The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-11-15
THE UTAH COMMISSION.


Inc Utah commission, in their majority re-
port 10 the secretary OF the interior for 1891.
having set forth certain statements which, by
implication, place the Democratic party OF
Utah in an improper light, we deem it neces-
sary and proper to present the facts in relation
10 the matters in question, and correct those
errors IN the report which reflect upon the party
and do injustice to the political situation In this
territory.
The Democratic party of Utah now includes
a large proportion of the members Of the late
Peoples party, which was almost entirely COM
posed of MoTmons. The intimation in the re-
port of the commission that the disbanding of
the Peoples party was 'ruse'' on the part of
the Mormon leaders to gain statehood and that
the Mormon church was thereby seeking to
get rid of the power and control of the
national government is reflection upon both
the Democratic and the Republican parties
which have received former members OF the
Peoples party into political fellowship.
The unvarnished facts are these The obiec-
tions held against political afiliation with
Mormons were their adhesion to polygamy and
their unity in one local party, recognized as a
church party having the appearance, at least,
Of @ union OF church ana state.
By the manifesto OF the Mormon president
enc It's endorsement by the Mormon conference,
polygamy was formally abandoned. The action
taken on this matter had every appearance OF
.aoToughneSs and good faith. It was SO &C
ceptcd by large number OF prominent non
Mormons including severa. federal officials OF
experience.
believing that the time had come for the or
eaaization of the people CT Utah upon the lires
OF national politics, and that ths best meaus for
the advancement of Utah was the dissolution
OF the local parties and the purying OF local
strifes, number of Democrats who had been
connected with the Liberal party met and eff
fected a temporary organization upon estab-
l;shed Democratic principles. They announced
their belief in the permanent abandonment of
po!ygamy by the Mormon people, and invited
all who would obey the laws to join with them
as political body.
Republicans who had also trained with the
Liberal party took similar course The man
ayers of the Peoples party then commenced to
take measures for its dissolution County or
CARNATIONS were in several instances dsband-
ed, and the Territorial Central committee
finally met, and, on the basis of the overtures
made by the Democrats and Republicans, de-
termined to recommend the dissolution of the
Peoples party and leave its members free to
join either national party as they should indi-
yidually select.
| Thus this action was no 'ruse'' of Mormon
leaders, nor was it a sudden conversion as init
mated by the commission, but was the natural
result Of the operation of forces which had been
/ working for some time to this end
a large portion of the members of the dis
| solved Peoples party arrayed themselves under
the banner of Democracy, and when the tickets
were placed in the field proved true to their
| allegiance The same may be said in regard to
those who joined the Republican party, and
the controversy that eusued not only proved a
great political educator to these people, but
gave evidence beyond dispute of their sincerity
and earnestness in espousing the principles and
interests of the party with which they united
Prominent churchmen who were Republican
candidates for the legislature, including one of
the twelve apostles, a stake president and
! some counselors to stake presidents, were de-
feated in their own districts by unofficial per-
sons who were on the Democratic ticket. Gen
tile candidates were supported on either side
Just as strongly as were the Mormon candi-
dates. This was as strong proof as could be
given OF the good faith of the people upon
| whose sincerity the commission cast so strong
| a doubt,
Thus the two sole objections against the Nor
mon people on political grounds have been en-
tirely removed, and we regard it as most unwise
and iDlpo1jtjc to deny them the common rights
and privileges of citizens, or to place a barrier
| in their way when they are evidently deter
mined to turn their backs on the past and for
the future. labor in harmony with the nation for
the promotion Of the general welfare, in strict
submission to the laws and each taking an in
dependent course in reference to party.
The report of the Utah commission, while re-
fecting upon the action of the Democratic and
Republican parties and discouraging the diyis.
ion of the people on national party lines at the
same time enters into special pleading in be-
half of the so called Liberal party mere local
anti-Mormon organization without any national
principles or national purposes It be.
trays the fact that the commission have
chosen registration and election officers in
the direct interest of the Liberal party. They
refused both the Democratic and Republican
parties at the recent legislative election the
fair request OF one Democrat one Republican
and one Liberal on each of the boards OF
judges. In the re-apportionment Of the terri
tory they had special regards for Liberal inter
ests, and so grouped portions of counties and
districts that Liberal candidates would be
elected. This they refer to as giving the Gen
tiles fair representation Yet the figures
furnished by them selves show that out of q
total of IS 230 votes at the legislative election
! the Liberals cast but 7,4ll. Yet through the
punching and shoCstring apportionment in theil
favor the Liberals elected twelve out of thirty
six members for the legislature, or one third.
while their proper proportion according to the
figures Of the commission was about one fourth
The commission endeayor to make it appear
that the increased Liberal vote of 1891 in Salt
Lake city over that of former years is ar
avowal Of the GENTLE disbelief in the sincerity
{ Of III,
simply the result of an increase of immigration
which the commission admit was almost en-
tirely IAN antiMormon gain Their inferenc.
is unfair and is mere special pleading in Lib
eral interests.
The official Importance given by the commits
sion to the unsupported statements of anony.
nous persons, to the effect that a number O.
polygamous marriages have been contracted
during the past year or two, is worthy of tbs
rest Ct their insinuations. No person
can be found who is willing te
make afidavit or give testimony Il
a grand jury, sufficient to warrant a
prosecution for polygamy. The statement in
the report does not reflect much credit upon Tho
Republican officials engaged in the execution o.
the laws. And the excuse for not divulging the
names of the alleged informants, that the,
might be subjected to persecution, only ex
cites oerlsion IN view OF the fact that, under
the administration OF President Cleveland
scores upon scores of informers and deputy
marshals were engaged in the special work O
discovering and prosecuting violators of tn,
anti-polygamy laws, and hundreds of men were
sent to the penitentiary without the molesta
ton or persecution" of any officer or in.
former.
All the evidences 60 to prove that the Nor
mon people have abandoned the nractice of M
lygamy in good faith; that they are not enter
ing into further unlawful marriages and thu,
they do not intend TO revive the obnoxiou,