The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-03-24

apologize for endesvoring 10 enforce the
law against the persons guilty OF polygamy
and all have to say is that il hey are now
willing to quit This practice they will have
no more trouble with the government on
that score.
The courts, so far as my knowledge has
extended know it is so far as NV practice
Is concerned-has been very lenient with
Mormon offenders. Before | went there in
March, 1889, it had been the practice of the
JUDGES to suspend sentences, make them
light, and sometimes merely nominal II they
agreed to obey the law. That practice has
continued, and I have followed 1t. Where
ever they refused the penalty was often
imposed to the fullest extent, which was
not, however, very severe But since this
manifesto has been issued | believe | have
suspended sentence in every case except
one or two. The Mormon people now seem
to be just as anxious TO be considered in
unison with the remainder of the people of
the United States as any people in any ter
rltory or any state, and l do not see any
reason why Utah should not have what is
called in one of these bills, "Home Rule, s"
or why she should not have even statehood
l will say that l suppose during the time
that was there prior TO the issuance of the
manifesto l enforced the law as striDgently
as the other Judges, and possibly even more
so. held them to it with pretty firm
hand. 1t had been going Oh a great many
years and great many Of them were very
reoelllous, but since that time very differ
ent state Of feeling seems TO prevail But
whether the actioL of congress shall be TO
give them statehood or not, / can say that
so lar as the present feeling out there is
concerned, do not think there is any very
serious objection it among tue Gentiles.
think it could be done with perfect safety.
would not care whether it be statehood or
Home Rule. l think the situation now is
such that the Mormon ould not take adj
vantage OF 1t 20 treat Gentiles unfairly.
There is one other little matter TO which
l wish to refer. I have glanced once over
this bill that has been presented here called
the Home Rule bill or the Faulkner bill
l am inclined to think that in one particu-
lar some changes should be made ia it. I
refer to holding courts in all counties of the
territory. l think that would be mistake.
My district has over $4,000 square miles:
One county has 5000 square miles, and the
census shows only 25O inhabitants. The
Grand canon of Colorado runs through it.
am told by those who have been in the
county seat that there is only one house in
the county that has shingled roof, and
that is the Mormon church. have peen
credltably informed that there is not q
sheriff, deputy sheriff, or Justice of the
peace. Outside of the Mormons living in
VIC OOuHIy Iuo TSulbluuGF Oh the population
are, many OF them, men who have fed from
justice and are in there to steal cattle and
horses. This law would REQUIRE court and
juries and a full set of officers in such a
county, and would be too great ar expense
for the people. Notwithstanding the great
amount OF territory in my district the asst
tive terms OF court have only taken up
TWEEN ty-nine days, and of the Lwenty-nine
days seven or eight of them were but parts
OF days. he next term l will hold in
Beaver will not exceed an hour There is
not case there for trial. There are other
portions OF the territory in the same con-
dltion. | merely make this as q sugRes-
ton, and | think it would not be wise to
Lave TO put the people, in counties that
have practically no business in the courts,
to the xpense of paying ell these different
officials when there would practically moth
ing for them TO do.
l have taken the responsibility of dis
pensing with the iuries for two terms in
the year IN my district. At the last iury
term one juror had to come distance of
over six hundred miles to get to court, and
when he got there he was not needed. He
Travelled, going and returning, distance
OF ], go miles. Most of them have TO come
fifty TO two hundred miles across the des-
ert and mountains. The county seat of
San Juan county is 800 miles from Beay err.
1t may be said that ii we had more courts
we would have more litiga ion. Possibly
that is true; but the expense of three or
four lawsuits in the district courts in those
counties would never justify the expenses
of the court, at least not until the
population increases. | do not know
that l have anything further
to say unless some members of the commit
tee desire 10 ask me some questions.
MIR. Caine-What character of people live
in your district
Judge Anderson-They are nearly all
MormOns. There is q mining camp or two
there, and there are quite a number of
Gentiies IN Beaver, but most Of tue people
are blormons. Those who are not have be-
come non-MOrmons IN later years. ] know
that we had some trouble to get enough
Gentiles on the jury.
Mr.. Calne-The old set did not hold out?
MIR. Kilgore-Is your district in Salt
Lake citys
Judge Andersou-No; l go to hold court
at Beaver, which is 215 miles south of Salt
Lake city. l hold court at Salt Lake city
also, TO assist Judge Zane. The law allows
a Judge TO call another judge to assist him.
and Judge Zane keeps a standing order re-
ouesting my assistance. That part of the
country In which my district is situated ia
thlnly inhabited, and there is but little
court business.
The Chairman-What is the character of
the offenses for which they are tried aside
from the violations of the an I'll polyeamv
aots
Judge Anderson-The offenses are nearly
all against property rights in the way OF
stock. One man may brand another's cows
mr. steal q steer To brand another mamie