The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-14
EUGENE YOUNG IN THE CITY
IN THE INTEREST OF THE NEW
YORK HERALD.
Fight Is Not On Roberts Personally,
But On ''the System Which He Is
Supposed to Represent"

Eugene Young, the brilliant young
paper and now of the New York Her
aid, who has made a wide reputation
by his incisive and facile pen, is in the
city in the interest of James Gordon
Benefits paper. 1t is about four years
since he left Salt Lake, and his friends
are more than pleased to welcome him
| back.
When asked as to the reason for his
visit to Salt Lake and his plans, Mr..
Young said:
Il am simply a staff man sent to
what is temporarily a news center"
rs the Roberts campaign really re-
ceiving any serious attention in the
east, outside of a few preachers and
church society women the Herald re-
porter asked.
Yes, it is attracting the notice of
our politicians and business men," said
Mr.. Young. Newspapers in the east
do not take up questions unless they
are of general interest, and the fact
that they are deYoting so much atten-
ton to Nj. Roberts shows that the
question he presents is considered i'm
portant. l have rot had any connec-
ton with the movement against Mr..
Roberts. except in making one address
before the Presbyterian Won1an's Board
of GOnle Missions, and SO cannot tell
what progress IS being made in the
campaign III each congressional dig
trict. The general demand for matter
on the AIormons and for information,
however, is j general indication of the
effectiveness of their work.
What do the church people intend
to do in the absence of contest
against his seat?' he was asked.
THE contest idea has been abandoned
for some time he said. The leaders
in the anti-Roberts movement consult
ed with Senator Edmunds and other
weil-known constitutional lawyers and
decided that it was questionable
whether the attack could be made on
that line. Equally doubtful was the
proposition to put forward the charge
that Mr.. Roberts was debarred from
his seat by disfranchisement under the
Edmunds-T Tucker act. The line on
which the societies are working is to
have him expelled after he takes his
seat in congress by tWo-thlrdS vote.
This method is preferred, because there
is a desire to avoid making the fight
personal one on Mr.. Roberts and to
make general war on polygamy.'
What position do you take in this
matter?" he was asked.
II made it very plain in the address
before the Presbyterian women that
was not attacking Mr.. Roberts person
ally. 1 once had a great deal of regard
for him, and would not care to take q.
position that would injure him person.
ally without benefiting anybody. Be-
sides. it would be undignified for the
nation to interest itself in the morality
Of one man. But every evidence seems
10 indicate that he is in accord with
his church leaders, and as his church
leaders have been sustained unani-
mously at every conference.-the a
single exception-there is no evidence
that they are not in entire accord with
the whole Mormon people. Therefore.
in him-as q high church officer, as well
as the representative of Utah-we have
presented to US the plain defiance of an
entire people. The present policy of the
Mormon leaders, both in the matter Of
polygamy and church and state, seems
to be contrary to American principles.
There is no evidence Of any intention
to correct these from the inside, and
therefore many of us think proper pres
sure should be brought from the out
side"