The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-09-25
THE ANNUAL REPORT
Of the Utah Commissioners to
Secretary Noble.
BITTER PARTISAN DOCUMENT.
"A yoluminous Attempt al vindication
liked Up wi h some FACES
and Suggestions.

CHICAGO, H., Sept. Is, 1892.
To the Hon John W. Noble, Secretary of the
Interior Washington D. c..
SIR-The Utah Commission respectfully
submits the following report of its pro-
ceedings for the year ending Sept /
1892, during which time three sessions have
been held, one at Chicago from Sept,
p TO Sept. 90, 1891, aud two at Sal
Lake City, one from January IL to March
II. and one from July 81 to Aug. Is,
1892
In its report for 1891 the commission re-
corded the abandonment of its organiza-
ton by the Peoples party, and the pro-
posed division of its voters upon national
party lines. But one general election has
bean held upon that basis, and it may yet
be considered in the light of an expert
ment although. in the opinion of the COM
mission, change is apparent in the politi-
cal situation in Utah, which, if properly fos-
tered and honestly managed, viii be pro
ductiye of good results.
1t is hardly TO be expected that people
who have been taught for years to hold
themselves aloof from, and even in hoStil e
attitude towards. ali who differed from
them in religious beliefs and political meth
DDS, should at once be able to conform
themselves 10 an entirely new order of
things, or to familiarize themselves with
the questions upon which the great parties
naturally divide Such thing would be
anomalous in human affairs, and it was for
this reason that the commission expressed
no opinion upon the sincerity of the sud
den change. 1t may be said that large
majority of the Gantlle population of Utah
doubted and still doubts 1t, although many
are beginning to feel that the change must
come sooner or later, and that reforms
never move backward
The commission is glad to note the inter-
est that is manifested generally in political
questions and the growth OF sentiment on
party lines. 1t does not believe, however.
that a beginning has been made which
augers well Tor the future, and hopes that
no hasty or unwlse legislation may be en-
acted, which might retard, rather than
hasten, the desired results.
The commission has been severely criti-
cised by the Mormon church authorities for
asserting that the church interfered
with and directed the politics OF
its members, and in the general con-
ference of the church in October, 1891, q
series of resolutions were presented and
adopted declaring the statement TO be false
Il may be noticed, however, That the reso-
lutlons implicitly admit that there have been
appearances of such interference and dom
ination in the past, and declares that ''there
is now no foundation or excuse for the
statement that the church and state are
united in Utah, or that the leaders of the
church dictate to the members in political
matters.'
1t is noticeable, toe, that the statements
of the commission were based upon case
in the Mormon ecclesiastical court at Provo
in which. as late as January, 1899. Joseph
ID. Jones was tried ana communicated
upon a charge of having joined the Loyal
league OF Utah. and because Its principles
are in direct opposition to some of the prin-
ciples of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Letter-oay Saints. for instance, the princi-
pie of celestial marriage aud local self-gov-
ernment,n and that, while the conference
denied the existence of any interference n
dicLation, it did not and never has denied
that such trial, conviction and excommuni-
cation occurred just as the commission
stated it.
The official declaration of the church re-
ferred to- If followed out in practice, is a
new departure, and cannot but prove to be
another important step IN advance.
Here follow some statements and figures
in regard 10 the municipal elections and
changes in election ana registration laws. |
POLYGAMY.
Prior to the last report of the commission
the president of the Mormon church had is
sued manifesto on the subject of polyg-
amy, which was claimed by the authorities
to have the force and effects of abollshing
that institution. But because the commits
sion pointed out the fact that it was merely
an advice 10 suspend the operation OF what
the church authorities still claimed was a
divine law, and presented facts which
tenued at least to show that pOlygamy and
its kindred offenses were still to some ex-
tent being practiced, it found itself ct once
the subject of the most violent denuncia-
tions as retailers of falsehoods.
The report here gives the proceedings of
the church conference denying the state
ments Of the commission in regard TO the
attitude of the church toward poiygamous
marriages and TO practical affairs, aud pro-
ceeds:
If by these resolutions and declarations
they mean to say that the COMMISSION
states falsely that 1t has such Information.
the reports are on file 10 the archives of
the commission. If they mean that these
sworn officers Of the government report
falsely, it may be answered that these
officers live in and are familiar with the
precincts. made the house to house canvass
for registration, and caunot possibly have
an interest in reporting anything but the
facts, and that common rumor abundantIy
corroborates their reports.
Denials and denunciations prove moth
ing. Both have been reported to by the
church authorities for many years. They
denied the existence of polygamy when 1t
did exist, and only ceased to deny when it
could no longer be hidden
The Utah commission has, and can have
nothing to gain by inventing and narrat-
ing falsehoods. or perverting the truth. 1t
aims to .'set nanght down il malice and
nsught eXtenuate.n
How long was it before the formulation
CT the offending report that Professor Tai
mage, principal of the Latter-day Saints
college, q school where both sexes are
taught. testified under oath in the United
States district court at Salt Lake as fol-
lows:
We teach that we nave right TO obey all the
revelations OF God. l believe that the reye-
lation IN regard to plural marriages is from
Goa. and believe that II the constitution was
properly administered. the law against plural
marriage would never have been passed. l
think Congress oVersteped its authority in pass
ing that law. We teach pupils that
the revelation in regard TO celestial marriage
is from God, and that it is their duty TO obey.
All plural marriages celestial but all
celestial marriages are DOT plural.
The revelation on plural marriage has
not been expunged from the Book of Doc