The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-20
RAVLINS' EFFORT FOR UTAH.

.
% the admission of Utah have not been
n account of the lack OF population
( or of wealth or resources.
Two questions have been made. First,
the existence of a sentiment in the ter
ritOry which predominated and which
tolerated the practice of polygamy-
a practice generally regarded as repug-
nant to the civilization and morality
of the age; and second, the alleged
interference of the Mormon church in
political and civil affairs; and on these
two grounds and on these two grounds
alone Congress has been reluctant and
hesitated to admit the territory into
the Union. In 1888 the case was tried
before the committee on territories in
very elaborate hearing. Majority and
minority reports were presented. The
majority in its report uses this lam
guage:
.'From what has now been stated 1t
is apparent that all the conditions exist
in Utah, in a marked degree, necessary
TO entitle the people of that territory
To have a state government; and it is
equally apparent that, by reason of her
geographical position. her immense
agricultural and mineral resources. her
accumulated wealth, and the general
intelligence and Industrious and ener-
getic character of her people, it is of
national Importance that Utah should
nave Sldl9 government.
The objections that are alleged
against the admission are:
First. The existence of polygamy,
Second. The power and the teach
lngs of the Mormon church on that
subject.
1t was found in 1882 there were 2.225
adult male polygamists in the territory
OF Utah. This report proceeds to say:
at is not denied by the advocates
OF admission that polygamy is practic-
ed IN that territory, but they claim
that 1t is not obligatory upon the MEM
bers of the Mormon church, that it has
been gradually dying out until now
Lhere are comparatively few who are
nVlng in polygamous relations and that
this few are generally past the me
ridian of life. They claim that polyg-
amous marriages have ceased to be SOL
emnized that in the near future polyg-
amy will have ceased to exist altogeth-
Grand IS even now practically dead. and
that it is unjust to deprive the many
OF political rights because the compar-
auVely few are violating the law in
this regard
Mr. Dingley-Was that in 1882?
Mr. Rawlins-This was the report
made in 1883.
Mr.. Dingley-Is the statement based
upon the number that was disqualified
from voting?
Mr.. Rawlins-The act of Congress
that disqualified polygamists to vote or
hold Office in Utah was passed in 1882.
The Utah commission was appointed
and they prescribed or recommended
test oath, under the operations of
which all I5Clygamists were excluded
from voting. Female suffrage pre-
vailed in the territory at that time, and
1t was reported that about 10000 males
and females were disqualified from yot-
ing under the operations of the act Of
lSSz To be polygamist a man must
nave Two or more wives, and all the
wives we're disqualified under the act
of 1882. These figures were ascertafned
by calculation which showed that
territory of Utah who were p0lygam-
lists in 1882.
Practice of PoIygamy.
The majority report of the committee
in 1888 found that the practice of polyg-
amy had been decreasing. It was
claimed then by the representatives of
the Mormon people that polygamy had
been forbidden by the church. and
they asserted that it was no longer in |
existence and would not revive The
majority gave some credit to that
statement The minority report (pre-
sented by Mr.. Struble, of Iowa. states |
the objections that were made at that
time to the admission Of the territory, |
which were the existence of polygamy |
and alleged church interference.
Mr.. Dingley-Then, as understand, |
the number of persons practicing |
polygamy at the time was determined |
solely by the number of persons who !
were disqualified from voting.
Mr.. RaWlins-Yes, sir
Mr.. Dingley-Those who declined to |
take the test oath?
Mr. Rawiins-Yes, sir.
Mr.. DingIey-But by that method the |
whole number may not have been as
oertatned, because there may have been |
others who did not apply to vote.
Mr. RaWlinS-The gentleman from
Maine viii remember that it was made |
perjury to take the oath falsely. and |
that man who had been a polygam- |
st in years past and who had more |
than one wife and had had children
born TO him of such marriage could |
not well conceal the fact. PolygamiSts |
were eliminated from the registration |
lists.
The relation was such that it could !
not be concealed. Acts Of Congress
lad put the enforcement of the law in
he hands of the United States marshal, /
md numerous deputies and United |
states commissioners existed through
out the territory. All the means of
who were polygamists
we're at hand, including ample funds
or the arrest. conviction and punish
laent of offenders.
Number of PoIyga
Mr.. DingIey-Has my friend any
means of ascertaining from any other
statistical source within the territory
he number of polygamists in Utah at
hat time?
Mr. Rawlins-Another test, I sup
pose, would be to ascertain the num- T
Ter arrested and convicted There
we're some ten people arrested for
,olygamy during the years of the
lctive enforcement of these laws. They
we're men who had married after 1882
ma within three years next prior to
he finding of the indictments. But
he statute did not run as against
PERSONS who were guilty of unlawful
ohabitation. Unlawful cohabitation
consisted IN this: Where man having
previously married more than one
Tife. still held to the relation by as
with the unlawful wife and
folding her out to the world as his
wife even though there may have been
70 sexual intercourse.
Such was the definition of unlawful /.
given by the Supreme
'ourt OF the United States. Men who ;
lad married years before, two wives.
nd had had children born to them
{ the polygamous marriage, would
'erhaps visit the household Of the
wife and family in order to
rovide them with the necessaries of
fe, and the proof would be made that
he man had visited the woman, and
hat being her husband. they had
ssociated as husband and wife, and
pom the submission of such proof TO |
he jury the man would be convicted
( unlawful cohabitaton. If we apply
S a test the number of people who !
we're arrested and shown to be guilty
polygan1y. then there were only
en- such arrests and convictions, and. i
or unlawful Capitalization, less than
va dt.l.6 7