Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-27
A new Line OF INVESTIGATION
Nay Be Made a Case Against
the State of Utah.
PRECEDENTS LOOKED UP

| NiutSA lildt MI lNtAtEfr Sltu.t be re-
moved. the question az issue among the
leaders now is how to effect il.
About a dozen Of the mos. notable law
| yers among thu republicans, including one
| or two Of the House managers. have the
| subject under consideration now and are
| casting about for the ways and means OF
| getting MIR. Roberts out Precedcnts are
| being carefully examined and the whole
| case is undergoing careful research and
| earnest discussion. II is not improbable
that the republican caucus viii take up the
matter the latter part OF this week. al
| though ii is not TO Ea mad, u strict partv
question. While the republicans feel that
| they must take the initiative. because OF
| the responsibility uevolvng upon the ma
Jor1ty, the assistance of democrats Will be
| expected.
The plan discussed last week. and noted
| IN The Star at the time, 10 have the House
sustain by a majority Note an objection to
| the administration OF the oath OF Office TO
Ar. ItobertS has found favor among many.
| ON the other hand however, some object
| 10 II upon the ground OF the doubtful con-
| sututlohallty OF such action, and advocate
passing the case TO the committee on ju-
dietary, on resolution OF expulsion. IL is
wei understood, OF course, mat expulsion
requires two-thirds vote of the House.
Inv cstigntiEg I'm New Direction.
Those who have the case in charge are
pursuing their Investigations IN a new di-
rection today-that is, whether this should
not be made case agains. The representa-
ton IN Congress of the state of Utah, rath-
er than personal tight On Roberts This
line Of investigation was recommended by
a member OF the commItt.- which passed
on the act admitting Utah as d state. 1t
was suggested that il would be well to
see if tan has not ViO.ated The comDacr
with the general government when the ter
ritory was promising all sorts OF things 10
get INTO the Union, and ii the seat OF the
representative in Congress from Utah
could not be vacated on such a ground.
AT any rate. whatever the outcome there
is no doubt that Mr. Roberts is now In very
not water, the temperature Of which Is
likely 10 increase. Many members OF tho
House who might be iukewarm in advanc-
ing IN this case nnd themaelN es subj jacted
10 a hot lire in their rear. As stated in
The Star several days ago. more than 100
representa- lives wives have signed a petit
ton to their husbands and the House
against the seating of Mr.. Roberts. The
number has S.nce Increased, and the pet1-
tlon which Is being circulated 10y Mrs JOY.
wife Of Representative JOY of Missouri, is
rapidly filing up with the names OF repre-
sentatives' wives. Ii Is ne, TO be expected,
of course, that these ladies, having en-
barEed in the enterprise. Will let the mat
ter drop with mere signing the petition.
In fact. some OF the repI,=vutatiA es rue
fully say that peace in their own house
holds VIII not be assured until Mr. Roberts
Is out of Congress.
If the case goes before a committee Of
t4!t HOUSE llleIt VIII bt no AlIltuAtN IN Sc
curing prosecutors. Several organizations
stand ready to take up the cuugels against
him and il is understood that one of them,
the League fer Social Service has engaged
ex-senator Edmunds, ex-SecretaTY Carlisle
and Mr.. Harry II. SIN. tn counsel. Mr..
Roberts will retain competent counsel when
the time comes.
The Case of Nr. Cannon.
In looking over the preccdents. the search
ers recall the experience Of a poIygamist
in the Forty-thirJ. Forty-iouTth, Forty
fifth, FoTty-sixth and Forty-scventh Com
crosses. This was Mr.. George .. Cannon.
elected delegate to Congress from Utah.
When he presented himself 10 be sworn IN
he was objected TO, and Speaker Blaine
directed him TO stand aside. When all the
others had been sworn the House returned
to his case and a resolution was offered
refusing to admit him on the ground that
he had taken OathS Inconsistent With his
citizenship in the United States and was
guilty Of practices in violation Of the laws
of the United States.
Mr. Cannon was a confessed polyeamist,
having four or five wives. lie was not
seated. however, and served as delegate in
several Congresses. Nhen ne came 10 ths
Forty-seventh. there was a contest against
his seat by one Campbell, ana the case
went before the committee on elections.
Neither man was seated. Campbell was
denied because he had not received enough
votes and Cannon because he was polyg-
amist.
Statement of the Elections Committee.
The report on Cannon's case, from tho
committee on elections, contained the fol-
lowing statement:
THE committee on elections only says To
the people of Utah, You shall not abuse tho
privilege Of representation which we al
lowed you on the floor Of Congress, by
sending as your delegate person who adj
heres to an orga alizatiOn tina; IS hostile 10
the interests of free government, and
whose doctrines and practices are offensive
to the masses Of the moral people or mo
great rlation We represent.
Also the following:
lit will hardly be contended that Utah
will ever be admitted a state while
polygamy dominates it, or that 1t is pre-
pairing it for admission as a state TO hold
out to its people the delusive doctrine that
q polygamist is not disqualified as MEM
Der of Congress, and therefore that polyg-
amy is no bar TO the admission or Utah 10
the Union"
The report against Cannon also quoted
fTcm the speeches in Congress OF several
prominent men against the Mormon
Church, from which the following are eX-
tracts:
senator Bayard of Delaware said:
II had stated, and here reiterate, that
there is nothing of the reality of a republ-
can form of government in the territory Of
Utah. 1t is maletflcient and maleVOlent
union OF church and state: ii is d theocratic
government higher than the Constitution
of the United States in the estimation Of
It's NOtdrleS, ana v men GOnlptlS an ODE
dience that is hostile to the spirit of liberty
and spirit of law and the American laws
and constitutions themselves"
A Government of PoIyEamists.
Senator Edmunds said:
THE government of the territory Of Utah
in every one Of its practical, administrative
and political aspects is a government Of
yganlists-not government OF faith or
opinion, but government of fact. The
men who practice that thing are In possess
sion of that government; they are IN pos
session of il in defiance Of the statutes OF
the United States Furnishing that thing;
they are in. possession Of ii in defiance OF
all civilized, Christian, modern understand
ing of what il is right TO do, not what IL is
right to think.
mo man, north or south, who believes In
the Christian religion, who believes in re-
publican government, can maintain or has
r1ai ai1nfn iad in this body inst