The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-09-24
1HB REPORT On THE
Utah COMMISSION.
It Deals Chiefly with What I'VE
Have Done.
1T is ALSO VERY LENGTHY
References to the Death of the Peoples
Party.
II VIII Not BE Long, the Commissioner
Think, Before the Old Liberal Hulk
Will Sink Beneath the Waves
of Public Disgust.

The Utah Commissions annual report
was made public today by Secretary Smith.
II is a lengthy document, bat consists
largely in reviewing the past events in
the territory, ard comparatively little in
the way of new recommendations is ad-
vanced. The report contains mass of
correspondence heretofore made public,
touching upon Harrison's amnesty proc
lamation last year. and the transfer OF the
Woman's Industrial home to the commits
sion and the occupancy thereof.
The opening pages are devoted chiefly
to registration and elections, and the
commission claim that both have been
systematized and reformed and the ex-
penses greatly reduced.
In regard to the Woman's Industrial
Home. the commission further recon-
mends that Congress appropriate money
to keep the building well repaired and
that all government offices, except the
postoffices and courts, be located therein
on the ground that money would be
saved and everything grouped. Com
plant is made that the government is
paying large rent when this building
viii save that ll Y.
Much spac IS giye-. to the record of
elections Id and the statement made
that the commission furnished certifi-
Gates without charge, though heretofore
falsely accuses Of Oh Vging. On the sub
ject of registration, the COM
mission say it was made last
year with great fairness and legal
strictness, and although party spirit ran
high and there was much political excite
ment, the election was Tree from violence.
The registration for the November cleo
ton is now completed and so far as the
house to house canvass is concerned, the
posting of notices, of completion of lists,
filing and hearing objections to the quail
ifcations of electors who may not be
entitled to vote and register, and fling
with the clerk of the probate court the
oaths administered and signed by those
permitted to register, being about all
that remains to be done. The judges are
yet to be appointed, which will be done
during October. There are about 200
OF them.
On the amnesty question the commits
sion says: tWhen the time to begin the
revision OF the registration lists for the
coming November election came on, the
commission found itself very much en-
barrassed in consequence of the legal
proposition presented by the proclamation
of President Harrison of the 18th of Feb
ruarv last, granting amnesty and pardon
to that class of the Mormon people who
were, by the eighth section of the Ed
munds-Tucker act, denied the right of
registration and voting. In its embar-
rassment, being DESTROYS to do right and
injustice to no one. it instinctively turned
to the law officer of the government for an
official opinion and a solution of what the
commission considered purely legal
proposition" Then follows the official
communication under date of June 10,
1898.
On the 18th of July last, the attorney
general refused to give an opinion Of the
proclamation on the ground of having no
authority to advise the commission, sin
the exercise of their duties OF office. -
Being refused, the commission claim they
proceeded to consider the question and
made ruling in reference to registra-
ton, though divided themselves, which
gave a liberal construction to the law al
lowing affected classes to register on tax
ing a proper oath. As legal PROPOSE
\ tion, it is not yet settled judicially.
Next is given a lengthy history of the
Mormons in Illinois, Missouri and the
settlement in Utah, together with state
ments regarding polygamy. The various
acts OF the legislature are reviewed and
stress is laid on the act of the legislature
last year adopting the provisions of the
Edmunds- Tucker law, denouncing and
publishing polygamy as crime, etc.
Next follows long history OF the COM
mission itself. 1t is claimed that it was
ooldly received by the press and the people
when first appointed, and the report
further in this connection speaks of the
dissolution of the Peoples party in 1891,
and the early disbanding of the Gentle
party is described as follows: sThe
event was triumph of progress and fur
nished material OF which new parties in
the territory sprung Democratic and
Republican clubs were formed and in the
early future must absorb the remains OF
the Gentle faction. The new parties are
leaving the dead past to bury its dead.
Now competing with each other for the
palm of local political ascendancy, each
is asking Congress for radical legislation.
for territorial home rule or statehood, but
notably 'sneither is asking either meas
ure during the tendency of either discon-
tinuance of fhe Utah Commission. -
Exact language
The number of officers appointed BY the
commission since the date of the annual
report, including those remaining to be
: appointed with reference to the approach
ing November election, is 1867. The
commission claim they have disbanded
the factions in Utah; laws have been en-
forced, progress accelerated and the
morality of monogamy vindicated. The
Office of commissioner had not been a
sinecure. either. as they have had much
to think of, difficult legal questions TO
solve, 'sand besides they have vast
amount OF travelling to do, requiring SIX
months time in the year,
The commission recommend consti-
tuticnal amendment inhibiting poly
gamy and empowering Congess to pre-
scribe the conditions of marriage
and divorce and the manner and
effect Of authenticatlng each. The value of
such an amendment, the commission