Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-16

most interesting confiict-spirited. deter
mined but not noisy-hss been going on and
still goes on before the Senate and House COM
mittees on territories The future of Utah ia
the subject over which the controversy
rsges- Three distinct delegations sixteen men
in sll-are here to advance the ideas they have
and to carry out the instructions given them
by the people they represent. All Utah is here
by proxy. for the diverse int erests are looked
after by thirteen citizens who are classified
with the "Gentiles," while the other three
have afinities which bind them TO Mormon
faith.
From these three delegations have emanated
three distinct propositions and of these Con-
gress will be called upon to select one. The
first and most original of these propositions
looks to a novel governmental condition; some
thing unique in American history and just as
popular in Utah as IT is novel.
1t contemplates ''home rule" for the terri
tory and provides for the election of all off,
CONSTITUTIONAL. county and precinct-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. This gives
complete autonomy under a territorial form OF
government. The advantage 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 the preju-
dice against the Mormon people which still
exists throughout the country. This home
rule" or compromise plan has been indorsed by
the territorial legislature and it is advocated by
eight of the delegates.
lhe second proposition oricinates with The
republicans of the territory. They seek abso-
Lutte and unqualified admission as state.
There are live republicans of prominence here
to support their platform and TO insist on ad-
mission at the earliest possible moment
1he third proposition comes from the ''libe-
rails. These are Gentiles Probably one-half
the Gentle voters of the territory are liberals.
They are opposed to any sort, shape. kind, de-
scription or variety Of legislation; their prayer
is ''let US alone"
One of the strange features of the strife il
that Mormons do not appear as Mormons.
The Mormon party has gone out of business.
Polygamy was its backbone and all the
delegates are agreed that polygamy has
departed from Utah. The dissolution Of
the Mormon party is shown by figures. There
are 81, 600 voters in the territory. of these,
$4,000 are Mormons, and of the Mormons
l2,OOJ are democrats and 5000 are
republicans. The 1900 gentiles are
divided up into three parues-3,O00 are
democrats, 1000 are republicans and 1000 are
liberals. If the liberals were subdivided 500
would be found in the democratic ranks on
national issues, the balance are republicans.
The work of the delegates who seek legis-
lative assistance has practically gone for
naught. though, few over-enthusiastic
speakers upset the apple cart" by abusing
in unmeasured language the federal
officials who have governed Utah for
years past. "Adventurers" ''plunderers, ''
incompetent and corrupt vampires" were
among the terms Used in that connection. The
Utah commission, past and present, republican
and democratic, was assailed, and az
some of the members OF that
body have been eminent in national politics the
sweeping assertions of illegal action and cor
ruption nave stirred up feelings of the most
active resentment among their friends on both
sides of the senate chamber. The home
rulers" will probably secure favorable report
from the House committee. but the Senate may
be counted with the opposition. To make a
favorable report on the BILL say those who have
a right to talk, would be to uphold charges
that Senators believe to be without the slightest