St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-13
MORMON MURMuR1NGs.
Utah Wants Statehood and Wants
1t Now

Utah Wants Statehood and Wants
1t Now.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.-The house
committee on territories devoted this
morning to hearing arguments on the.
claims of Utah for admission as state
of the Union. The territory seeking
admission was represented by Dele
gate Kane Franklin Richardson
and William Jones attorneys: in oppo-
sition, were arrayed Judge Bas-
kins, Gov West, Mr.. Foyer and Judge
Mcbride. Mr.. Richards opened the
argument in an address in which he
briefly told of the settlement of Utah
and the hardships and sufferings under
gone by the pioneers in that country.
He spoke of the growth of the territory
in material resources and manufactures,
and pointed to the large proportion of
people in the territory who owned their
own homes, as compared with other
sections of the country. He defended
the patriotism of the inhabitants, citing
the efforts of their ancestors in
war. Touching the charges that have
been made relative to the practice Of
polygamy, he declared that since the
passage of the act in 1852, there had
been only ten convictions for new plural
marriages. All of the 500 other convic-
lions that have been had have resulted
in cases where the marriage had been
contracted before the enactment OF the
law. Mr. Richards also attacked the
governor of the territory, accusing him
tentionS of the Mormon inhabitants
of Utah, and of perverting facts
generally IN the interest of the gen
tiles. He characterized as absurd what
he called the dime novel stories of Nor
mon atrocities, and asserted that there
was no danger to be unprecedented by
the Gentle property holders of Utah in
the admission of the territory as
state. Property would be protected
under the state constitution as it had
been under the constitution of the ter
ritory. He spoke with some aSperity Of
the rabid Gentiles. as he called them,
who opposed the movement for admis-
sion, denouncing them as visionary
enthusiasts Or something worse, and de-
claring that if they had their Will. and
secured the appointment of the COM
mission they desired to govern Utah,
for iObbers. He did not mean to cen
sure all of the Gentiles who had signed
the petitions. as many of them had done
SO under coercion, and were honorable
citizens. In conclusion, he set out in
detail the claims Of the territory to adj
mission, and appealed to the committee
in the name of PATRIOTISM, justice and
honor, not to be Influenced by the plants
of a few enthusiasts to longer keep
her loyal people in political serfdom.
He took up the governors report to the
secretary of the interior and read affl-
dayits to show that it was incorrect as
to the power of the church in civil at
fairs. He quoted from church authori..
ties to show the perfect freedom OF
members to vote as they please, and
from the election laws to prove that no
one can discover what or whom an
elector votes for. Also, that tithing is
an entirely voluntary donation deter
mined by the giver, and that the whole
Mormon theory is based on free agency,
and in practice everything is done by
''common CONSENT" making the Nor
mon church the most democratic on
earth. He deprecated the governors
presence here for the avowed purpose
of trying to establish an absolutism in
Utah in which, with legislative COM
mission, he would have power to APP
point all the local officers.