Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-20
THE NATIONS SCAPITAL.
Utah Knocks Again for State
Hood.
Augustus Post ONCE Building Likened to
joSeph'S Coat Of Many COlOrs.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
Issues Orders to Railroads in
State Limits


This was Utahs fifth petition for admis-
sion, and as the oldest of the territories il
was hoped her appeal would be needed. 1t
had been objected that the Mormons were
polygamsts. As a matter of fact not more
than per cent. of them ever were polygam-
lists and less than l2 per cent were polyg-
amists now. Time was rapidly solving the
problem. The members of the constitution
al convention took oaths against poly
and adopted constitution which made po-
lygamy or bigamy a crime.
As the speaker read the paragraph of the
constitution, providing that the anti-polyg-
amous sections shall never be repealed, or
changed without the assent of Congress and
the President, Senator Butler queried "You
don't expect Congress to act fayOfably upon
such a proposition, do you: | for one say
frankly and emphatically | will not vote for
it. do not believe Congress OF the Presi-
dent has anything to do with changing state
constitution,
Senator Stewart, asserting, said he did not
think Congress had any right to make a trea-
" with state or territory.
Mr.. Richards said that whatever might be
the opinion of the committee, the provision
at least demonstrated the good faith of the
men who framed the constitution to do all in
their power if permitted, to wipe out po-
lygamy. The people of Utah recognized
that the country required it, and they wished
to meet the requirement They, however,
proposed TO accomplish it by more humane
methods than tho provided by the present
laws.
Ex-senator Mcdonald followed Mr. Rich
ards, discussing the Illegal features of the
case and arguing that the power of Congress
to compel submission 10 any regulations with
regard to marriage relations was not impair
ed by the admission of Utah as a state. He
cited the case of Louisiana where it was re
CURED that civil liberty should be secured as
condition of her admission He argued
that Congress had "A right to protect our civil
ization. Provisions against polygamy and
bgamy had been incorporated in the consti-
tuition and the history of the past showed
that provisions SO fixed were effective. He
claimed that Congress had no right to keep a
territory out of the Union after its people
had fulfilled the conditions and complied with
the requirements prescribed for admission.
Delegate Dubois of Idaho addressed the
committee briefly in opposition to the petition
He admitted the population of Utah to be
1870, 900, and suifcientas far as numbers GO,
to entitle the territory to statehood, but de-
clared that the population mainly I'M
ported from Europe by the Mormon church.
Even with an insufficient police force, he
said, the number of arrests for crime was
enormously disproportionate to the popula
ton. and a vast ma jority of the
persons arrested were convicted. tab
had been blessed with superior climate and
soil she lay in the direct line between the
East and California yet with such adtan-
tages her taxable wealth only aggregated
$50 900 900. So 900, 600 of which was rail
road property not owned in Utah, aud So
Oo0. 900 of which belonged to the 10000
Gentle inhabitants of the territory, Her
taxable wealth averaged only Sl51 per
capita while in the neighhorlng territories ii
ranged from $500 to 500. He asked to be
informed by any advocate of admission what
practice of Brigham Young or Joseph lay
lor was now admitted to have been wrong,
and he argued that the cause of the Mormon
i'll the future could best be judged by their
past They had been driven out of Missouri
and Illinois by reason of their polygamcus
practices Crime was now rife in | tab, aud
the criminals had the sympathy of the entire
Mormon people. If any reform was prom
ised-any abstention from practices pro-
nounced by the law to be crimlnai-the man
who promised it was ostracised. The Legis-
lature refused to make provision for the ar
rest and punishment of criminals. and the
United States government was compelled to
bear the burden OF local government of the
territory. The new constitution was half a
trick, half lie, and those who presented it
did not come as freemen TO freemen. but
with cringing and cowardice porposed to bind
themselves for the future in way which
was required of no other state.
When the matter of increase of appropria-
tions now in process of erection ia different
parts of the country, came up before the
House committee on public buildings Mr.,
Milliken got chance to elucldate some OF
the political masonry modes of construction,
by taking Augustus public building for an
illustration the question arose as to whether
the architect or the local superintendent was
responsible for the misappropriation of funds
aud the patchwork style of its architecture.
Mr. Miliiken said 'Someb body is RESPONSE
bic for this business. Further than that,
Mr.. Bodwell told me himself that he offered
to take $3.50, 900 and finish that building to
the satisfaction of the Department in as
good a style and manner as any building of
the same class in the United States ami that
offer was refused. The contract was given
to another company; and while the sub
structure has been constructed of white
granite they are building the first story of
the superstructure of dark granite. Posi-
blv they will build the third story which
has not been contracted for. of red granite
: and if they continue rs they have begun We
I shall have a public building like Joseph's
coat--of many colors and God only knows
what it will cost if Congress shall, from time
/ to time be so indulgent to furnish the
money.
( Now | say there is something beyond what
/ the House has control of in regard to these
expenditures on public buildings. | am in
favor of granting this $4,000, because i
is necessary in order to put the building II
habitable shape. You can no, leave it with
out a roof; yos can not leave 1t without
third story; you cannot leave 1t unturnlshed
and therefore, because it is necessary ~ th'
present state of the case, in order TO maxi
the building OF any use to the government
| am in favor of the amendment. But ih'
whole trouble might have been avoided b,
yoiuy forward in a business-like. uon-poli,i
cal way, as should be the course iii ever,
case Of this kind The construction of pub
lie buildings should be purely matter o
business, wherein politics should have ~
consideration.
c. c. McCair, auditor of the mtersta"
commerce commission, has just issued th'
following circular;
Roads located wholly in one State or Ter
ritory 'yhich interchange freight OF psssen
ger traffic with connections to or from point
outside of such State or Territory o
through tickets or bills of lading, shout
file tariffs covering such traffic with the com
mission If such through rates are made b
the addition of local rates 10 the rates o
connecting roads. such local tariffs should b
filed with the commission, together with
statement that through interstate rates ar
made by adding such local rates to the rate
of the carrier (naming it) with which cor
uection is made. If point rates are made o
anv basis other than by the addition of tn