Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-22

There was but one point in it about which
there could be any question. and that was
whether the twelfth section embodies the
honest views Of the 1895 men who voted
to ratiiy it. This section makes polygamy
and h1eamy = misdemeanor punishable by
fine and imprisonment. He declared upon
his honor that the people of Utah had
deliberately and unreseryedly adopted that
land, and intended to enforce it in the new
State. In reply to questions, he said the
last plural marriage of which he had
knowledge, was that OF Rudger Clawson,
several years ago. This man had been
tried and had suffered imprisonment for
his offense. The present Legislature of
Utah now in session has before it bill
for q marriage law,
PROHIBITING PoLYGAMY
and bigamous marriage. This had been re-
ported favorably from the Committee on
Judiciary. Those who oppose Statehood
for Utah, he continued, care nothing for
the-res::c;as .er morals of the Mormnns.
you would satisfy them you must disfran-
chise every Mormon on account of religious
belief.
Judge jeremiah Wilson also addressed
the committee. He eulogized the people OF
Utah as among the thriftiest, most honest
and temperate of the world. and challenged
comparison with any other community as
to the progress they have made in all that
goes to constitute an enlightened and civil
ized people. The whole opposition to the
admission of Utah, he said, he might be
summed up in two propositions: Assault
upon religious belief and an attempt to
govern majority by a minority. The
Mormons were the object OF abuse, because
they held the voting power which could not
be legitimately overcome at the polls. He
said they had
NEVER BROKEN PROMISE
or betrayed trust, and therefore their sim
cerity in the matter ought MOTTO be ques-
toned. He contended in g. legal argument
that if the State broke compact with all
other States represented by Congress, the
latter had inherent power and all that
was necessary to enforce the provisions OF
the contract. If asked whether in his
opinion the people OF Utah could be
trusted to make this compact and exercise
the powers of Statehood, he would answer
most solemnly and emphatically, yes.
Delegate Dubois OF Idaho addressed the
committee in opposition to the petition Tor
admission. He admitted the population
to be 10000, and sufficient, so far as
numbers go, to entitle the Territory to
Statehood. but declared that this popuia-
ton was mainly imported directly from
Europe by the Mormon Church. Even
with the insufficient police force, he said,
the number of arrests was
ENORMOUSLY DlspRoPoRr1oNArE
to the population and the vast majority OF
persons arrested were convicted. Utah had
been blessed with superior climate and soil.
She lay on the direct line between the East
and California. yet with such ADVANTAGES
her taxable wealth only aggregated $35,-
600, 900. So, ,OOO, 900 OF which was railroad
property not owned in Utah. and So
600, 900 of which belonged to the 30, 900
Gentle Inhabitants of that Territory. Her
taxable wealth averaged only $157 per
capita, while in the neighboring Territories
it ranged from $500 to $7OO. He asked to
be informed by any advocate OF admission
what practice OF Brigham Young or Joseph
Taylor was now admitted to have been
wrong and argued that the course OF the
Mormons in future could be best
JUDGED BY THEIR PAST.
They had been driven out OF Missouri by
reason of their polygamous practices and
had established themselves in Illinois
where they founded the City of Nauvoo and
undertook to do the same thing they are
now trying to accomplish. They secured g
city charter which made them also indie
pendent of State control. and then en-
acted regulations of such 8
character that the outraged people
of the State rose in their might an6
drove them away. Crime was rife in Utaf
and criminals had the sympathy OF th'
entire Mormon people. Ii any reform
was promised any abstention iron
practices pronounced by law to becriminal
The Legislature refused to make provision
for the arrest and punishment of criminal
and the United States Government wal
compelled to bear tho burden of the lOca
government of the Territory. The neV
constitution was
HALF TRICK. HALF LIE,
and those who presented it did not com
as freemen to freemen, but with cringin
and cowardice proposed to bind themselve
for the future in the way which was n
quired of no other State. The Territor.
could not come in under this Constitution
as equal, and any provision against tn
amendment Of this constitution was there
fore entirely nugatory and entirely wronl
The Gentiles of the Territory did not bs
lieve two years of Statehood would elaps
before the Constitution would be change
to meet the views OF the church.
Richards asked time to reply to Mr.. d.
bois, but Senator Paddock (not q membe
OF the committee, but present as an intel
ested partly stated that the opponents {
, the petition would wait a further opportt
nifty to present their case and the commit
tee therefore adjourned for the day.