Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-10-03
THE UTAH COMMISSIONS

THE Y TAI COMMISSION.
It's Conclusions Regarding the TERRITORY
Presented In Two Reports. Il;
WAsHINGToN, Sept. %. Two Of the Ave
members Of the Utah Commission. John
a. McClernand and A. B. Carlton, have
filed with the Secretary Of the Interior q
minority report OF the commissions They
also submitted minority report last year.
This report gives 3 very favorable account
OF the progress made during the
year In the work of reform and
says that there is decided
and rapidly increasing disposition on the
part Of the Mormons to abandon polygany
and to yield obedience to the law, The
commissioners believe that the Mormons
have come to the deliberate conclusion
that further resistance Is useless. They
think that no further legislation restrict
I've Of the political rights Of the
Mormons is needed. They comment
upon the tendency manifested to turn
the crusade from polyganly against the
Mormon church and its government, and
express themselves as being opposed to
such 2 course and favor the punishment of
criminal offenses, but not religious creeds
The recommendation made last year in the
minority report is renewed, that an amend
ment to the constitution of the United
States be adopted prohibiting the institu-
ton or practice Of polygamy in any form
In the States or Territories or other places
over which the United States have iuris-
diction. "&t $50 '%A.5
WAsHJNGToN, Sept. 20. The majority
report of the Utah Commission, signed by
q. l.. D. Godfrey, A. B. Williams and Ar
thur l. Thomas, has been received by the
Secretary Of the Interior A synopsis is
as follows:
The recommendation Of the last annual re.
port is renewed that Utah should not be ad-
mtted to the Union until such time as 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 the
United States prohibiting the practice
OF polygamy. The report adds that the
convention which adopted the proposed Con.
stitutlon upon which on 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 polyg.
amy, and the Commissioners ore OF the opinion
that the Government can not afford to
surrender the great advantage which 1t
now holds, and which has been secured at
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 the abandonment of polygamy
before the Territory should be ad.
mitted as State. and also that of
the House Committee in reporting faVorably
the prohibitory amendment to the constitu-
ton supports the views Of the majority OF tho
commission. It is also stated in the report that
the Democratic and Republican parties Of
Utah, in their conventions, recently held, In
uorsed 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 to the minority
or un-Mormon element representation in
the control OF the public institutions,
and provided for local epresent.-
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: Selectmen, clerks,
assessors, recorders and superintendent
OF public schools, is renewed. The Legislative
Assembly, at its session in January last, the
report states, denied to the Governor the
right to appoint the territorial treasurer
auditor and other office rs, and it is added:
Thus is presented the spectacle OF the chief
representative OF the Federal Government in
legal authority, while at the same time the
agents and leaders OF those who are respon-
sible for their 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,
I'm 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 subordinate to
The interests of the church,"
In commenting upon the fact that til public
schools OF Utah are, with the exception OF
few districts, in Salt Lake City and in the min
ing regions under the control of the Mormon
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 SCHOOLS; also the
opinion expressed by President MILFORD Wood
run under date Of June s, 1855, that 1.-The educa-
ton OF our children should be taken in hand
by Us rs people. The perusal OF
books we use as divine records is for
hidden. Our children if left to the
training they receive in these schools, will
grow up entirely ignorant OF those principles
OF salvation for which the Latter Day Saints
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 rs 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 Mormon church is committed
to policy which. il successful, will prove
destructive to the public school system
in Utah. The recommendation is, there
fore. renewed that superintendent of
public schools be appointed By the Governor.
During the past year the different religious de-
nominations had in operation 30 schools, at
tended by 7,442 pupils. OF this number the Pres.
byterian church conducted IS of the schools
the Congregational y, the Methodist TO-
the Catholic =, the Episeopalian 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 polygamy and four convictions;
3O4 Indictments for unlawful cohabitation, and
226 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
mn