Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-10-10
The MINORITY REPORT,
Gen. ACCItrlaad Diss.nts From ths
Other Commissioners.
a FAIR AND LUCID STATEMENT
The Situation Strongly Presented and
the Truth Upheld.

OFFICE or THE UrAH COMMISSION,
SALT LAKE CRY, Utah, Sept %,
1891.
Hon. John ". Nojis, Es7., Scorcsary
Of ne Intsrior, Warrington, y. c..
eim-As I cannot consistently concur
In all ofthc statements male or con.
clusions reached In the majority re-.
port Of my colleagues, with their con-
sent aud with respect for all concerned,
| herewith submit the following mat
ters
The legal authorization Of the Utah
Commission ana tho transactions
since the date Of Ia last annual report.
The penal inhibition u sexual
oilcnscs and the restriction Of suffrage
ia Utah, with the Judicial aiiiFmance
Of tho cJni,ilutlonality OF boih moa'
surt-.
The virtual Independence Of cleo.
tOral REGISTRAR and election judges ia
the Territory, adding, ne / proceed,
some recommendations aud general 70.
ficcti0us.
Puruant 10 tho no, Of Congress ap.
proved March %, isse-thc Eimunds
law-prcsidrnt Arthur appointed 1--WE
persons, members Of one or another Of
the national Political parties, 60 CONF
ppHe the Commission. These prrson4
were chosen from the body VI the citi-
zens OF NJ many States, upon ihe ALE.
gcd supposition that they would be free
from the passions And pf,Judices which
10 long Disturbed tho Territory. This
precedent, responsive 10 the spirit Of
the statute, was designed 10 secure
judicial impartiality IN the exercise OF
the Commisslon's functions. As rolat-
Ing to suffrage and eligibility TO office,
fundamental 10 republican govern.
mont, Il could hardly have oceu other
wise. II has hitherto been followed.
No change has occurred In tho pee
sonnet Of the Commission save through
appointments 10 on vacancies caused
by death or resignation. No Instance VI
removal has transplrcd.
ELECTIONS.
Elections have occurred In the Terri
tory Mt frequent and varying intervals
Of time since the date Of the commits.
sion's last report, This frequency aud
Variance Il attributable o. lack Of
unity and uniformity In the schemes
NJ elections, AMI deserves To be-
remcdlcd, not only for the sake OF con.
veniencs nnd economy, but to avoid
cheapcning suffrage by IL too frequent
use.
Rec0untlng tho elections according
10 their character aud dates, they are
a. follows.
One Territorial, for Delegate to Con.
gr-s-, November 3, 1890.
Ono general, Tor commissioners 10
locate university lands, for members Of
the Legislative Assembly, for county
aud precinct ofiicors, for School Tru-.
tees, and IN addition several special
elections for such trusteu,.
Twenty municipal, falling Mt differ.
ent dates, namely; November 10Th
and December slh, 1890, and February
9Th, March 9th, May 9TH anu August
stb, 1891.
Total Of elections 20.
Total OF persons elected 7ii
ArPoiSTEEs.
All the officers charged under the
law with conducting these elections
and Prerequisites were appointed by the
Commission In tho exercise OF the
power conferred ON II by the ninth sec
ton of tho Edmunds law. Tho APP
pointees are distinguished under the
Territorial law by the following titles,
and consist OF tho following members;
Registrar Of yolefs.,...... % ..........-.... %
LletNuh a.s'.sss'ss ss.s'ss'sssss'sssssl.l
CAnNsaters OF election returns ......,....,..- u
Total..''.',.,.,..'','''...''. &c!
The same number OF certificates oil
election was isaued by tho secretary oil
the Commission TO the Appointees, con.
formally TO the law.
Besides these details, the Commits,
sion saw that the board appointed fol
that purpose canvassed all the RETURN
OF that election, except those pertain.
ing 10 the Legislative assembly. which
the Commission itself canvasscd.
The ninth section Of the Edmuni'
law, adopting the election law Of the
Territory ms modified by that section,
makes both conjunctivcly the basis u
the election system of tho Territory,
Here follow the main provisions oil
The Utah election law.
In theory, the foregoing provisions
seem TO be Jealously regardful OF
suffrage, ofaright fundamental 10 TO-
preventative government. How far
the theory has failed In practice, undeI
changed conditions, VIII be adverled tC
In the sequel.
Finally, under tho Territorial law,
both males aud females, who took and
subscribed tho oath OF electoral quaiil,
cations prescribed by II, became en-
titled to be registered ami to vote.
Female suffrage rested, perhaps sole
ly, ON the oath prescribed. 80 far n.
| am advised there was no other
statutory warrant for IL. The condition
of electoral qualifications specified In
the oath as 10 males were, that they
should 90 adults residents, citizen
aud Taxpayers, na 10 female, the
aame conditions obtained, excnp
that they were required tt
be taNpayers' or citizenA n
the cases where they We're the wives OIL
daughters Of citizens.
Another important consequence FOL
lows the oath. II opened the registry
and the polls, alike 10 p0lygamous ahd
homogeneous men and women, ant
thus Indirectly sanctioned polygAmJ
aud fortified II by an electorate Whose
members were titus approximately
doubled.
CONGRESS INTERFEREs.
To cut oil this consequences nut
polygamy also, Congress, after Ions
torbearaneo, proceeded logislatiyely on
two different and distinct liues-on,
poaal, tho other civil. Proceeding
penalty, a succession u laws were on,
sctcl, the hrst being tue act oi July S
1859, the Alorrll law, next tho Ell
mgnds law, last, tho Edmunds. rucko