Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-02-06
QUESTIONABLE SINCERITY.

QUESTIONABLE SINCERITY.
THE appeal of the Utah Commits
sion to ''the officers Of election and
qualified voters of Salt Lake City, {"
which was published in our issue OF
yesterday, sounded well. The'sent!-
ments conveyed by the phraseoIogy
employed were patriotic, elevated in
tone, and Of character which any
good citizen might endorse. The
suggestions offered in respect to the
management Of the polling places,
were unexceptionable and in the
interest Of peace and good order.
and the invocation to 'tall good citi-
zens" to "frown and stamp upon all
frauds and attempted frauds, - was
worthy Of the unanimous compli-
ance Of those 10 whom it was adj
dressed.
1t Is presumed that the members
Of the Utah Commission read the
local papers, and that they are rea-
sonably well informed relative TO
current events in this city. They
must know, because it is matter of
public notoriety, that challenges by
the wholesale have. been served upon
voters Of the Peoples Party, the
greater portion Of whichwere without
shadow of foundation, and a large !
percentage Of which were highly
absurd. No such an experience has |
been contended with by voters of |
the "Liberal'' party, Now any man .
Of common sense need not be told
the reason why Peoples Party
voters were challenged by the hun
dred. It was in the hope that some |
faint excuse for sustaining the
challenge would be found in at
least a few cases, but more in the
hope that the challenged parties
would fail to appear and answer. so
that their names might be stricken
from the registry lists by default.
And yet there has been no inter
ference with this shameful scheme.
although the Utah Commission had
ample power to check it instantly.
1t is believed 10 have come 10 be
as well understood to every citizen
as Is the season of the year or the
state OF the weather, that two of the
registration officers Of this city
made trip, in a special car, over
the Rio Grande Western and regis
tered by wholesale gang after gang
Of employees found at various points
between here and the Colorado line.
The members Of the Utah Commits
sion 1t is presumed have full In
formation Of this fragrant crime.
They know the names Of their ap-
pointees who are said 10 have per-
petrated it. They should know that
1t resulted in the placing Of hundreds
OF names upon the registry lists of
this city by process Of fraud aud
perjury. They ought to know that
by such foul means 1t is the inten-
ton to steal this ,ity next Monday
and yet they perform not one
single act TO prevent the consumna-
lion Of the crime, nor to punish its
perpetrators. They take not n stem
o strike from the lists the names
'riminally placed there by their
and the latter, though
heir guilt appears TO be ar notorious
n this community as is the fact
hat an election is pen ding, are not :
Invested Of authority, hut on the =
ontrary continue to sit as judicial r
fficers and override the decisions of 81
he Utah courts, and even of the
uFreme Court Of the United States, SC
In the light of the foregoing, we ii
resent for perusal the following &C
aragraph from the appeals, ia
THE Commission is DESTROYS Of hav- 81
g, and as far as It has authority Of pi
w or influences, is determined to have as
fair and impartial election; tina. .
'erything like fraud shall be nut We
'wn, that every lawfully registered pc
'ter in the city shall have the priv TIC
&c OF depositing his ballot freely as u
wishes, and without intimidation. In
ID that none who are not legally
gistered shall be permitted to vote. an
matter what the circumstances oy
~ be-" La
This sounds very well, but to O.,
cape an unanswerable charge of rel
stimulation, the Utah Commission
ist act, and that, too, with vigor wi,
d promptness. If IT would show I
detestatioD Of fraud, it must in shC
ntly remove and prosecute the po:
'istrars who are alleged to have lea
zen that trip over the Rio Grande cor
stern: it must cause to be erased abb
m the registry lists the names so I
ndulenuy placed there; and 1t MN
st see that the men, whose names con
re been wrOngfully stricken par
refrom by the arrogant and N
annical action of the registrars oo,,,
permitted to cast their ballots. AT o
hould the Utah Commission do in IL
his, 1t would still have several pow
Is acts to explain, which It is H
100 late to recall, and which an
wholly inconsistent with a fair
ton. We will name but one
appointment of the registrars. -
Of whom are candidates on the
oeral' ticket, to be judicial Off
with authority to pass upon
violation Of law they them Bar
s committed while acting in a None
lsterial capacity. While this Pse'f
age upon law, reason and JUS s ss1,
stands unpalliated as 1t now ap- R.o {
; to say nothing Of others P PUsie
I