Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-10-12
a WIDESPREAD nuMnuo.

one Of the remarkable rigns Of thr
times ~ tho firorc that has beun
urOused In the United States over Tho
election Of tho Representative M Con.
greas from Utah. In the very large ma
jority Of Instances the ladies and gem
ilomcn who have enlisted In the pros
cnt crusade. know little or nothing ~
the actual facts In the oasc. They have
bccn persuaded that tho retention ~ his
ecat by the Utah conrrpsamnn will nie-
Nifty the prevalence of poiyEnmy On
Utah ana that THE would mean danger
TO American homes and the purity of
families throughout tho land. and they
Therefore enter with enthusiasm Into
che war that IL made upon him.
II e. sometimes very amurlnr 90 mo-
ticc tho basis upon which they proceed.
md the prcambic= 20 tho roaolnti5na
they pass IN religious assemble.
"whcrcaa II h alleged" nnnca promi-
ncnuy In such proiudca 10 their acting.
Proofs they do not rcquire. Certain
thirEe arr alleged" and that appears
60 b. oil that b necessary fpr the gene
'AHA AAAANaNANAANNNH MNMA wv NNN|I||NNN N|N.N|N
members Of ConErci3 10 unite IN oNpol-
iins the gentleman against whom such
thlnss urc alleged"
The Thought that there may b. another
eide 70 the uubicot docs not fdom 90 on.
ter their minds Nor do they appear de-
ulroua Of explanations. 10 10 hue aud
cry that n raised ana no. n comca
from ,hc pulpit they JOIN IN " without
apparent reelection. Some prominent
journals shout In tho Same thought
ioso tumuli ana their voices arc added
20 tho chorus on confusion.
There are difference o. opinion. hove
ever. among those papers that approach
tho subject with any dogreo OF reason.
Some advocate the plan OF preventing
the member from Utah from taking bio
seat. Others arc very positive that this
cannot b. made effective. ana that be
must and viii b. seated but that lt %
possible be may be- expelled.
The Chicago Timos-Iiornld. On re-
cont editorial. odmlia that Under the
Constitution, his tito 20 tho cent IN
Congress - no clear 40 tho title Of
william T.. Hepburn u tho Elghth
Iowa district" II rayH further.
The Constitution prescribe no quail
ficationa FOR Representative u Com
Gress that can interfere with tho cligi-
bliity Of n polyGamist from Utah" but
urEcs upon "thosc who arc actively
Identified IN the movement 10 keep him
from taking his scai IN congrcar. that
thc question raised De- ono Of morals and
of Christian ethics" and thinks 70 "im-
Tortant thorcfore. 70 cryatalliEe this sem
tlmcnt at once, and mako u effective
and widespread before tho converting Of
Congress-"
Observe. tho moral crunndcrs VIII have
Go wage their war outside tho Conau-
tuition Of tho United States.
Under that the momhor-olcct has a
perfect right 10 bis seat II no n exc
cluded Il viii be- ON tho ground u
morals and OF Christian ethics" lut
what has Congress 20 do with cltherf |
n the question OF morals h. 10 enter In |
to the right of one member 10 the seat |
60 which he has been duly elected. |
should Il not enter into tho right OF an |
tho other membcn-eleotg The question |
OF mor,is would cover a tremendously |
wide ana awkward stretch N ground,
And In Congress empowered 10 discuss
ana decide questions OF Christian |
cthica7" II 20. from whence ala that |
body derive such authority Ana Il Il |
should be- assumed. IN Il only 10 cut ono |
way7 What IN 20 stop II from nianhlng
IN all directions. and establishing such
standards OF Christian ethics as the
majority may favor7
II IA evident that In this ease, nome
of tho strongest ntloklora Tor conati-
tutional restrictions are willing that
Congress shnil exceed its rlghtfui pow
ere. and violate tho supreme law. In
order 60 eject a member obnoxious TO
pubic sentiment which has been large
~ created by false or exaggerated
statements and which proceeds on sup
position and violent prejudice.
our contemporaries OF the prpsa
should refrain from joining In the up
roar which has made such din IN the
land. and approach this matter, n Il is
worth serious attention. with g5me de-
Ereo OF calmnoss ANA regard for facts
md established principles They should
know that
First the nomination ~ tho Utah
Congressman was made without refer
inoe or inquiry as 20 his family affairs,
lls religion. his morality, or anything
put his peculiar fitness for the position
20 be filled
Second, that the Mormon" Church
lad nothing whatever TO do with H.
Third, that the delegates who sup
,ortcd his nomination, with but a very
ew exceptions. were monogamIsta.
Fourth, that he was not elected by
Mormon" votes alone, but by those OF
persons OF all clauses OF Ms party
Firth. that the storm raised against
lin on account Of his alleged plural
amily, started with his party oppo-
tents ana prutcssed religious ministers
.iso hostile TO his politics ns wcll ns his
reed.
Sixth. that the question Of tine prnc-
ice OF polygamy Ia Utah viii not Dc
neotod. IA ony way, by his expulsion
e the retention OF his seat In Congress
Mormon" plural marriages have cn-
lroly ceased, ana there rs NO intention
ere 20 revive polygamy. Every stated s
l.nt 10 tho contrary. no matter who !