The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-10-03
THE UTAH COMMISSION.
THEY MAKE THEIR ANNUAL REPORT
TO 6EeRETARY NOBLE,

Carried on ana Taught In the hohools'
The Objections Raised to Having II
Admitted ~ . ate-Ilseommenda-
tions Made,
WARHWaToS, Sept es,-fhe annual
report OF the Utah commission has been
received by Secretary Noble, This COM
mission, under authority OF congress,
has general supervision OF the elections
In tho territory and h particularly on
trusted with the enforcement Of tho
"EdmundB'iucker" act In regard 10
polygamy, Acting under the power
conferred the commission Ia ia report
says that they appointed on Nov ., 1888,
a canyaaaing board OF five reputable oltl,
2ena, three Of whom were 0entiles ard
two OF whom were MOrmona, This
board made a return Of the votes cast for
delegate 20 Gongeaaand found that John
4, Game Mormon, had received 10, le1
yotea u, n, liaskln, a,As4 votes, aud 3,
II, Thurman, 5ll, Calne was therefore
given q Cerlilloateof election 10 congress,
With but one exception the report states
there was no charge Of fraud In the con
duct OF the election, The commission,
the report continues 10 say, has followed
In the footsteps OF the first Utah COM
mission, which recognized the fact that
congress, la creating II, desired II 10 use
ilA best endeavora 10 wipe out and OK
tlngulah polygamy aud ~ far ~ possible
all polygamOus influence and tenden'
eleH In obedience % this object the
commission, la appointing registers Of
election, selected when possible those be-
longing 10 the nom Mormon element,
always appointing majority OF the
ludgea Of election two out Of three
from the Gentle olaaa, Ia some placca,
however, there were no Gentiles % I'LL
the positions, and Ia these cases Alurmona
were appointed,
This course, the report aaya, has had
the eject of decrcnilng the Mormon
vote, Touching the question Of polyg-
amy, the report aayai "fOlygamy ia not
AZ the present time openly praetlced,
except perhaps In o few remote aud out
of-tho'way places, but the non-Alormon
element Insists that plural marriages are
solomnl2ed clnndoallnely and praotizod
secretly In tho lnrgor centem and
throughout tho territory, This may Oh
may not he true, This commission
neither aillrma nor denies In the absence
Of positive evidence, Doubtless many
members Of the Mormon church mover
have practiCod and neither intend "a
practice p0lygnmy and perhaps many
Of them per 10 do not believe In tb(
practice, but from tho standpoint Of
their faith and creed, they accept II aa d
revelation from God through the
Prophet Seer and Rcyclntor Joseph
Smith ratified, confirmed, approved and
practIccd by their great president, Brig
ham Young; and that whoever desirca tC
do 40 should have the right to comply
with this ordinance Of the church
Polygnmy sim Practlccd,
All laws forbidiing the practice o
polygamy, tho report continues, tht
Mormon pronOuncea unconstitutional
There are grounds, Il h stated, for b0
lief that pOlygamy h still taught by IN,
church uN saving ordinance and that
those who practice u are assured Of {
higher cXnltatlon IN heaven than th0a,
who content themselves with ono wife
Extracts nrc given from Mormon
papcru showing that they still openly ad
vocato poligamy That tho toachng
and practice of polygumy have not bo0I
discontinued is proven, tho report says
by the fact that since Sept, /, 1888, there
have been In the territory Of Utah 8b
convictions for bigamy adultery, forni
cation and unlawful cohNbiWtion. Mos
Of these convictions were Tor unlawful
cohabitation and only two for bigamy
II plural marriages are now celebrated
says The commission, II Ia done IN The
secret chambers Of the temple, ~
polygamy is pmctlccd, II ls with the 10
cresy with which the burglar guards hi
house breaking aud the thief his lar
comics Those who are convicted o.
polygamy, the report continues, rognrl
themselves and are regarded by III,
church ~ martyrs and think II no dia
grace at all 10 bo sent 10 the penitcn
ti0ry.
should Not bc Admitted asa State,
The courts are commended for thoi
vigilance and also for the mercy will
which their mandates are tempered
Tho commission, In view Of the present
condition Of the territory az regard
polygamy, does not think that Utal
should bo admitted as o state. Shoult
10 be, the commission says, II would no
be long before 1.-THE Gentle clement
with its advanced civilization, ita trad,
and Ia traffic, would bo driven from th,
territory and the Mormon theocrOcy b,
made supreme
Recommendation AInde,
The commission makes number o.
Recommendations nmonp thom tim