AS BR CANCELLED THE OF THE UTAH COMMISSION TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. 1890. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1890. И ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UTAH COMMISSION. Hon. JOHN W. NOBLE, OFFICE OF THE UTAH COMMISSION, Salt Lake City, Utah, August 22, 1890. Secretary of the Interior, Washington, D. C.: The Utah Commission respectfully submits the following report of its operations and proceedings for the past year: After the August Territorial election of 1889 the Commission provided for the registration of votes for the Salt Lake and other municipal elections, the first-named election being fixed by law for the 10th of February, 1890. By reason of the fact that the August election had unexpectedly shown a Gentile majority of 41 in Salt Lake City, great interest was felt in the approaching municipal election by the people belonging to both political parties, and partisan spirit ran high. Both the Liberal, or anti-Mormon, and the People's, or Mormon parties, were thoroughly organized, and the campaign for the municipal election was fairly in progress as soon as the polls closed for the August election. Before the adjournment of the summer session the Commission provided for the revision of the registration of the city by appointing a chief registration officer and seven deputy registrars, all of whom were, in the opinion of the Commission, competent, discreet, and of good repute, and by issuing for their guidance in the discharge of their important and arduous duties a full and explicit circular of suggestions and advice. In the latter part of September the Commission held a brief session in the city of Chicago for the purpose of preparing its annual report, but transacted no other business of importance, and adjourned to meet at Salt Lake City on the second Monday of January, 1890. Subsequent to the adjournment of that meeting the following comcunication was received by the chairman : Col. G. L. GODFREY, Des Moines, Iowa: SALT LAKE CITY, November 30. The importance of the approaching election, the number of questions arising every day demanding the attention of the Commission, the fact that registrars are discrim inating between parties and obstructing registration of legally qualified citizens, and the unanimous sentiment of the People's party demand the immediate presence of the Commission. We expect to be able to show that justice demands the removal of the deputy registrars, and shall immediately file an application with the secretary requesting that action. We therefore ask that the Commission be called to assemble here immediately. On behalf of the People's central committee. H. M. WELLS, Vice-Chairman. R. W. YOUNG, The chairman deeming the charge to be of too serious a nature to be disregarded, issued a call for a special meeting of the Commission to be held at Salt Lake City on the 10th of December, upon which date the Commission assembled and directed the secretary to notify Messrs. Wells and Young that the Commission had convened in compliance with their request, and was ready to hear any complaints or charges against any of the registration officers, and to request that the same be filed at once, which notification was immediately given as directed. On the 11th the following charges were filed: The UTAH COMMISSION, Salt Lake City, Utah Territory: SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, December 11, 1889. GENTLEMEN: The central cominittee of the People's party of Salt Lake City, on behalf of a large number of the qualified voters of said city and party, hereby make the following complaints against the deputy registration officers appointed by your honorable body for said city, to wit: Against H. S. McCallum: That he has discriminated against certain voters by refusing to register them except at their homes but registering others not at their homes; that he has refused to correct the name of a registered voter which had been changed on the list, or to reregister him or correct the wrong in any way; that he has assumed to exercise judicial functions and pass upon the qualifications of citizens ready to take the oath prescribed; that he has declared his intention not to register such persons at any time, but threatened them with the penitentiary; that he has refused to register voters at whose residences he had called when they were not at home but who appeared at his office and asked to be registered, he declining to register them until after December 23, 1889. Against E. R. Clute: That he has discriminated against voters as above described; that he has neglected his duty by spending his time at stations, hotels, business houses, etc., when he should have been visiting the dwellings of citizens, thus leaving many houses in his precinct unvisited; that he has registered some voters at his own house and refused this privilege to others on the same day. Against J. R. Morris: That he has discriminated as aforesaid and by calling at certain houses and passing by others on the same block, sometimes skipping a house, but visiting those on either side of it; that he has refused to register, except at their homes, voters who called upon him and informed him that they could not remain at their homes, and desired to know where they could be registered, he replying that he would have an office but could not tell when it would be open; that he has refused to state when he would visit certain families, or at what time, so that voters might remain at home and meet him; that