The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-09-28
THE UTAH EVIL.
What the Government Commission
is Doing to Redeem a Sister
Territory.
The Law Not Openly Violated. but the
Practice Still Encouraged by
the Church.
tences, Plural Wives to be Answer
able as Well a. Husbands.

WASHINGTON, Sept 27.-The annual
report of the Utah commission has been
received by Secretary Noble. The report
says the commission on November 81, ISIS,
appointed a canvsssinR board of five repu-
table citizens, three OF whom were GentiIes
and two MOrmOns. This board made re-
turns Of the votes cast for delegates 10 con-
Rress on the 9Th of that month, when u was
found that John T. CsIne, Mormon. hsd
received 10, l27 votes, R. v. Basken s 4S4
votes and 5. r. Spurman 51l votes. Caine
was given q certificate OF election. With
but one exception, the reports states there
was no charge of fraud at the election.
The commission, continues the report.
has followed in the footsteps Of the fret
Utah commission, which recognized the
fact that congress in creating lt desired n
10 use it's best ende1vJTs 70 wipe out and
extinguish polygamy, and as far ss possible
all DOlygamous Influences and tendencies.
Win this purpose in view the commission
in appointing registrars of election Sc
lsctsd when possible. those belonging 10
the non Mormon element, and always Ap-
pointing a majority Of the judges OF elec
ton, two out OF three. Of the GENTLE class
In some places, however, there were no
Gentiles TO fll the positions This course,
the reT ort states, had the effect OF decTeas-
ing the Mormon vote.
Touching the question OF pOlygamy, the
report says: "Poiygsmy is not at the pres
ent time openly practiced except. perhaps.
in a few remote and out Of the way places;
but the non Mormon element insists that
plural marriages are sOlemnized
clsndestinely and practiced Sc
eretly in the larger centers and
throughout the territory. This may
or may not be true. The commission
neither affirms nor denies il in the absence
of positive evidence Doubtless many
mem bers of the Mormon church never
nsve pTaeticed and never intend TO prac-
per So, do not believe in the practice; but |
from the standpoint of their faith and creed |
they accept it as revelation from God, |
through the prophet, seer and rrvelatOr,
great president, Brigham Young, and that /
whoever desires 10 do go should have the Il
right to comply with this ordinance of the /
church." All laws fOrbdding the Il
practice Of pOlygamy, the report continues,
the MormoDs pronounce unconstitutional.
There are grounds for the belief, It is
stated, that poly gamy Is still taught by the /
church as a saving ordinance, and that
those who practice 10 are assured OF higher /
exaltatIon in heaven than those who con
tent themselves with one wife. Extracts /
are given from Mormon papers showing /
they still openly advocate pOlygamy. That /
the teachings and practice OF poiyRsmy |
have not been discontinued, as claimed by /
some, is proven, the report says, by the /
fact that since September 1, 1884 there has /
been in the territory of Utah 357 conVie- |
tlOus for bigamys adultery, fOrnicAtiOn and |
unlawful cOhabttRtiOn.
IL plural marriages are now celebrated, |
say 5 the report, IL Is done in the secret /
chambers of the temple. IL pOlygamy is |
practiced, IL is with the secrecy with which |
the burglar guards his housebreaking and |
the thief his larcenies. Those who are
convicted of pOiygamy regard themselves
and are regarded by their friends, as
maItyrs, and think IL no disgrace TO be
sent TO the penitentiary. The courts are
commended tor their vigilance and also for
the mercy with which their mandates are
tempered. The commission. in view of the
present condition of the territory as regards
poly gamy, does not think Utah should be
com mission says, it would not be
long before the GENTLE element,
with lite advanced civilization,
its trade and traffic, would be driven from
the territory anu the Mormon theOcracy
made supreme. The commission makes a
number of recommendations, among them
that the jurisdiction OF all pOlyRamous and
sexual Offeuses, without regard to the place
ferred on district courts; that the term of |
imprisonment for unlawful cohAbifatiOn
De extended to at least two years for the
6rst and three years for the second; that IL |
be made penal Offense for any woman 20 |
enter into marriage with any man knowing |
that he has a wife living undivorced,
coupled, however, with the provision that |
IN cases where the poiygamOus wife is |
called as q witness sgainst her husband, /
her testimony could not be used in any |
future prosecution against her, and a like |
provision as TO the husband; that a person |
who refuses TO take an oath |
ing with more than one husband or |
wife in marriage relation Is case may be, |
shall be excluaed from making a location |
and settlement upon public lands; that the |
laws with reference TO the immigration OF |
Chinese and the In mpOTt6tlOn OF contract la |
Dor, paupers and criminals be SO amended
as TO prevent the immigration OF persons
claiming their religion jusiihes the criule
Of pOlygamy, and thai the constitution
should be so amended Is 10 further pro
hibit polygamy; that law be enacted
creating board TO consist of the governor.
the Utah commission and tie secretary Cf
the territory TO appOTt1On Salt Lake City
into aldermanic and cOuncilmAnic districts
IL alsn recommends that the commission.
In It's discretion, cause 10 be made annually
new registration. instead OF revisiODs
Of former lists; that congress pass
laws for the government and conduct of
public schools in the territory of Utah;
that as soon as the result Of the eleventh
census Is known the territory be reds
tricted for legislative purposes. The com
mission believes Limitation on prosecutions
for polygamy and bigamy should be ex
tended, and sentences 10 hard labor should
be added, that their cor fiuement may not
be spent in idleness and The glOri6cation of
their supposed marIyrdOm. The commits
sion has no doubt that the punishment of a
w man for voluntarily entering into a
pOlygsmous relation would do much TO les
sen her zeal for this peculiar institution,
ana thus tend to remove one Of the strong
est oulwarks.
In regard to the prohibition Of immiRra-
ton, the report says: "Wh,le We forbid
the immigration OF the non proselytipg,
peace loving, dOcile Chinaman be-
cause we fear future danger
from his coming, and while we
forbid the landing on our shores OF contract
labOrers because they chezpen the wages
of American born citiz-ns, and paupers
because they become q burden, there is
far greater reason for closing our doors as
a nation and forbiddlng citizenship 70 the
hoTdes no are brought here to swell the
ranks of an organized body, which teaches
them in advance to hate our government
denominates its executive law makers. iud-
ges and prosecutors as peTsecutOrs, ana in
stills into every mind the constant teaching
that their pretended revelations are more
binding than the highest and best laws Of
the land, and that resistance TO such laws
is . virtue and rendering Of obedience TO
God How far short of treason these teach
tngs are We leave 20 those who can an
swer."
In concluding the report the commission
says: Congress should take no backward
OF even wsvering steplin the enforce ment Of
the laws against pOlygsmy."