The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-22
EDMUNDS' ANXIETY
To Seize and Dispose of the Nor
mon Church Property.
HE FEARS 1T WILL BE DISSIPATED
By Excessive Fees-Senator Buffers Plan to
Turn the Funds Over to the Church
Board of Education.

WASHINGTON. June 81. = Special tele-
gram to The HERALD. Agreeable to no
tice given yesterday, Senator Edmunds
called up in the Senate this morning his
bill supplemental to the Edmunds-Tucker
act of 1882, providing that the personal
property of the late corporation of the
Mormon church shall be devoted to the use
and benefit of the common public schools
in the territory of Utah. This is the prop
erty which the supreme court of Utah es-
cheated to the United States and about
which the supreme court of the United
States, after affirming that judgment, sub
sequently recalled its mandate, vacated the
decree and held the matter under advise
ment until the next term of the court. The
present bill anticipates any judicial action
and proposes to assist the court out of its
dilemma by disposing of the property in ad
vance.
Pending consideration to-day Senator
Butler, of South Carolina, offered an
amendment striking out all that part of the
bill which provides that the funds shall be
devoted to the use and benefit of the pub
lie common schools, and inserting in lieu
thereof a provision that said funds shall
'be devoted to the use and benefit of the
schools of the unincorporated sect known
as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
day Saints, and to the endowment of insti-
buttons of learning in said territory of
Utah, and for that purpose the
same shall be turned over to
the general board of education
Of said church by the secretary of the in
terror in such manner and under such
rules, regulations and restrictions, framed
with the approval of the Presidents las shall
prevent the said property and proceeds
arising therefrom, from being in any man
ner used or applied in the dissemination,
teaching or in any other form or manner
upholding or propagating the doctrine and
practice of polygamy or plural marriage"
This amendment, as also proposition to
postpone until the first Tuesday in Deem
Der next was voted down. During the de-
bate Senator Edmunds, as reason for
prompt action on the bill, expressed fear
that the funds might suffer loss by reason
of heavy court expenses and lawyer fees.
He was piously solicitous that the property
should not be squandered. Senator Voor
hees, of Indiana, said he entertained no
fears on that head; the funds were in
charge OF a receiver appointed by court,
the members of which were doubtless of
the same political complexion as the Sen
ator from Vermont; the receiver was prob
ably of the same party, and he presumed
they were honest men and would discharge
their duties faithfully.
On the matter of the political complexion
of the supreme court of Utah and the poll
tics of the receiver, Senator Paddock was
seeu to step over to the desk of Senator
Edmunds and whisper something into tht
latter's ear, when bland and angelic
smile was seen to illumine the stoical feat
ures of the Vermonter and his qead nodded
automatically. He did not, however, deem il
necessary to enlighten the Senator as u
the nature of the whispered communlca
ton which caused that blissful smile. The
bill was posed without division. 1t nov
goes over to Speaker Reed bp whom it will
be referred to the House committee on
judiciary. The measure is regarded as
premature and unnecessary legislation.