Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-02-19
SEEKING STATEHOOD.
Utah's Advocates Before
the Senate Committee.
STRONG OBJECTIONS RAISED,
Not More Than Two Per Cent. of
the MOrmOns Said to be
POlygamists.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD


a hearing to-day upon the admission
of Utah as q State. Franklin Richards,
of Salt Lake, described the barren
ness OF the place when the
settlers first entered, and the
wonderful productiveness, prosperity
and wealth which have resulted from
their diligence and enterprise. This
was Utah's fifth petition for admis-
sion, and as the eldest of the Terri
tories, it was hoped that the appeal
would be needed. She had reached
the point beyond which progress un-
der Territorial government was i'm
possible.
As the Speaker had paragraph of
the Constitution providing that the
anti-polygamous sections shall never
ne repealed or changed without the
assent Of Congress and the President.
Senator Butler said: "You don't ex-
pect Congress to act favorably upon
such proposition, do you? l for one
say frankly and emphatically, that 1
will vote for it. l do not believe that
Congress or the President has anything
to do with changing the Cons,itu-
ton"
Senator Stewart, asserting, said that
he did not think Congress had right to
make treaty with State or Terri
tory.
Richards said that whatever might
b< l., of In -.
provisions at least demonstrated good
faith for the men who framed the
Constitution to do all in their power
if permitted to wipe out polygamy.
1t had been objected that the Nor
mons were polygamists. AS mat
ter Of fact not more than two per
cent. OF them ever we're polygamists.
Time was rapidly solving the problem
Members OF the Constitutional Con-
vention took
oATHs AGAINST PoLYGAMY
And adopted a constitution which
made polygamy or bigamy a crime.
The people of Utah recognized that
the country required it, and they
wished to meet the requirements
they, however, proposed to accom-
plish it by more humane methods
than those provided by the present
laws. He cited cases of Mormons who
had been tried and convicted by the
Courts. and showed by what he
declared to be indisputable facts that
the parties were innocent of the
charges brought against them. The
prosecution and Courts were unable
to bring proof OF unlawful cohabita-
ton, in fact, and had invented con-
structive cohabitation, and convicted
and punished offenders for this.
Members asked if the stories as
Richards related them, embody facts
which were conceded by the prosecu-
tion.
Richards could not say what he
considered, but said that he stated
what he, having been present as
counsel for defense, knew to be the
truth.
1t was proposed by Senator Plat
and others, that the names of the
prosecuting officers be taken, with a
view to inquire of them as to their
versions of the matter, and with this
understanding the witnesses pro-
ceeded.
Ex-senator Mcdonald followed
Richards, discussing the legal features
of the case, and arguing that the pow
er Of Congress to compel submission to
any regulations in regard to the mar
riage relations was. not impaired by
admission as State. The provision
against polygamy and bigamy has
been Incorporated in the Constitution,
and he claimed that Congress had NO
right to keep the territory out of the
Union after it's people h dfulflled the
conditions and complied with 'he re-
quirements prescribed for admission.
Delegate Caine and Judge jeremiah
Wilson addressed the commission on
the same questions.
DELEGATE GAME SAID
That while the State could not pre-
scribe religious beliefs, it could forbid
practices which, though sanctioned
by revelation. were held to be detri-
mental to good morals. There was
no pretense that the religious beliefs
of the people we're to be inquired into.
Caine defended the co.religionists Of
Utah against the charges brought by
various writer's, and declared that
they were upright, worthy people.
Though revelation permitted plural
marriage, and all the members of the
church might have married repeated
ly, the majority Of the people had
sought to put themselves in conform
ity with the requirements of the coun-
try. The constitution adopted by the
was not conspiracy, and
there was but one part in
it of which there could be
any question, and that was
tho section making polygamy mis-
demeanor, punishable by fine and i'm
prisonment. It embodied the honest
vie ws of those who voted for it. He
declared that the people Of Utah had
deliberately and unreservedly adopted
that section in good faith and intend
ed to enforce it in the new State.
THE PRESENT LEGISLATURE
OF Utah now in session has before it
q bill for marriage laws prohibiting
polygamy and bisamous marriages.
This has been reported favora oly
from the Committee on judiciary.
Those who oppose statehood for
Utah, he continued, care nothing for
the religion or morals Of the Mormons.
1t is their politics which they oppose.
If you would satisfy them, you must
disfranchise every Mormon on
account of his religious belief.
WILSON'S ADDRESS.
Judge Jeremiah Wilson eulogized
the people of Utah. The whole op.
position to the admission of Utah be
said might be summed up in
two propositions. assault upon
religious belief and an attempt
to govern a majority by q
minority. The Mormons were OBJ.
jects of abuse, because they held
the voting power which could not bt
legitimately overcome at polls.