The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-11-25
ROBERTS..
-. Nav Not Accept utana
Next Representative
mas sfane WlTes-Ef Re Brings
See TO Congress Trouble May
FolIoW-It would BE q
Bfnf n A1ront

w-4sugoros, Nov. 20-Maay persons
Washington believe that Represent
eeeIeet Brigham T. Roberts Of Utah
b expelled from the house Of rep
ssatatiyes If Che charge that he is a
o,lyqamist, living openly and avowediy
b more than n wife, can be sus-
tained
prring the congressional campaign
4. Roberts, who was the Democratic
esgdidate for congress from Utah, was
charged with being a polygamist and
witb living with more than n wife.
Il was said that he had admitted that
y was praetieing polYgamy and de-
tended his action on the ground that it
Wasp permitted BY his religion.
heretofore Utah has sent Mormons to
tbe senate and house of representatives
I'M they were not Mormons who prae-
iced poIygamy. Mr.. King, the present
representative from Utah, is thorough
believer in Mormonism, and last winter
delivered addresses from time to time,
explaining and defending its teachings,
hut he does not advocate or practice
polygamy.
since Utah ceased to be a Territory
h. its admission ipto the Union, the
anti-polygamy laws passed Isl congress
have ceased to be operative there, but
i'll Mr.. Roberts is Q polygamist he Is
violating the constitution and laws Of
Utah, for the new State was required
by the act admitting it to the Union to
frame o constitution and make laws
prohibiting and Furnishing polygamy
The anti-poIYgamy laws Of congress
apply, however, 20 the District If gu
IumBia, ard Il Is possible Chat Mr. Rob
erts, if he is a polygamist, might be
liable to arrest and punishment here
These laws have been construed by the
District courts il several cases, but
lawyers here do not behave they would
APPLY to al offense committed 81 Utah
should Mr. Roberts bring more than
q wife to Washington with him. how
ever, it is believed that he would be
liable to prosecution.
The fact that a man is a polggamlst
DOGS not make him Ineligible to mem-
bership in the house'of representatives,
according to the opinion Of leading
members of the house and prominent
lawyers with whom 1 have talked, and
Mr.. Roberts probably viii Us. allowed
to take his seat without objection. Tie
may not ia allowed hold i very
long, however. for many representa-
lives believe, that he should be expelled.
Dtugiey states the Grounds.
The grounds upon which such action,
If taken, would Be based were stated to
me BY Representative Dingley the Re-
publican leader of the house.
eWhen Utah wa admitted to the
Union, said Mr.. Dingley, solemn
pledge was given that polygamy should
not be permitted, That was the condi-
ton on which the act of admission was
passed. II would now be q very bold
thing if that State, ia the face Of its
solemn pledge, should send to congress
ais one of its earliest representatives in
the house a polygamist
Mr.. Dingley said further that If the
charges made against Mn. Roberts
should be found TO be true it would not
be merely an ordinary case Of a law
breaker being sent to ongress, il would
be an affront so grave that he thought
the house could not avoid taking some
notice Of IT, and It might be possible
that it would lead to tile expulsion d
tile representative from Utah if the
charges could be proven.
Al have not looked into the subject,
said Mr.. Hemingway of Indiana, q Re.
publican representative, Out il seems
to me that ME-. Roberts would be
eligible, even though lie might practices
polygamy
SIN view Of the solem pledge whict
the State Of Utah gave when i was ad.
mitted 10 the Union that %polygamJ
should Be abolished I thiak that per
haps the house ought to expel Mr.
Roberts If the charges against hin
should be substantiated The resolu
tion Of expulsion might tie drawn so a
to show very clearly the ground 81
which the house acted.
ROBERTS TALKS OF THE CASE.
E-va Wia MARRIAGE Wers Not Affected b