The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-18

to Mr. Conkng than either Messrs. Merritt Burt or
Graham
porYGAMous MARRIAGEs-MoRNoN WOMEN
PLEADING FOR THE WIVES AND CHILDREN
OF UTAH
The House Judiciary Committee to-day granted a
hearing to Mrs. Emeline B. Wells and Mrs. Selma
Young williams. of Salt Lake City. Utah, upon the
various petitions now before the committee relating
to the laws effecting polygamy.
Mrs. Sara E. Spencer of this CITY, introduced the
ladies. sayng-
You have given hearings to large numbers of gen.
tlemen upon this question asking you for legisla-
women and children. win you not hear these
women in their own behalf 1t is in
still greater hardships to amend or repeal
existing laws that the chief sufferers, conscien-
hunted down as Outlaws and ontcasts: or it is in
your power to do you have with our larger ques-
tion-all the rights of all women-let it alone.
Mrs. Wells. who first addressed the committee,
ssid:-
We have been driven westward from State to State,
and at last took refuge soil not belonging to the
United States but 70 Mexico. We were thought unfit
to live under the free American ag and we took that
wilderness in which to build up civilization of our
own and to worship God according to our con-
sciences When the United States took posses.
down by Gentiles who followed us there. and who
saw that we had comfortable homes, good husbands,
tultn--EOOu
drenowned and bles sed by their kind fathers These
men have stirred up the Christian women OF our
country who in appealing to you to further aiict
lis know not what they do. We have no drainshops,
no paupers. outcast women, no ilegitimate chill
dren. Enforce this cruel law, let the Gentes rule
that Territory and you must build prisons for our
husbands and almshouses for children and we,
what shall we be before your law
Mrs. Williams sad-
My father Brigham Young, loved his children,
owned them and provided for them. Will the United
States make these women outcasts who are now hon
ored wives and mothers grown gray in rearing sons,
good citizens of the United States? We thought the
constitution of the United States would protect us in
the exercise of religion and that the law would be
pronounced unconstitutional. Now that the SUI
preme Court has decided otherwise come TO you
for protection. We United States citizens, born
American SOIL We arc strength to this nation.
Nowhere will you find drawer, truer men than our
husbands aud the sons we are rearing. we ask
Justice your hands We ask deliberation that You
know phase OF this question before you 40
us any greater wrong.
Mr. Conger inquired Of Mrs. Spencer what definite
action the committee requested to take.
Mrs. Spencer said:-
You requested to frame better bill than this
now on the calendar from the Committee on Terri
tories which Furnishes all Mormon women for no
crime they have not married several husbands and
which Furnishes all Mormon men for the only redeem
ing feature in their peculiar MISUNDERSTANDING
and recognizing these women wives That is the
CRIME in Utah, not living with several
women but honorng them and claiming them as
wives Enact law, If at ALL which will have power
to protect these and their children, and re-
peal whatever does them wrong
AMERICAN REGISTRY FOR FOREIGN BUILT SHIPS
ARGUMENT BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMERCE
COMMITTEE.
The House Committee on Commerce to-day heard
arguments on the bill heretofore introduced by Rep
resentative Harrison of Illinois. which proposes to
amend the Revised Statutes as to allow the pur-
chase and registry of foreign ships by citizens of the
United States
Mr. Goldman, of New York, briefly addressed the
committee favor Of the bill, and was followed by
Representative Hale, Of Maine. in opposition to it.
He took the ground that there demand for
the repeal of the Navigation laws, and that no.
body appeared here for that purpose except
Mr. Goldman, of New York, who represented
British ships The American ship building interest,
he said, had struggled against the competition Of
cheaper built foreign ships for eighteen years. and
at had reached point when it could build better
ships than the rest the world could supply and
cheap rates. This interest should be given few
years of this condition to prove itself; but if the
Navigation laws were repealed we would let in hun
dreds of British ships which lie idle, and glut the
market DO this said he. and you root out the entire
sbipbuilding interest and send to other vocations
thousands of the best skilled mechanics in the world
and il you do it you will obtain little benefit the
money would not go into American pockets. Let
| European complications result in war in which
Great Britain would be surely worsted and the British
marine would be transferred to the hands
of agents. factors and purchasers in large cities
| who represent British houses and while the sale
would be nominal every dollar earned under the pro-
| lection of laws would go into the pockets OF
British owners and the golden opportunity afforded
| us to resume our ascendancy on the seas bt
| forever lost Give our shipbuilders chance tc
| Tho folie rbQvh avf
not vet had favorable opportunity, but just OIL
| the eve of obtaining it, and, therefore, nothing
should be done to interfere with their future pros
| perity.
In the course of his remarks Mr.. Hale referred tc
the fact of the Russian cruisers coming shores
during the recent threatened troubles with England
and observed that in the event of between Rus
STA and England English commerce would have beer
swept from the by hostile privateers. Such was
the danger of depending on foreign Power to sup
ply ships.
Representative Ward Of Pennsylvania. emphatically
denied an assertion made by Mr.. Goldman that Amer
lean shipbulders could not build good ships as
those of England and said that when the committee
were ready to report this bill to the House they
would be ready to drag down the wages and condi
ton of American mechanics to the level OF foreign
Iaborers Referring to an allegation that the ship
building interest too small to command national
attention Mr.. Ward quoted from documents
to show that during 1873 there were bull
on the Delaware River alone 5000 tons Of iron ships
of the value of 900 OF this at least $4,000 oOt
represented wages paid for labor, in the various
stages of construction from the mine and the tree ia
the complete vessel There industry in which
labor formed great an element as ship building
nor one whose destruction would more disastrousy
affect the working classes Moreover, the present
navigation laws provided that American officers
should command the vessels registered under them
80 that true and loyal men should be on deck when
danger threatened from either foreign or domestic
| foes.
Representative Harrison. of Illinois. said the gen
tleman from Maine MIR. Hale had argued that as we
could not in the past build ships to compete with
England because labor here was high VIC should now
| be allowed to do so because OF the chcapness OF