The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-13
THE ADMISSION OF UTAH.

The bill for the admission of Utah has
passed the Senate without division and
will shortly become law. 1t would have
| passed long ago but for the fear that If
Utah became a sovereign State Mormon
ism would become fixed institution be-
yond the power of the United States TO
uproot it. Twenty-Five years ago Utah
had population of Sc, 7S6 and was refused
half as many people. was taken into the
nation. Five States have since been ad-
mitted with a smaller population than
that of Utah.
This was partly due to the division of
the people of the Territory on the question
of statehood. In 1887 convention was
called to meet at Salt Lake City to frame
a constitution and to solicit an enabling
act Both Democrats and Republicans re-
fused to elect delegates; the MormOns
were left in exclusive occupation of the
ground. They formed a constitution
which excluded polygamy and which de-
prived the future State Legislature of the
power to repeal the prohibition except
with the assent of Congress. But Con-
grsss took no stock in the covenant. 1t
was evident that the power to enact car
ried with it the power to repeal and once
more the national door was shut in Utah's
face In 1892 the position of parties was
reversed. Democrats and Republicans
sought admission; Liberals, who were
mainly Mormons, opposed it. This time
Congress was acquieseent; bill pre-
pared by the Utah delegate passed the
House and this week it has passed the
Senate.
The argument which carried conviction
to the minds of the House committee was
that polygamy had practically disap-
peared and there was no fear of its resur-
rectiOn. This argument was confirmed by
the census returns. OF the 207. 905 souls
reported from Utah, 110463 were males
and 81, 442 were females, showing an ex-
cess of males equal 10 1902. This dis
crepancy appeared to be fatal to the prac-
tice of polygamy. There were not women
enough in Utah to provide the men with a
single wife each. 1t appeared. moreover,
that the proportion OF foreign-bor people
to native born was less than in Montana,
Wyoming. Arizona, Nevada, Washington
and California, and it was inferred that
the prepOnderance of native Americans
revival of an institution so abhorrent to
American principles as polygamy.
1t is possible that these optimistic views
will be confirmed by the event. 1t is to be
hoped that they will be, for Utah en-
braces magnificent territory, larger than
Kansas or Minnesota, with valleys of un-
surpassed fertility between the ranges.
Portions of the Territory will never be
| good for anything but pasturage, for agri-
culture will be impossible without irriga-
ton, and according to official reports there
is not water enough for comprehensive
irrigatiDg system. But there is pretty
| general sprinkling of farms within the
| irrgab,e arid area, and 90 per cent of these
are owned by their occupiers, without in
! cumbrance. On the line of the Denver
and RIO Grande Western. from Grand
| junction to Provo. there is a vast tract of
country which can be titled without an
artificial water supply; the whole valleys
of the GunnisOn and the Colorado are
| capable Of bearing fine crops
Still, it must not be forgotten that the
admis sion of Utah is more or less of an
experiment. Poygamy has flourished In
! Oriental countries, where the dIspropor-
| ton between the sexes has been greater
than in Utah, and our experience of the
Mormon leaders has not encouraged a
obust confidence in their promises. The
| State once admitted, the power of the
| United States to interfere with its local
| institutions, becomes, if not absolutely
null, at least very problematical. And il
is remarkable fact that before the Gov.
eminent began to interfere with Mormon
| immigration from Europe it was found
easy to induce young women from Eng
| land, Scandinavia and Germany to cast
their lot in a region where they ran some
risk of only getting share In a husband.
1t cannot be said that a community OF
! 100000 people has settled opinions. Ii
| sometimes changes its views at the behest
| Of leaders who are not always WISE But
now that the thing is done, we must hope
| for the BEST