Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-03-01
SENATOR PLATT

Speaks I'm the Senate Upon q Propo.
sition TO Abolish the Utah Commits.
SION.
Mr.. President: do not care to say q
great deal on this subject 1 am aware
that the day when the present session
must close is fast approaching, with an
immense amount of business yet to be
transacted, and therefore I refrain from
speaking on many measures upon which !
should like to be heard. So I shall en-
deavor to be very brief in what say on
this subject.
do not understand that there has been
any demand made here from the territory
of Utah, or from any class of citizens of
the territory of Utah, for the abolition of
this board. Some one told me, or II has
been stated on the floor, that one house of
the territorial Legislature has passed q res
olution requestion that this board be abol-
ishsd. have never heard-n 30, Il has
escaped my recollection-of suy demand
coming from the territory of Utah for the
abolition of the board.
wasn't to say here that, looking to and
desiring, just as soon as Il is proper and
states of the union, the admission of Utah
% state, I do not believe that any step
can bs taken to prejudice the admission of
Utah as q state equal to the abolition of
this board. If there is any demand from
Utah that the board shall be abolished, IL
is the strongest argument that can posi-
bly, be made that Utah Is not at for sdmis-
sion. If Utah says simply I'VE cannot
endure this another minute" II will jzsfi-
fy the suspicion which already exists to q
great extent-toa greater extent than
think the facts warrant-ihat Utah wants
to return to the old condition.
For one believe that Utah Is fast ap-
prosching the time when 1t will be entire
ly safe to admit her IS q state of this Un-
ion. / believe that in resources In popu-
lation, In thrift, In industry, Utah is
fully qualified for admission. The things
that have stood between her and sdmis-
sion for q long time have been, irst, Do
lygamy; second. the fear that If admitted
the Mormon church might attempt to
control political matters. For one be-
lieve that there 10 much less danger in
this respect than 10 generally supposed.
But i have seen within q week In one of
the leading newspapers of this country q
symposium, as IL were, of prominent
men of Utah, about half of whom be-
lieve that IL Utah ia admitted it will
return to the practice Of Folygamy, and
about half of whom believe that If Utah
Is admitted there Is no danger of her re-
turn to polygamy. In that diverse senti-
ment which exists even In Utah we msy
well hesitate. We may well ask that shs
shall give further proof that abe neither
intends to return to the practice Of polyg.
amy, nor does the Mormon church intend
to exert political control In the affairs of
- A.. 4
The very fact, IL Il be q fact, that here
and now demand is made that fhis board
of Utah commissioners shall be abolished
Is the strongest reason which osn possibly
be adduced to lead us to suppose that there
may be either desire to return to polyga-
my there or that the Mormon church shall
exercise political control. If the Mormons
in Utah have In good faith abandoned po-
lygsmy, ~ am inclined to think they
have done, If the Mormon church In Utah
do not intend TO attempt the exercise OF
political control. then what reason Is there
for the abolition of this boardi How is It
any hardship upon themi Why should
they object to its continuancsl / cannot
conceive of any reason for the abolition of
the board.
There sreduties 20 be performed. Those
duties have been well performed; they
have been honestly performed by this
board. There has been no claim, SO far as
1 have heard, that the board has not hon
estly discharged Its duties. Duties remain
still to be performed. Yet we are told
that they must not be performed by this
board; that the board must bs swept out
of existence. Why, unless there Ia q dis
position to return to the practice of polyg-
amy. or unless there Is disposition on
the part of the Mormon church to exercise
political controls
I believe. as 1 said In the opening, that
the very worst thing that could happen
to Utah, whsn looking forward to sdmis-
sion as a state, the thing which more than
anything else will make us feel that 1t IL
unsafe to admit Utah as a state, is the in
sisteRce upon the demand that this board.
which has at least contributed to the good
work which has been done there, shall
now be rutblessly wiped ont Of existence.
If Utah il exercising good faith in this
matter, il there Is no desire to return to
tbs prso;ios of polygamy, If there is no in
tention or the part of the Mormon church
to exercise political control there, the very
beet way Of svidenoing It is to say that
they sre satisfied with the continuance of
ths beard