Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-28
AGAINST ADMITTING UTAH.
Majority Rcpors 0a the Com mts,,ou.

AGAINST ADMITTING UTAH.
Majority Report os the Com miss,ou.
THE TERRITORY SHOULD NOT ss A STATE uxr,r
foLraAxr has BEEN ABANDONED IN GOOD FArrH
The majority report OF the Utah Commission,
signed oy g. L. Godfrey, A. B. Will ms and Ar.
thur L Thomas, three OF the ave mcmbers OF the
Commission has been received by the Secretary of
the Interior. The recommendation of their last
annual report is renewed that Utah should not
be admitted to the Union until such time as the
Mormon people shall manifest by their future
acts that they have abandoned polygamy in good
faith, and not then, until an amendment shall
have been made TO the o. s. Constitution prohibit
ing the practice OF polygamy. The report adds
that the territorial convention which adopted the
proposed constitution upon which an appeal was
made to Congress for admission to the Union was
held without authority from any proper source
1t is further asserted that the proposed constitu-
tion Is
SILENT WITH RESPECT 10 TIE cRnR OF roIYaAxY,
and the Commissioners are Of the opinion that the
Government cannot afford 10 surrender the great
advantage which 1t now holds and which has
been secured at much expense and trouble They
also think that there can no harm result from de-
lay IN r, tne ADMISSION Of the territory 70 the Union
committee in this matter In reporting that there
must De undouoted evidence on the part OF the
Mormon peop.e OF the abandonment OF polygamy
before the territory could be admitted as a state
and also that OF the House committee In reportin ?
lavoraoly the prohibitory amendment TO the Con.
stliuti0n, supports the views OF the majority or
Ine commission. 1t Is also stated In the report
that the democratic and republican parties of
Utah IN their conventions recently neld, indorsed
the position taken In the majority report
Ihe report further states that since The report
OF last year the legislative assembly OF Utah have
granted to the minority, or the non- Norman ele-
he nj a
institutions and provided local representation
IN Salt Lake and other cities.
POWER THE GOVERNOR SHOULD HAVE.
The recommendation or last year, that the gov
ernor OF the territory be given power to appoint
county Officers as follows: seectmen clerks, asses
SCHOOLS, Is renewed. The legislative assembly, at
It's session In January last, the report sta les,
territorial treasurer, auditor and other officers
and 1t Is added: Thus is presented tue specI acle
OF the CHEF representative OF the Federal Govern-
inent In Y tan belIg denied the right TO exercise
his legal authority, while at the same time the
agents and leaders OF those who are responsible
for this action the capital OF the nation pro-
Calming the loyal submission or the Mormon peo-
PIE 70 the laws, and demanding that they be re-
wardet Tor IL.
"In our opinion" continues the report, zone OF
ment Of the con. est In Utah mas the exercise
the cnurch."
AOhAON OffOSlTlON TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
In commenting upon the fact that the public
schools oil Utah are, with the exception OF few
districts In Salt Lake City and in the mining re-
gions, under the control OF the Mormon Church,
the Commissioners refer to an act PASSED BY the
last legislative assembly but vetoed by the gov
ernor, which prosided for the distribution OF The
public school Iund for the support OF puoIc and
private schools. Also, the opinion expressed by
Pres,Ient Wiiford Woodruff. under date OF June
8, 1885, that "the education OF our children should
be taken In hand oy US as q people, .
lhe perusal OF books We value as div ne records
is forbidden. Our children, II lett the training
they receive In these schools, Will grow up en-.
tirely Ignorant OF those principles OF salv .uon
I0r & w"icn a.r me Lat!er Day SAINTS have made so
ally expressed by all thInking people In the
church that we shouid have scuools wnere the
bioie, the book OF Mormon, AMI The book OF doc
trlne and covenants can be used as lex. .-books,
and where the principles or our religion may
form 'rt OF The teaching or the schools" From
the Mormon church is committed TO a policy
which, SUCCESSFUL, Will prove destructive 70
he public school system 10 Utah. Toe recon-
tendents OF public schools be made sppointable
by the governor.
NoN-NoRxoN SCHOOLS
Schools have been established by the nom Nor
mon population from the belief that the public
schools were IN naged badly, and that in some OF
them more attention was paid to the inculcation
this respecG, however, the report adds the public
schools have greatly improved, and in the more
thicly settled portions OF the territory there Is
now little gre und for complaint.
During The past year the different religious
denominations had In operation 80 schools al.
tended by 7,442 scholars. or this number the
Presbyterians conducted 33 schools, the Congre-
gational2 %, the Methodist ~. the Catholic q tue
Episcopal 5, the Baptist p and the Swedish Lu-
theran /.
ELECTIONS, CRIME, ETC.
The report expresses the opinion that the work
under the law OF Congress with respect to the reg
istration OF voters and the conduct OF the elections
has been well performed and very satisfactory
During the same period there have been eight In
dictments for pOlygamy and four convictions; 3O4
Indictments for unlawful cohaDitatton and 326
cOnvlctlonS
In regard to the claim made In behalf Of the
Mormons that during the past year the church has
ceased 10 sanction Violations Of the law, aud that
the legislature has declared in favor or enforcing
the laws or Congress, the report states that while
there has been pro- resS, and even marked pro-
gress, In this Respect this claim cannot be fully
concurred In.
In conclusion the Commissioners express the
opinion that AN energetic enforcement o. the laws
should be continued and also political disabilities
should be continued