The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-11-22
ROBERTS DEFENDS MS POSITION.
PEOPLE ARE MISLED.
Men Of Utah Bound 10 FIN Obligations 10 the
Women They Married before t,e Law End.
ing Polygamy Became Effective.

Congressman-elect Roberts. the poly
gamist from Utah, against whom
there Is a strong sentiment and whose
seat I'm congress Is in doubt writes as
follows in a New York newspaper;
Those engaged in working up pub
lie sentiment against the representa-
tive from Utah demand OF the House
of Representatives either that he be
not allowed to take his seat, to which
1t is admitted that he was legally
elected. or, after being admitted. that
he be expelled That the House can do
either of these two things Is extremely
doubtful.
"In the first place 1t must be remem-
bered that no compact exists between
the Mormon Church and the Govern
ment of the United states on the sub
iect of polygamy. The only compact
existing ON that subject Is between the
people of Utah. acting through their
representatives i'm the State Constitu-
tional convention and the people of the
United States, represented by the
President and Congress.
II affirm positively that that compact
has been kept on the part of the peo-
pie of Utah. There Is no attempt to
repeal or annul the parts of the Consti-
tuition prohibiting polygamous or plur-
al marriage. There Is no desire 10
disrupt that compact with the United
States. The Mormon Church has not
violated the compact, and has no desire
to annul II, but on the contrary, the
venerable head of the church has Of
fcially avowed his determination to
adhere to this settlement OF the ques-
tion.
"rhe Representative to Congress
from Utah has not violated this com
pact, the assertion of his enemies TO the
contrary Notwithstanding. When the
little coterie of sectarian ministers and
Il IIcap fnt tnI a hnggpH
In Utah who began this agitation say
that the Mormon Church or It's mem
bers violate the compact between. our
state and the people OF the United
states because few men In Titan reel
morally bound to fulfill their obhga-
tions to the women they married under
sanction of the Mormon Church, pre-
vious to the issuance of the church
manifesto of 1890. disseminating poly
gamous marriages-when they say this
Is n violation of the compact with the
United States, they say that which they
know to be untrue.
Disruptiny and discontinuing theose
polygamous relations was no part OF
the compact. IL was not any part Of
the action OF the Constitutional con-
vention but on the contrary, steps
were studiously taken not to disrupt
those relations by constitutional pro-
vision by discarding the parts of the
anti-polygamy law which would have
brought about that result. What good
would come to the people of the United
States by a disruption of those plural
families? What good would come t>
either morality or religion to turn those
plural wives and their children adrift?
What Christian woman's home would
be securer for knowing that Mormon
plural wife's home was now destroyed =!
LET il be remembered that the home
and family of that plural wife were es-
tablished under the sanction of-to her
"a holy church ceremony. and with the
approval of all her people. The foun-
| tain of the evil was dried up. the pco-
pie of the United States can be Esner-
! Gus enough to allow the streams that
| flowed from IL to take their course un-
| til lost in the oblivion OF death. Some
men-the number Is few and rapidly
| growing less-who entered into plural
relations previous To 1890. when the
church formally ana officially dscon-
| tinued such marriages. and hence. of
| course, previous to the settlement Of
| the question by the compact of our
| State Constitution. have felt II morally
| binding upon their cousciences to fulflll
| obligations of their marriage VOWS tn
those polygamous families. This is the
only 'polygamy' that has existed in
| Utah since the admission OF the state.
| or since 1890. In fact
II don't go Ia Washington as n repre-
sentative of polygamy. / am not sent
there by my constituents to ask Con-
gress to consent to the repeal of the
| clause I'm our State Constitution which
defines. prohibits and Furnishes poly
gamy-and IL should be remembered
that this particular clause in our state
Constitution cannot be repealed with
out the consent of the United States.I
| shall not go to Washington to advocate
or even defend polygamy.
|