Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-10-03
THE WICkEDNESS OF UTAH.
Report of the Utah Commission Made
to Secretary Noble.
P0lygamy Not Practiced to Any Extent
in That Territory.
Plural Marriages Strongly Advocated
in the Church.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2l.-1he annual
report of the Utah commission has been
received by Secretary Noble. The COM
mission has, says the report, followed in
the footsteps of the first Utah commission,
which recognized the fact that congress in
creating it, desired it to use the best en-
deavors to wipe out and extinguish poly
gamy and as far as possible all polygamous
influences and tendencies. With this
purpose In view the commission,
In appointing registers of election selected
when possible those belonging to the non
Mormon element. and always appointing
a majority of the judges of eIection-twO
out of three, from the gentle class. In
some places however, there were no gen
tiles to fill the positions. This course, the
report states has had the effect of decreas-
ing the Mormon vote. Touching the
question of .polygamy the report says:
''Polygmay is not at the present time,
remote and out of way places, bat the non
Mormon elements insists that plural mar
riages are solemenized cladestinely and
the territory. This may or may not be
true Doubtless many members of the
Mormon church never have practiced and
never intend to practice polygamy, and
perhaps many of them do not be-
Iieve In the practice, but from the stand
point of their faith and creed, they accept
it as revelation from God; and that who
ever desires to do so should have a right
to comply with this ordinance of
the church" All laws forbidding the
practice of polygamy the report
continues, the Mormons pro-
nounce unconstitutional There are
grounds for belief, it is stated, that pOlyg-
amy is still taught by the church as saw
ing ordinance, and that those who prac-
it are assured of higher exaltation In
heaven than those who content themselves
with one wife. Extracts are given from
morning papers showing that they still
openly advocate polygamy. That the
teachings and practice of polygamy has
not been discontinued as claimed by some,
is proven, the report says, by the fact that
since September l, 1888, there have been
In the territory 357 convictions for blgamy,
adultry, fornication and unlawful cohabl-
tation; only two for bigamy. If plural
marriages are now celebrated, says the re-
port, it is done in the secret chambers of
the temple-if polygamy is practiced it is
with the secrecy a burglar guards his
house-breaking and a thief his larcenies.
Those who are convicted of polygamy re-
gard themselves, and are regarded by
their friends as martyrs and think it
no disgrace to be sent to the penitentiary
The commission In view of the present
condition of the territory as regards poly
gamy, does not think Utah should be adj
mitted as a state Should it be, the COM
mission says, 1T would not be long before
the gentle element, with its advanced civ
ilization, its trade and traffic, would be
driven from the territory and Mormon the
ocracy be made supreme.
The commission makes a number of
recommendations, among them: That jul
risdiction of all pollygamous and sexual
offences, without regard to
the place committed within
the territory be conferred on the district
courts; that the term of Imprisonment for
unlawful cohabitatiOn be extended to at
least two years for the first, and three
years for the second otfense that it may
be penal offence for any woman to enter
into marriage relation with any man
knowing him to have wife living and
undivorced; that a person who refuses to
take oath that he or she is not cohabating
with more than one husband or wife in
marriage relation, as the case may be,
shall be excluded from making location
and settlement upon public lands; that the
laws with reference to the immigration Of
Chinese and the importation of contract
labor, paupers and criminals be so amend
ed as to prevent the importation Of persons
claiming that their religion justities the
crime of polygamy; that the constitution
should be amended so as to further pro-
hibit polygamy; that a law be enacted to
create board, consisting of the governor,
the Utah commission and the secretary
of the territory, to apportion Salt Lake
City into aldermanic and council
manic districts. 1t also recommends that
the commission be authorized In its dis
erection to cause to be made annually new
registration lists instead of revisions
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 re-dis-
tricted for legislative purposes.
The commission believes in limitation
on prosecutions for polygamy
and bigamy should be extended and
sentence to hard labor should be added,
''that their confinement may not be spent
in idleness and qualification of their sup
posed martyrdom y
The commission has no doubt that the
punishment of women for voluntary enter
ing into polygamous relation, would do
much to lessen her zeal for the peculiar in
stitution, and thus tend to remove one of
the strongest bulwarks.
In regard to the prohibition of immi
grafton, the report says: while we for
bid the immigration of nOn-proselvting
place-loving docile Cinnamon, 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 American born citizens, and pau
pers because they becomes burden; there is
a far greater reason for closing our
doors as nation and forbidding citizen
ship to the hordes who are brought here TO
swell the ranks of an organized body,
which teaches them in advance to hate
our government, denominates It's executive
law makers, judges and prosecutors as per-
secutors, and instills in every mind the
constant teachings that their pretended rev.
Citations are more binding than the highest
and best laws of the land, and that resist
ance to such laws Is a virtue and render
ing of obedience of God. How far short
of treason these teachings are, we leave to
those who can answer.
In concluding the report. the commits
sion says that congress should take no
backward or even wayering step IN the
enforcement of the laws against polygamy.
The members of the Utah commission
have adopted elaborate resolutions advo
eating Chicago as the location for the
World fair. The members are all from
different states.