The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-11-04
TIE GOVERNOR AND THE COMMISSION.

Governor THOMAS, in mis- annual report
to the secretary of the interior, pleads for
the continuance of the Utah commission.
He says the deleand for the abolition of the
commission will come from persons who
have never been in sympathy with the law
creating the commission, or with the work
of the commission under the law.n The
governor further saws, this being the final
sentence in his report: SIT is well to re-
member that the non-Mormons are not in
sympathy with the demand, but desire that
the commission shall be retained"
1t is natural enough that Governor
THOMAS should desire the continu-
ance of the commission. At one
time he was g member of the
board and therefore understands what
powerful institution it is in behalf of the
party of which he is an active member. He
knows how the commission has, does and
will employ its authority and influence to
further the interests of partisan organiza-
ton. With such board fair and honest
elections are out of the question. No matter
what party's numerical majority may be
1t is within the power of the commission to
knows that the board has used its authority
10 put the minority into power, and even at
our late election, when the religious oues-
ton which induced the passage of
The law creating the commission
cut no figure in the contest the board was
as unfair and partisan as ever 1t denied
justice and representation on the election
boards to both the national parties
virtually giving the machinery of the cleo
ton into the hands of the political organi-
cation which was opposed to both Demo
Gratis and Republicans. So long as Gov
vernon THOMAS is prominent in the Liberal
ranks and the commission is the sub
Eervient tool of that party, doing it's bid
ping as faithfully as ever slave obeyed
master it is hardly to be expected that the
governor will favor the abolition of the
board.
But in asking for its retention the gov
ernor should eonfine himself to the facts
and not seek to bolsterup his cause by false
statements. When THOMAS says the demand
that the commission be abolished comes
from persons who have never been in SYM
patty with the EDMUNDs law and the work
"a WY SSoAA hO Sbotcs pnly part Oh
truth. Many of those who are most ear
nest and pronounced in their demand that
the useless aud partisan board be d. scontin-
ued were at one time in full sympathy with
the law and the commissions work The
governor cannot deny this, for these men
were with him and the commission SO long
as they could find any legitimate work for
the latter to do or any excuse for its exist
ence. The governor is cunning and tricky
in this, thus illustrating one of his charac
teristics. He wants TO make IL appear that
Il is the Mormons, and they alone, who are
opposing the Utah commission, whereas
the truth is that as pronounced Gentil es
az there are in this country are openly
proclaiming that the commission should
go and its duties be turned over to the peo
pie. If the governor had been frank and
outspoxen he would have said the Liberals
ARE not in sympathy with the oemandn
for the abolition of the commission, but all
others are without regard to religion or
politics. And it may be added that the
reason the Liberals do not want the COM
mission to be retired is because the board
is simply the subservient tool of the party.