he has refused to register voters who called on him after he visited their homes when they were not at home, until after December 23, 1889; that he has also assumed judicial functions, declaring persons not legal residents who have resided in this city for many years. Against R. D. Winters: That he has also discriminated against voters as heretofore described; that he has neglected his duty as to house-to-house visiting: that he has declared his registration closed on November 27, and on November 28 for the fourth precinct, refusing to register any more persons in that precinct until after December 23, leaving many of them unregistered. Against Louis Hyams: That he has discriminated against voters as aforesaid; that he has neglected his duty as to house-to-house visitation, and yet has stated that he could not possibly attend to it in the time; that after arranging and agreeing to register voters who came to him in the manner agreed upon he utterly refused to fulfill his promise and would not register them; that he has refused to register a number of the members of the People's party until after December 23; that he has not only refused to register voters at his office or house, but to inform them when he would be on his "beat" or when he would call at their houses. From the general course pursued by the registration officers in this city we have good and ample reasons to believe that they are ready and willing to register mem bers of the Liberal party but unwilling to register members of the People's party. Also that by the exclusion of a large number of legal voters from registration until the week commencing December 23 many of them will be prevented from registering, and thus a fair election will be prevented. We respectfully ask your honorable body to inform the registration officers that the law in regard to visiting the houses of citizens is not so much for the convenience of the officers as that of the voters, and is intended to facilitate, not prevent, a full and fair registration. And it is their duty to register qualified voters at any convenient place within their precincts and at reasonable business hours. That they have no judicial powers and can not legally refuse to register persons ready to answer proper questions and take the oath prescribed by law. That they must not discriminate between members of different political parties. And that on failure or neglect to perform their duties they be promptly removed and other officers appointed in their stead. We also ask further that your honorable body appoint a sufficient number of deputy registration officers, to be at the designated places during the week commencing on December 23, to register all qualified voters who have not been registered. And that additional registration officers, to at least the number of one for each precinct, be appointed from among members of the People's party. All the registration officers now appointed are known to be members of the Liberal party, strong and avowed partisans, ready to serve their political associates to the utmost of their power. We therefore urge that the party to which we are attached be accorded this representa tion in order that justice may be done and that the approaching municipal election may be conducted fairly and express the choice of the majority of the voters of this city. On behalf of the central committee of the People's party of Salt Lake City. HEBER M. WELLS, Secretary. Not deeming the charges to be sufficiently specific, the Commission ordered the following communication to be sent to the parties making complaint, which was done the same day, December 11: OFFICE UTAH COMMISSION, Salt Lake City, December 11, 1889. Certain charges having this day been preferred by the municipal central committee of the People's party against the registrars of said city, it is ordered that the following reply be communicated by the secretary to the complainants, to wit: Whereas your communication of the 11th of December, instant, charges the registrars of the city of Salt Lake, Utah, with divers acts in violation of the law and the instructions issued by the Utah Commission on the 13th day of August, 1889, based upon the law, a copy of which instructions are attached hereto, and calls upon the Commission to take cognizance of the charges, you are hereby notified that the Commission will on the 16th day of the present month, at 10 o'clock a. m., hear proofs of the charges. The Commission requests and expects you to make such charges specific as to particular acts, times, and places, and the persons claiming to be affected as qualified voters by said acts. Such specific charges are expected to be filed as promptly as possible so that the registrars may be informed before the day set for hearing of the specific charges they have to meet. And the said registrars are requested and directed to be present at said hearing and answer said charges. Respectfully, G. L. GODFREY, Chairman. To H. M. WELLS, Vice-Chairman; R. W. YOUNG, Secretary Municipal Central Committee, People's Party, Salt Lake City. No reply was received to this until the 14th, when more specific charges were filed, as follows: The Honerable UTAH COMMISSION: SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, December 13, 188). GENTLEMEN: In response to your request of the 11th instant, that we "make specific charges as to particular acts, times and places, and the persons claiming to be affected as qualified voters by said acts" on the part of the registration officers of this |