The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-10-04

rae UTAH COMMISSION. /
- coaclssions Rssaraisg the Territel,
Presented Ia Two Rsports.
WAsHlSdroN, Sept. 29.-TWo Of tho five
members Of the Utah Commission, Joh1
A McC1ernand and A. b. Carlton, hav1
nleo with the Secretary Of the Interior /
minority report Of the commission. They
saso submitted minority report last year.
Inis report gives very favorable account
Of the progress made during thu
year In the work Of reform and
says that there is decided
ana rapidly increasing disposition on thi
part OF the Mormons to abandon polygamy
ana to yield obedience to the law. The
commissioners believe that the Mormon,
nave come to the deliberate conclusion
$50 ~ VAAOI X00l0t8UCo II useless. lucy
tn1nk that no further legislation restrict,
i've Of the political rights Of the
Mormons is needed. They comment
upon the tendency manifested to turn
Inc crusade from polygamy against the
Mormon church and its government, and
express themselves as being opposed to
such course and favor the punishment Of
criminal 0ffenses, but not religious creeda
Ine recommendation made last wear in the
minority report 10 renewed, that an amend7
ment to the constitution of the United
states be adopted prohibiting the institu,
tlon or practice of polygamy in any form
In the States or Territories or other places
over which the United States have juris.
dictiou.
WASHINGTON, Sept. %. The majority
report of the Utah Commission, signed by
q. L. D. Godfrey, A. b. Williams and Ar
thur Il Thomas, has been received by the
Secretary of the Interior A synopsis ia
as follows:
The recommendation of tho last annual re.
port IS renewed that Utah should not be ad,
United to the Union until such time ~ the Nor.
mon 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 constitution OF tho
United States prohibiting the practice
Va POAy8oWys LUG EOpOrG 0QQS t0aG the
convention which adopted the proposed Con.
stitution upon which an appeal was made to
Congress for admission to the Union was held
Without authority from any proper source It is
further asserted that the proposed Constitution
| Is silent with respect to the crime OF polyR.
amy. and the Commissioners are OF the opinion
that the Government can not afford to
surrender the great advantage which 1t
now holds and which has been secured at
much expo Sc and trouble. They also think
that no harm can result from delay in the ad.
| mission OF the Territory. The report claims
| that the action OF the Senate Committee in
this matter in reporting that there must be un-
doubted evidence on the part OF the Mormon
people OF tho abandonment OF polygamy
before the Territory should be ad-
mitted as State, and also that OF
the House Committee in reporting favorabl3
the prohibtory amendment TO the constttu.
ton SUPP orts the views OF the majority Of tho
commission 1t is also stated in the report that
the Democratic and Republican parties of
Utah, in their conventions recently held, in
dorsed the position taken in the majority re.
port. The report further states that since the
report Of last year the Legislative Assembly
OF Utah has granted 10 the minority
or un-Mormon element representation in
the control OF the pubic institutions,
and provided for local representa-.
ton in Salt Lake and other cities. The rec.
ommendation OF last year, that the Governor
OF the territory be given power to appoint
county officers as follows: Selectmea, clerks,
assessors, reco rders and superintendent
OF pu bile schools, is renewed. TIE Legislative
Assembly, at its session in January last, the
report states, denied to the Governor tho
right to appoint the territorial treasurer
aud tor and other Office RS, and it is added:
Thus is presented tue spectacle OF the chief
representative OF the Federal Government in
Utah being denied the right to exercise his
1orvn
agents and leaders Of those who are r,sron-
sble for the action are at the capital Of the
Nation proclaiming the loyal submission OF the
Mormon people to the laws and demanding that
they be rewarded for it,
In our opinion" continues the report
lone OF the chief causes for the long delay in
the settlement Of the contest in Utah has been
the exercise Of political power subord nate to
the interests Of the church..
In commenting upon the fact that tn public
schools OF Utah are. with the exception of q
few districts, in Salt Lake City and in the min
ing regions under the control OF the Mormon
church. the commissioners refer to an act
passed by the last Legislative Assembly but
vetoed by the Governor which provided for the
distribution Of the public school fund for the
support OF public and private scnools also the
opinion expressed by President MILFORD Wood.
run under dale OF June 3. 1883. that 1.-THE educa-
ton Of our children should be taken in hand
q
books we use rs divine records is for
hidden. Our children II left to the
training they receive in these schools, will
grow up entirely ignorant of those principles
OF salvation for which the Latter Day Sa nts
have made so many sacrifices. The
desire is universally expressed by all thinking
people in the church that we should have
schools where the Bible, the Book OF Mormon
and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants can be
| used as text books, and where the principles
| of our religion may form part of the teachings
of the schools"
From these circumstances the majority con-
clude that the Mo- mon church is committed
to a policy which, if successful, will prove
destructive to the public school system
in Utah. The recommendation is, there
fore. renewed that superintendents Of
public schools be appointed b. the Governor.
During the past year the different rel gious de-
nominations had in operation 80 schools, at
tended by s,442 pupils. OF this number the Pres.
byterian church conducted 80 OF the schc OILS
the Congresat onal %, the Methodist 20,
| the Catholic I, the Episcopalan 5, the Baptist
and the Swedish !. The report expresses
the opinion that the work under the law of
Congress with respect to the registering Of
votes and the conduct OF elections has been
satisfactorily performed
During the year there have been eight in
dictments for FOlygamy and four convictions;
8C4 indictments for unlawful cohabi! alton, and
~ CONVICTIONS. In conclusion the Commission
ers express the opinion that an energetic en-
forcement OF the laws should be continued. as
should also the political disabilities.
No Shortage in the Orange Crop.
New YORK, Sept 29-The price OF
oranges and the supply are not likely to
be seriously affected by the fever in
Florida. Wholesale dealers at Washing
ton Market said this morning that the
State of Louisiana alone will produce this
year at least l,5O0 boxes of oranges. The
supply from the West Indies is almost un-
limited. The Mediterranean ports can
also be drawn upon. The whole crop
might fail in this country and yet the
market here would not be seriously
embarrassed The total number of boxes
of oranges handled annually is estimated
at between IL, O00, 600 and Is Co., 600.
A TOWN WIPED OUT.