Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-09-24
the TRICKY UTAH COMMISSIONS.

1HE TRICKY UTAH COMMissiON.
WE publish today the report Of the
Uta h Commission for tho present year,
as furnished TO lie organ In this city,
with the exception Of documents that
have already been printed and do not
need TO 10 republished.
It's a characteristic production, dis.
honest, untruthfuI, cunning and full
OF the pettlfogging,special pleading and
trickery which are usually found In
tho later reports OF that useless and
expensive body. Again we notice the
conspicuous absence Of the name Of
that sturdy old warrior, Gen. Mo.
Clernahd, who has proved himself,
NIL along, too honorable TO endorse the
subterfugea Of his associate officials. II
Is signed by tho all Others.
The frat part Of the report deals
with the political change which has
taken place In Utah. II is spoken OF
rs 'sudden," and The sincerity Of the
people IA mentioned In doubtful way.
the writers being too cowardly either
20 deny or confess their belief In It,
hut In a shifting way express tho doub,
that other people are alleged TO feel.
Tue "sudden" change--the disorgani-
zation Of tho Peoples party, had been
contemplated and diiclssod for years,
and 1t Ia well known was a. gradual
rs anything OF the kind could pos
sibly be.
The Commissioners parade their ap.
poinlment OF Judge Zane and aecre.
tary Selis as registration officers, ms
proof that the Commission has not mp.
pointed irresponsible and disreputabie
persons for such places. The selection
Of those gentlemen was everywhere
hailed m \ new departure, "sud-
den change" on the part Of
the Commission. There Is no
need here to give q detailed list
Of persons who were not only irrespon.
nible and dIsreputable but whose record
since has demonstrated their dlshon-
esty and chicanery. The appointment
OF the two gentlemen named is viewed
ss the exception which proves the
rule OF improper selections, and that IL
notorious In the Territory.
The Commissioners deny that they
"approved" OF changes that were
made by the Legislature In the cleo
ton laws but which were vetoed by
the Governor. They resort to the
pettifogging method OF plsying upon
the word APPROVED" and say they
had no authority to approve. Every.
body knows they had no official au.
thority In the premises, but every sane
person also knows that the Commits.
sioners could express their approval OF
the changes. And Us n matter OF
fact, they did 50, and II was largely
because they did no that the Legislature
passed the measure making the
changes. AS to the Governors part
In tho matter we have nothing TO say.
We arc dealing now with the tricky
Utah Commission.
But II is ON the polygamy ques.
ton that these officials display
their malicious and paltry un-
truthiulness IN its vilest form.
Referring to tho resolutions adopt
ed at the General Conference OF
October, 1891, they enter an evasivC
and contemplate answer. Tho Con.
ference denied empha tlcally former
statement by the Commission to the
effect that the Church dominates it,
members In political matters, and that
number OF persons in Utah had
catered Into polygamous marriage
since the issuance Of the manifesto
against them. The Comm issioneTs
now try TO make 1t appear thai
the first denial amounts to q
confession that Church domln alton In
politics did exist In the past. And al
to the legal polygamous marriages, shy
the reports on which their Information
was founded are on file, and that tn,
officers who furnished 1t i've in aud
arc familiar with the precincts. They
further plead that neither they nor
these officers can have anything L
gain by peryerting the truth.
Tho language used by the Confer
encc signifled, M plain as words could
make 1t, that no such domination III
charged by the Commission
had been exercised by the Church
The case OF accommodation
refer red to In a garbled way
by the Commission does not affect tn,
matter one iota, but only shows t.
what miserable means those Officials
resort to try and make a point and di
vert attention from the main issue
The reference by the Conference (,
disappearance OF union OF Churcl
and State in consequence OF men hold
Ing both ecclesiastical aud civil offices
was mt any admission Of the charg,
OF the Commission, but was cited II