Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-17
HOME RULE FOR UTAH.
A Novel Proposition Made by the
Territory's Delegation.
SENATORS NOT MUCH IMPRESSED
With the Means Adopted by Ex-PolygamistS
to Secure Statehood.
SOME CHARGES NOT AT ALL RRLISHED
ESPECIAL rELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH,


hopes and claims of the people of Utah are
daily being set forth to the members of the
Senate and House Committees on Terri
tories. Three distinct delegations, 16 men
in all are here to advance the cause. They
have to carry out the instructions given
them by the people they represent. All
Utah is here by proxy, for the diverse in
terests are looked after by 13 citizens who
are classified with the "Gentiles," while the
other three have affinities which bind them
to Mormon faith.
From these three delegations have ema-
mated three distinct propositions, and of
these Congress will be called upon to select
one. The first and most original of these
propositions looks to a novel governmental
condition; something unique in American
history-just as popular in Utah as it is
novel. 1t contemplates "home rule" for
the Territory, and provides for the election
of all officers, Territorial, county and pre-
cinct, by the people of the Territory. In
return for this privilege of selecting their
local rulers the people of the Territory
offer to pay the salaries of these officials.
Tho Relief of Statehood.
This gives complete autonomy under a
Territorial form of government. The ad-
vantage of this proposition is that it affords
the people all the relief which would come
with Statehood, and yet leaves to Congress
the power to abolish the government at any
time, should the power of local government
be abused. Such a plea would also leave
the penal statutes of the United States in
force, and create a court to enforce them;
this in Difference to othe prejudice against the
Mormon people which still exists through
out the country. This "home rule, or a
similar plan; has been Endorsed by the Ter
ritorial Legislature, and it is advocated by
eight of the delegates
The second provision originates with the
Republicans of the Territory. They seek
absolute and unqualified admission as a
State. There are five Republicans of
prominence here to support their platform
and to insist on admission at the earliest
possible moment. The third proposition
comes from the 'tliberals." These are
Gentiles Probably one half the Gentle
votes of the Territory are liberals. They
are opposed to any sort, shape, kind, variety,
of legislation. Their prayer is '1et us
alone"
Strange Features Of the Strife.
One of the strange features of the strife is
that Mormons do not appear as Mormons.
The Mormon party has gone out of bust
ness. Polygamy was its backbone, and all
the delegates are agreed that pelygamy has
departed from Utah.
The dissolution of the Mormon party is
shown by figures. There are 80, 900 voters
in the Territory. Of these $4,000 are Nor
mons, and of the Mormons II, 900 are Demo-
Gentiles are divided into three parties.
Three thousand are Democrats, 1900 are
Republicans and 1000 are Liberals. If the
Liberals were subdivided 1900 would be
found in the Democratic ranks on national
issues, the balance Republicans.
Senator Jones, of Arkansas, a member of
the Committee on Territories, is authority
for the statement that the Utah bill has
been killed by the charges which its advo-
Gates have made against the Utah Commits
sioners and the other Federal officials of the
Territory Representatives of the Mormon
party who made arguments in favor of the
bill before the Committees on Territories of
the Senate and the House charged the Utah
Commission with falsehood and ignorance
and the Federal officials of the Territory
with doing illegal acts and discriminating
unjustly against Mormons.
PrejudicinE the Senators.
Last Saturday charges of this nature were
tories by members of Utah delegation in
favor of the bill. Senator Davis, of Mime
sofa, a member of the committee, inter-
rupted one of the delegation to ask if he
meant to say that such men as Senator Pad
dock and ex-Secretary Ramsey, who were
of the Utah commission, had been
guilty of the acts charged, and the answer
was in the affirmative.
This answer was not received with favor
BY the members of the committee, and it is
said they will not take action on the bill |
because favorable report on it, which the
was disposed to make, would be
a virtual sanction of the charges that the |
Federal officials of the territory had been |
guilty of illegal acts, thus rejecting on the |
integrity of member of the Senate, Mr.. |
Paddock, and on several ex-Senators, in |
cluding MI. Ramsey and Mr.. Saunderson, |
the father-in-law of Russell Harrison.
Mormonism in Idaho.
A special from Boise, Idaho, says: C.J.
Bassett, the Deputy Revenue Collector at |
Idaho, and one of the most
prominent men in this portion of the State,
tonight Informed THE DISPATCH corre-
spondent that the impression that the Nor
mons in Idaho have abandoned polygamv is
an erroneous one. 1t is in the southeastern
portion of the State that the Nor
mons live and thrive, and there
Mr. Bassett resides. He says that
n Ro1burg, Woodruff, Lewisyille and
n other towns in the Snake River Valley,
he Mormons still have two or three wives,
md that during the past fortnight he has
een the infants of second and third wives at
heir Mormon mothers breasts. No
stronger proof of the existence of polyga-
nous practices could be offered. Mr. Bas-
ett's mother and father were Mormons, and
lie has had rare chance to witness the
working of the inner circle of the Latter
Day Saints of Jesus Christ. He saws that
he public avowals of the Mormon bishops
md elders that the church has abandoned
,olygamy are hollow sham.