Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-12

Arthur McEwan. the brilliant and
caustie journalist. who made name
for himself In the newspaper world
years ago; whose articles In the San
Francisco Examiner and New York
Journal. attracted worldwide atten-
ton. and who iatterly has been asaoei-
ated with the Philadelphia North
American. owned and published By
John wanamaker. has been an interest
ed observer OF tho Roberts case. In
one OF his letters to his paper he has
this 10 say.
1T IL perfectly clear that the House
OF Representatives does not approve OF
the kind Of polygamy which Mr.. Rob
erts. OF Utah. practices The other
kind was much discussed IN the press
gallery while the chastc Mr., Tayler,
OF Ohio. MIR. Gronvcnor. OF the same
state. and others were defending the
American home against the alarming
assault OF the 'Mormons.' The senu.
mcnta uttered on the floor could be read
without u blush by the young person
and with approval by everybody who IN
not an avowed polygamiBt. while the
remarks In the press gallery were quite
unit for publication, since these bore
largely upon the fitness OF Mr.. Roberts
Judges TO sit ON his case. There ID "A
great deal OF sympathy for Roberts. he
" 10 very lonely. and the opposition To
him In overmaHtcring, He IN the IN
der dog In night which Offers him no
chance at all. lie would have plenty
OF friends In the House " members
dared to talk outside OF II. Honorable
gentlemen Ia considerable numbers say
privately with manly franknels that
81
hurts their sense Of congruity TO see
a lot Of unrepentant FOUNDERS stamping
ON a man who ~ not a bit worse than
they are. The gentlemen say they are
afraid to vote as they think, lest they
be clasacd with the foes OF morality.
30 they add their kicks 20 the reat, ana
are prepared to defend the home
against the Mormons' to the last gasp.
Thus 10 Il seen that even cowardicc ana
hypocrisy, hateful things In themselves,
are happily brought into the service OF
domestic purity.
THE TROUBLE WITH ROBERTS.
1.-THE trouble with Robtrta.' said one
member. rs that he has not made out
casts of his women he calls his wives.
and refused his nanio TO their children.
Having thus failed In his duty toward
Christian civilization, | am prepared.
when the time comes, to hcave the
stone OF my Nokt AT Hlins
There Is dcplorable confusion OF
thought IN the press gallery, rs we'll
as out OF IL. The correspondents sit
around and tell what they know about
the lives Of public men, some OF whom
are prominent aH anti-RobertB warriors.
When the tales of drunkenness and
lechery have been told. the implied ar
yument IL that the Roberts sort OF
polyEamy IN dccenter than the Gentle
kind practioed by his prosecutors. The
principles that two wrongs do not make
a right Is forgotten, and u N also over
looked that after the Roberts style OF
polygamy has been properly branded
as lntolerable there VIII be nothing 10
prevent the rejected member from
Utah from turning the tables and cali
ing on the country to Pass Judgment
on the polygamy which does not dis
qualify "a citizen from serving Ia Con-
gress. or course the newspapers would
hardly give a hearing to 30 Immoral
a character as Roberts. The delieaey
~ the prcss would doubtless restrain
IL from violating the sacrcdness OF prl-
vnte life, but there II nothing 10 pre-
vent Roberts from writing book. He
ia bold enough to do IL. and he can
shield himself behind the speclous plea
that those who set up as censors OF
morals challenge examination OF their
own equipment for the office.
SHOULD HE WRITE A BooK3
He surely would be encouraged 60
essay such a book by the multitude OF
assurances he " daily receiving that
a Mormon with three, or thirty, wives
Is not hilf 10 offensive to the healthy
male mind no the sight OF drunknfds
and llbertincs figuring nh home suards
and strowlng flowers Of exaltlng rhet-
orlc at the feet OF pleased womanhood.
Roberts IL bold enough for anything.
There IL admiration, mingled with the
sympathy SO freely expressed for him
In this city. which, having q near view
OF gicat men ID prone 10 take the vail
cts View OF heroes, He is fighter,
and courage oompcls respect, lie has
brains, too. lie talks very well, In
deed-olearly. forolbly and oloquently.
lie knows exactly what he wants TO
say. and, though he mounts In impas-
stoned Nights. he does not slop over.
No one except man with rope
around his neck. addressing the mob
that Ia going TO hang him, ever made
speech under more depressing eondi-