. AS it now stands thu
section goes just far enough to rende
it assailable as comforting unusual ii no
unwarranted executive power, withou
extending to the point where any beneti
cial result can accrue from the exercis,
of such power. Nothing but the extreme
exigencies OF the case would justify thu
adoption ofsuch measures and they should
not be adopted unless proportionatt
amount OF good will be effected. We
can easily imagine the objections OF any
Democratic member OF Congress, no
fully conversant with the condition o
Utah affairs to the endorsement of sucl
an apparent departure from the prece
dents, principles and policy of his party
In fact he must be made to fully realize
the unprecedented necessity before hi
will consent to it at all. Having ther
decided to assume the difficult task o
overcoming such obstacles, it would have
been wise to have made the beneficial
results proportionate to the labor to bt
expended and risk incurred. The loya
people OF Utah, while willing to sacritic,
any privilege or temporarily waive any
political right, to place the local govern
ment OF the Territory in the hands o
those who will conduct it in harmony
with the National authority, have tn,
right to expect in return something mort
then they can realize from the adoption
OF this halfway measure. This is a case
OF whole hog or nothing Ii the neces
sity exists for the comforting OF the ap
pointing power upon the President i
should extend to both branches of tn,
Legislature, or it might as we'll remain a
it is. Under the provision referred
to, those who can rightfully take
the test oath are themselves dis
franchised except in the matter OF votinl
for members of the Lower House OF tn,
Legislature. Or perhaps it would bt
more correct TO say that they are glveI
the elective franchise with no officers t,
vote for. In the days OF witchcraft il
New England, a person accused OF beinI
witch was cast into a river. Float
ing was considered evidence of gull
and the accused was taken out ant
hanged. Drowning was conclusive proc