The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-10-03

1utuueQ, Inc absence OF any government
building in the city, and the large outlay
necessarily paid annually in the way OF
rents for offices. constrains this commits
sion to recommend that it be utilized as
before herein suggested
Since the last annual report of the COM
mission, elections have been held in all
the counties in the territory, and in
thirteen towns and thirty-three cities.
At the general election held on the Sth of
November. 1892, che following officers
have been chosen:
Here follows full list, which it is use
less to give, as the facts are well known
in Utah.
The vote in each county is also given in
detail for the information of the secretary.
REGISTRATION.
The registration prior to the election
held on the 8th day of November, 1892,
was Iull one, representing as nearly the
electoral strength of the qualified voters
OF the territory as in any registration that
may take place in the future. Political
excitement was high, the respective
parties were represented in the canvas by
very able men, and each party was at
very great pains to get out its full
strength.
1t is matter of much qualification to
the commission to say that the registra-
ton was made with great fairness and
legal strlctness, and the election, though
party spirit ran high, was free from tur-
bulence and Irregularities, and was both
In respect to the registration end the cleo
ton as free from fraud as those in any
state or territory
The revision of the registration lists for
the November election is now completed
so Tar as the house TO house canvas is
concerned; the posting of the notices of
the completion of the lists, the fling and
hearing of objections to the qualifications
OF electors who may not be entitled to
registration, and the filing with the clerk
OF the probate court the oaths admins
tered and signed by those permitted to
register, being about all that remains to
be done. The judges who will hold the
ensuing election are yet to be appointed,
which will be done during the month OF
Octobe. There Will be about 1000 of
them.
In regard to amnesty the commission
ers call attention TO the fact that they So
llclted from the attorney general an opin-
ION regarding the proclamation issued
last year by President Harrison on the
subject, and falling to get one because
the attorney general thought to render
the same would be to advise the commits
sloners as to their offices, they adopted
resolutions covering the case, and though
divided in opinion they came to the con-
cluslon that a strict construction of the
acts OF Congress would operate to the con-
tlnued Acknowledgement of the classes of
electors hitherto affected.
Inc commissioners, after giving in full
the proclamation of the president, to-
gether with the correspondence with the
attorney general on the subject referred
to, as well as their various orders Affect
ing the important question at stake. state
that they issued circular to the register
ing officers that had been appointed adj
vlsing them that ii the opinion of the
commission 1t would be right to permit
affected classes to register on taking the
proper oath, provided that they did not
come within the exception made in the 1
proclamation of the president on the
su bject.
They then add: Gas a legal PROPOSE
ton 1t is yet unsettled judicially, and the I
commission respectfully recommends that |
Congress do legislatively PASS upon this I
important question. -
The report concludes:
MoRnIoMs.
After q troubled experience in Ohio. |
Missouri and Illinois, the Mormons. or !
Latter-day Saints, emigrated from the |
United States and settled in the valley of |
the Great Salt Lake. which was then a !
part OF the territory of the Mexican Re- |
public. This was in 1S47. In 1S4S an ex- /
tensive region, including that valley, was
coded by the Mexican government under |
the treaty of Gaudeloupe Hidalgo, to the |
United States.
This migration was doubtless PROMPTED |
by different motives-one, escape from
civil restraint in the United Ste ties.
another, the opportunities afforded the /
emlgrants In new country to improve
their material welfare.
Salt lake is remarkable geographical
feature. 1t is the largest inland BODY of
salt water know. 1t covers an area of
$500 square miles, is bisected by
broken mountain range, is surrounded
by lofty mountains, cleft at intervals nv
canyons, and is fed by numerous rivers,
which are in turn fed by winters accu-
mulated SHOWS dissolved and descending
the mountains in summer. The snowfall /
is ominous and alarming to the stranger.
but is welcomed by the husbandman and |,
herdsman whose homes are among the
mountains. 1t means to them foliage. |.
esculent roots, fruits, cereals and green 4
pasture.
Salt Lake is without any defined outlet.
It's chief waste is due to solar eyapora-
ton, which also mainly regulates its
rises and falls. Its waters are strongly
impregnated with common salt, and in
lesser degree with alkali, which renders
them nnlnhabitable to all kinds of
fish. Probably their saline proper
ties are derived from an under 1
lying salt bed, as formations
of rock salt are found to be unfreouent in
the territory.
The number of Mormons who settled in
Utah in 1S47, according to accredited ac-
counts, scarcely exceeded $50, whereas the
present inhabitants of the territory, ex- I;
elusive of Indians, Chinese and Ha-
waiians, number quite ODE, 200.
PoLYGAMY.
The early andscontinued disfayor in.
Cured by the Mormons in Utah arose
from the profession and defense of plural
as cherished tenet of their re-
Iigious and social system. From 1S47 to
July 1, 1852, such marriages were con-
with impunity. The act of 1862
denounced polygamy as a crime
punishable with fine and imprison-
ment but for fourteen years after
the date Of that act no conviction was
had under it. The failure of criminal
Justice was attributable to several causes I
to alterations respecting the bound t
aries of the spiritual and secular iuris- c
dIctions, to the unwillingness of the ,
Mormons to convict or ind dict polygamists. !
and to the hesitation of the courts to re- r
Jet jurors as triers OF an issue regarding !
W hich their minds were affected by re- :
Hgious bias. 1t is enough to say in this :
connection that III ITS the Supreme :
Court of the United States swept away all +
If these hindrances to the course OF JUS ,
ice, and that Congress in 1882 and 1887
added another motive for obedience to
lhe laws by providing that sexual offend
srs should be disqualified to vote, hold
,ffice or perform jury service. This pro-
Tislon seems to have been intended to
operate as an electrical regulation. and
lot as as a criminal penalty.