The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-11-29
DEFENDS HIS OWN STATE
Mckinley Has Appointed Mormons to Many
Federal Offices.
WHY CAN NOT THE PEOPLE ELECT oNt9
senator RnwlIns Asserts That the
Compact of Utah Has Not Been
BroLen--IIc Has Resolution.

! Washington. November IS Senator
Rawllns of Utah, at present the sole rep
ressntative of that State in the senate
/ furnishes the following statement with ref.
erence to the charges against his state or
account of the election of Mr. Roberts: III
is claimed that the Moimon church, by de-
ceit and fraud, brought about the admis-
sion of Utah into the Union so that behind
Statehood lines polygamy might be prac-
diced with impunity. ] was delegate
from Utah in the house at the time of her
admission. introduced the bill under which
she became a State and spoke in the
house in favor of its passage. Most OF the
Mormon leaders had opposed my election
as delegate and afterward, until the pas
sage of the Statehood bill. 1 had no COM
nlunication with them either directly or
indirectly upon the subject. The Mormon
church did not speak or act through me.
Of course, referred 20 their public acts
and declarations on the subject of polyg
amy and told the houDe | did not H.ieve
that the practice would be revived, and If
it was l could not advocate Utah's adj
mission into the Union.
The compact betwee the State of Utah
at the time of her admission and the
United States that poygamous marriages
should be forbidden WIS to be irrevocable
without the consent o. the United States
and the people of the State. Utah, both
efot,. No.
vided for the punishme MT of poygamy and
all Kindred oilenses. No complaint has
been or can truthfully be made that these
laws are no. enforced. All the members of
the supreme court AMI seven out of the
nine district judges in the State are non
Mormons and it is safe to say that the
entire judiciary stand ready to enforce
these laws. The pubic prosecutors are
mostly nom Mormons and all, | believe, arr
-polygamists. During the past year
the State has been rakod in search OF cases
OF polygamy with which to feed this new
modern sensation, but no complaint has
been presented against any man charging
him with this ofiense Some cases of un-
lawful cohabitation have been prosecuted
and punished, So far Utah has sacredly
kept the compact"
But it is charged that the people of
Utah have elected polYgamists or persons
in that status to office, was suggested.
That is true in some instances" replied
the senator, and it is equally true tina,
the United States, acting by the consent
OF the president and senate, has appoint
ed polygamists to office and under such
for almost three years these
polygamists have held and are now hoid-
ing important Federal Offices In the State
of Utah. If this be violation of the
compact. both parties have violated it
the president on one hand and the electors
OF the senate of the other. No more has
the president of the United States than tho
people of Utah the right to cram puygamy
down the throat of the Nation or the
state. Such motive can not be justlr
ascrlbed to either. That polygamists shoulc
be disqualified TO vote or TO hold office
was no part of the compact between the
State of Utah and the United States. In
territorial elections, Poygamists were so
disqualified. But congress purposely ami
knowingly wiped away all such disqualif-
cations at the very first election held under
the enabling act, namely, the election of
delegates to the constitutional convention.
If persons who happened to be in the
status of polygamy have been elected by
the people of Utah or appointed by tn
president to office, II has been for other
reasons. personal OF political. and not 10
lend countenance or aid to that practice
Further accessions to the ranks CT poiyg-
amy being rigidy forbidden and out of In
question. it has not been thought noces-
sary or quite in the line of charity to
keep class otherwise reputable under
perpetual civil or political disability. /
When such person has been appointed
or elected 1t is safe to say that no thought
of menacing the American home or cram |
ming this obnoxious practice down any /
ones throat even crossed the mind or
he president In Issuing his commissions
or OF any elector In casting his ballot
But the people Of Utah are ready for !
ms issue They propose to stand by their /
pledges and keep absolute faith with tho
Nation and they don't propose TO rest un-
Ter any suspicion to the contrary, Nov
that this question is raised and the moral
sentiment of the country is alarmed, they
propose 10 demand a searching investiga-
ion aud VIII be found rendering full ala
10 anv remedial measures deemed neces-
AIRY to give assurance to the country that
,olygamy can not live anywhere in the
United States or in any place over which
hey have jurisdiction
ITO this end, at the first opportunity
shall ask the senate 10 pass this resulu-
ion:
BE 1t resolved by the senate or the
United States, that the committee on Judi
,iary is hereby instructed 10 inquire into
md to report TO the senate. FIRST to what
nous marriages entered into In the United
states or in provinces over which they
nave Jurisdiction
:. Have polygamists, or persons reput-
ID TO have more than one wife, been elect
ID TO office. by the people of Utah. and II
o. has such. election been for the purpose
u encouraging polygamy or in violation
I any compact between said State and tho
United States
.. Have polygamists or persons reputeu
o have more than one wife been appointed
o ofhce by the president, by and with the
dyice and consent OF the senate or in
asses where the concurrence of the senais
not required, and II so, have such an
been made In aid of polygamy.
r IN violation Of the compact between
no United States and the State of Utah
i.h reference 70 the subject. What, II
naeted for the prevention OF poIygamy In
'.e united States and in provinces over