The San Francisco call., 1899-01-25
ROBERTS IS
A DISGRACE
TO CONGRESS
Oakland Women De-
cry Polygamy.
PETITION SENT TO METCALF
ADVOCATES NO COMPROMISE
WITH BIGAMY.
The Convention Declares That Utah
Is No Longer Deserving of
Place in the
Union.
PETITION SENT TO METCALF
ADVOCATES NO COMPROMISE
WITH BIGAMY.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
one RrOa dwQV Ian "a

90S Broadway, Jan. "A.
A large audience of representative
women gathered at Reed Hall this even
ing to protest against the seating Of Con-
gressman-elect Brigham H. Roberts of
Utah. The meeting was organized with
the election of Mrs. Sarah c. Borland as
president and Mrs. Ella Hughes as secre-
tary.
Miss Pierce, who had spent some time
in Utah and knew people and conditions
there, was the first speaker.
She gave a detailed account of Roberts
life, showing him as one of the theological
leaders of Mormonism. Attention was
called to his Imprisonment in the peniten-
tiary for polygamy, also to the fact that
he was not a regularly enfranchfsed citi-
zen, since he could not avail himself of
the amnesty granted by President Cleve-
land, never having given up polygamy.
Reference was also made to Roberts
many wives and to the children born from
plural marriages since Utah had become
a State. The twins so historic in the
Utah campaign were alluded to, as evil
dence that the compact with the nation
had not been kept as far as the Utah
statesman was concerned. The quotation
from the twins caused much merriment-
'Ha, ha, ha; he's my pa He's going to
Washington, but he won't take ma!'
This was campaign cry in Utah.
nc uIllIIdl6 dIlIl VI NhOiIIOHlSU was
fully set forth as was the old threat of
Brigham Young that He would yet cram
polygamy down the throats of the Ameri-
can people" Extracts, from speeches of
the elders of the Mormon church were
read to show that polygamy was a live
issue in the Mormon church, and that
Utah had not kept up to the promise
made when she was allowed to join the
sisterhood Of States.
Miss Pierce'S paper was well received
and she was followed by Mrs. Louise Cock
n % nrff n tTrff
ten by Eugene Young, grandson of Brig
ham Young. 1t contained powerful APP
peal for the down-trodden women of Utah
and showed in strong pictures the am
bition of the Mormon leaders and the ulti-
mate ends to be attained by them. 1t was
not question of a man, but of a princi-
pie. The defense of polygamy had been
carefully worked out, and the return of
Roberts to the House of Representatives
was a challenge from Utah-and recog-
milton by the. nation OF polygamy, the
cornerstone of the Mormon religion. 1t
was a ringing address, powerfully read
by Mrs. Cockroft.
outlining the methods by which the Nor
mons attained their ends. She told story
of prominent physician who lived in a
little town in Utah, who, though a Nor
mon, did not practice polygamy. But as
soon as Utah was State and there was
no longer need for secrecy, he introduced
his other wives and their families to the
community Mrs. Pinney also pointed out
the shrewd, underhand way in which the
Mormon tries to attain his ends, and
thought, in view of the facts, the time
had come for the women of the nation
to take a stand in defense of the homes
of the nation.
Mrs Granville Abbott, president of the
Red Cross Society, was the next speaker.
She referred to the fact that strong, active
protests would deepen into action. There
was no doubt of the shock to the moral
sentiment of the nation by the insult that
had been put upon it. 1t was the day of
In
the ascendency and in power; still the in
dignant protest of the nation would be
listened to by the lawmakers If 1t were
loud enough. The election OF Roberts was
an insult to the sacredness of the home.
Mrs. George Babcock gave her observa-
tions of Mormon life and Mormon work
during a stay in Salt Lake, and pointed
out how fatal a mistake 1t was to trust
to Mormon integrity by taking Utah into
the Union.
Mrs McCleas spoke of the duty which
women owed the nation in this crisis.
They had not votes, but they had infiu-
ence Each woman could work actively
in her own circle, and the aggregate
would roll up such mass of influence
that no body of men would disregard Ii.
1t would horrify the new Congressman
when he came to take his seat.
The sentiment of the meeting was fully
expressed that the election of Brigham
II. Roberts was direct insult TO the
citizens of the nation; that the women of
the nation felt keenly the lowering of the
home standard which 1t would mean. A
polygamist could never legislate for the
American women. Two methods were
suggested-one to prevent Congressman
elect Roberts from taking his seat by
proving that he was not eligible, not
citizen, since he believed in polygamy and
had practiced it against the laws of the
United States The other method related
to expelling Roberts from the House. the
only danger in the latter course lying in
the fact that it would require two-thirds
vote of the House, and there could be no
certainty of that.
Messages were received from Mrs. Rob-
ert Watt Mrs Alexander Martin and Mrs.
John Yule, expressing their sympathy in
the movement inaugurated.
The members are preparing to circulate
petitions everywhere in Oakland, so that
the memorial shall be the most extensive
one ever prepared on this side of the bay.
The heading of each petition reads as
follows:
To the Hon. Victor H. Metcalf. Member of
Congress from the Third Congressional Dis
trct-Sir: We. the undersigned, voters in the
City of Oakland State of California, believing
that 1t is contrary to the laws of the United
States and in defiance of the moral sense of
citizens TO allow Brigham II. Roberts. Con-
gressman-elect from Utah, to take his seat.
do hereby urge you to use your vote and in
fuence to exclude him.