The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-28
Synopsis of the Report of the
Utah Commission.
THE PUNISHMENT OF THE WOMEN
Who Enter Polygamy Advised-Also the Pro-
hibition Of Mormon Immigration-In-
creased Standardization

putable citizens, three of whom were gen
tiles and two Mormons. This board made
returns of the votss cast for Delegate to
Congress on the 9Th of that month, when it
was found that John T. Game, Mormon,
had received l6, 127 votes; r. N Baskin,
3,4S4 votes; and S. r. Thurman, 511 votes.
Game was given certificate of election.
With but one exception, the report states,
there was no charge Of fraud in the con-
duct of the election.
The commission has continued, says the
report, to follow in the footsteps of the
first Utah commission, which recognized
the fact that Congress in creating it de-
sired it to use its best endeavors to wipe
out and extinguished polygamy and, as far
as possible, all polygamous influences and
tendencies. With this purpose in view the
commission in appointing registers Of cleo
ton selected, when possible, those belong
ing to the non-Mormon element, and always
appointing majority of judges of election,
two out of three, from the gentle class. In
some places, however, there were no gen
tiles to fill the position This course, the
report states, has had the effect of decreas-
ing the Mormon vote.
Touching the question of polygamy, the
report says: "Polygamy is not at the pres
emit time openly practiced, except perhaps,
in few remote and out-of- the-way places.
The non-Mormon element insists that
plural marriages are solemnized clan
destinely and practiced secretly in the
larger centerS and throughout the terri
tory. This may or may not be true; the
commission neither affirms nor denies it in
the absence of positive evidence. Doubt
less many members of the Mormon church
never have practiced, and never intend to
practice, polygamy, and perhaps many of
them do not believe in the practice; but
from the standpoint of their faith and
creed they accept it as a revelation from
God, through his prophet, seer and reveal
tor, Joseph Smith, ratified and approved
by the great President Brigham Young,
and that whoever desires to do so should
have the right to comply with this ordin-
ance of the church. All laws forbidding
the practice of polygamy, the report con-
tinues, the Mermons pronounce unconstitu-
tional.
There are grounds for the belief, it is
stated, that polygamy is still taught by the
church as saving ordinance, and that
those who practice it are assured of a
higher exaltation in heaven than those who
content themselves with one wife. Ex-
tracts are given from Mormon papers
showing that they still openly advocate
polygamy. That the teachings and prac-
tice of polygamy have not been discontin-
ued as claimed by some, is proven. The re-
port says that the fact that since
September l, 1888, there have been
in the territory of Utah, 357
convictions for bigamy, adultery for
nication and unlawful cohabitation, only
two have for bigamy. 'n plural mar
riages are now celebrated" says the re-
port, SIT is done in the secret chambers of
the temple If polygamy is practiced, it
is with the secrecy with which the burglar
guards his house breaking and the thief his
larcenies Those who are convicted of
polygamy regard themselves, and are re-
garded by their friends, as martyrs and
think it no disgrace to be sent to the pen
itentiary.r The courts are commended for
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
polygamy, does not think that Utah should
be admitted as state. 'Should it be,n
the commission says, ''it would not be
long before the gentle element, with its
advanced civilization, its trade and traffic,
would be driven from the territory, and
the Mormon theocracy be made supreme"
The commission makes a number of re-
concentrations, among them, that the
Jurisdiction of all polygamous and sexual
offenses, without regard to the place in
which committed within the territory, be
conferred on the district courts; that the
term of Imprisonment for unlawful cohabi-
tation be extended to at least two years for
the first, and three years for the second
offense; that 1t be made penal ORense for
any woman to enter into the marriage re
lation with any man knowing him to have
wife living and undivorced, coupled,
however, with the provision that in cases
where the polygamous wife is called as
witness against her husband, her testi
mony could not be used in any future
prosecution against her, and like provision
as to husband; that a person who refuses
to take the oath that he or she is not CO.
habiting with more than one husband or
wife in the marriage relation, as the case
may be, shall be excluded from making To-
cation and settlement upon public lands;
that the laws with reference to immigra-
ton of Chinese, and the importation of
contract labor, paupers and criminals, be
so amended as to prevent the immigration
of persons claiming their religion justifies
the crime of polygamy; that the constitu-
ton should be amended so as to further
prohibit polygamy; that a law be
enacted creating board to consist
of the governor, the Utah commission and
the secretary of the territory, to apportion
Salt Lake city into aldermanic and council
manic districts.
IL dlSO ICCOuIulSIlUS budU lIlC tUulillSSlOu,
in its discretion, shall cause to be made an
nually new registration, instead of re-
vision of the former lists; that Congress
pass laws for the government and conduct
of the public schools in the territory of
Utah; that as soon as the result of the
eleventh census becomes known, the terri
tory be re-districted for legislative pur-
poses.
The commission believes that the limita-
II,
amy should be extended and sentence to
hard labor should be added that their con-
finement may not be spent in idle
ness and in The glori6cation of their
supposed martyrdom. The commission
has no doubt that the punishment
of woman for voluntarily entering into the
polygamous relation would do much to
lessen her zeal for Eepecuhar institution,
and thus tend to remove one of their
strongest bulwarks.
In regard to the prohibition of immigra-
ton, the report says: "While we forbid
the immigration of the non-proselyting,
peace-loving, docile Chinaman, because we
fear future danger from his coming !;
while we forbid the landing ON our shores
of contract laborers because they cheaper
the wages of Amer, can born citizens, and
paupers because they become a burden,
there is far greater reason for closing our
doors as nation and forbidding citizenship
to the hordes who are brought here to
swell the ranks Of an organized body which
teaches them in advance to hate our gov
eminent, denominates its executive, law
makers, judges and prosecutors, as perse-
cutors, and instills into every mind the
constant teaching that their pretended rev.
Citations are more binding than the highest
and best laws of the land, and that resist
ance to snch laws is virtue and render
ing of obedience to God. How far short OF