The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-11-24
Members Afraid of Gre
ating Precedent.
Ground All Threshed Over In
Case Of Delegate Cannon.
isrEoIA- TO THE rHEss.i

IDENTIFY ext eoted py tne hspuohenh NaosEs
who have so far arrived In Washington
that tie cale OF Brigham II. Roberts, the
Mormon Congressman from Utah, will
occasion considerable debate at the open
ing Of the session. Ii is q case OF much
Importance In political sense, since the
moral sense of the country has been very
thoroughly art used on tbs subject This
10 evident from the attitude OF Congress-
men who are returning 10 Warrington.
They feel that something should be done
at the very outset of the session, and that
Mr.Roberts should not be allowed to take
the cath. While realizing that there are
many practical difficulties in the way Ct
such programme, they are casting about
for 8 me means to accomplish this with
out establishing precedent that at some
other time might be used as cloak for
revolutionary proceedings at the orsani-
cation of the House. II q man having
proper certificates and the undoubted
fact of his election by his people to sus-
tain him Is not to be admitted to take the
oath because he has violated the law In
relation to poly gamy what In future may
prevent men being kept out on charges
that they have violatsd other laws. ask
those who are fearful of the presidents
As matter Of fact this question was
tbrsshed over quarter Of century ago
in the House under circumstances much
the same, although that was then terri
tory, and the subject OF the question was
a delegate and not member. George @.
Cannon. for some time the secretary Of
Brigham Young, appeared with q reg ular
certificate that he had been elected dele
gate from the tsrritory Of Utah. 1t was
tie Forty-third Congrsss and james q.
Blaine of Maine, was Speaker. As the
Speaker was swearing In the members
preliminary to com pleting the organiza-
tion of the House objection was made to
the administering Of the oath to Delegate
Cannon, and Mr. Clinton L. Mer riam u
member from the State of New York.
presented a resolution:
"iWhereas. 1t is alleged that George Q
Cannon of Utah, has taken oaths moon
sistsnt with citizenship OF the United
States and with his obligations as dele
gate In this house, and has been and con-
tlnues to be guilty Of practices in viola
ton and defiance OF the laws of the
United States; therefore
Resolved, That the credentials of said
Cannon, and his right to seat In this
House as delegate from Utah, be rs-
1erred to the committee on elections. and
that said Cannon be not admitted to a
seat in this Houss.previous to the report
Of said committee.
This rssol ton created much debate.
The famous Sunset Cox led OF saying
that while he and Mr.. Merriam would
probably agree as to the evils of poly
gany, yet Mr.. Cannon had q prima fscie
right to this seat, and to deny him the
oath would be to set u very dangerous
precedent. Benjamin +. Butler Of Mas,a-
ohussetts, said he did not believe that 1t
had ever been the custom of the House,
when a man came with proper credentials
from the proper authority to say that be
should not have his seat until such time
as the House should decide for reason to
deprive him of 1t after proper invsstiga-
ton. II they should break away from
that rule 1t might be that the House
would never be organized in some time of
Hoar of MassAch usetts, now Senator,
cited precedent in a former Congress to
show::thst 1t had been the practice to seat
member in such cases. Mr.. CLARK son n.
Potter Of New York. also an able lawy or,
took the same ground, and the resolution
of Mr.. Merriam was laid On the table by
a unanimous vote. or one SO nearly
uuanim GUS that no one called for a count.
This was not the end OF the case by any
appeared for delegate Cannon's
seat, has ng his contest ON the In
eligibility of the latter because Of
hts poly gamous relations. The commits e
on elections, however, found that Mr..
Cannon had a maj GRITTY of something like
Is. 900 and concluded that they were not
empowered to examine into anything but
his eligibility under the Constitution.
that Is, II he was IS years of age, had
been seven years a citizen OF the ooun try,
and WIS an actual inhabJtant of the
region which he claimed to represent
This report caused not little dsbats.
Clark son N. Potter Of New York, in his
speech, perhaps summarized "a we'll as
any one the contention Of those who did
mt believe that they could 90 into the
character OF q member to determine his
eligibility after his constituents had Sc
lscted him properly and ssnt him to the
House. "This question of the exclusion
of representatives from this House on ac-
count Of moral qualifications 10 not new. "
be said in the course Of the debate. ''It
has been raised at various times since
have been . member Of Congress Ny
swn Judgment is-and such has generally