The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-14

office to which they have been elected by
the people. This incongruity is little
too rank. While congress is about the
work of moral publication. it had better
make a clean sweep of the whole lot,
McKinley's pet polygamists included.
Mr.. ROBERTS AND CONGRESS.
Denver News: In the absence of
any law or rule as 10 polygamists.
either as to sitting in congress or
; holding federal offices. Mr.. Rob-
/ erts is entitled to a seat. All future con-
tests of this kind should be prevented by
enacting a law that no polygamist shall
hold federal Office of any kind or char
acter.
| Nashville American: 1t is not so re-
markable that Miss Roberts should have
been subjected to embarrassing treat
ment while in Washington, Brooklyn.
NPhiladelphia and other eastern cities.
where she has been for several months
| past, but what is remarkable is that no
! one resented this treatment American
J manhood does not relish the idea of a
woman being treated as Miss Roberts al
/ leges she has been.
Baker City (Ore) Democrat 1t has
been noted that some of the stones
! thrown at Mr. Roberts of Utah came
from the vicinity of glass houses.
New York Commercial Advertiser: A
curious feature of the storm of protests
against seating Representative Roberts
of Utah is that most of them emanate
from Protestant sources. Roman Cath
olics with whom marriage is a sacra-
ment and among whom divorce is not
permitted. seem to have had little to say.
while some of the strongest anti-Roberts
petitions. have come from states where
marriage and divorce laws are the most
! lax. The feeling against Roberts is ex-
tremely bitter in the northwest. and it
is in this section where marriage and
divorce laws are the loosest.
Rawlins CWyo) Journal: Congressman
Roberts of Utah won many friends by
his manly statement of his case before
congress and il is safe to assume that
he caused cold chills to attack McKinley's
spinal column by his assertion that the
president had knowingly appointed polyg-
amists to federal offices in Utah.
Denver Post: Congress did a wrong.
not TO Roberts. but to Utah. Utah is 4
sovereign state and no matter what the
offenses imputed to her in the past. to-
day the vast majority of her people-those
who voted for Roberts as well as those
who opposed him-are living in as strict
obedience to the laws as are the inhab-
itants of any other state in the Union.
These people are entitled to representa-
ton in the house of representatives. If
Roberts is not eligible ne should be I'M
seated without unnecessary delay in or
der that the electors of the state may
by Immediately selecting another repre-
sentative. make the period of their nom
representation as brief as possible. AS
it is. methods unconstitutional and in vio-
lation of precedent have been employed
to the injury of an entire state.
New York Post: What happened yes
terday in the house was really the tri-
umph of lynch law in the punishment of
man who in all probability is guilty. but
whose punishment by the huuse sitting
deliberately as court would have accom-
plished the same result 50 far the
accused is concerned and would have
been infinitely better for society.
Grand Junction Star: Roberts is un-
doubtedly a polygamist, but the proceed
ings so far taken to prevent his taking
seat in congress are unprecedented and
without a doubt unwarranted by law.
Denver Industrial Advocates: Seven mil
lion people signed the protest presented in
congress Monday against the admission of
Roberts in that stock-jobbing. graft
working. tax-stealing. money-dominated
body. 1t would be amusing indeed If there
could be an "open Door TO the skeleton
closets of at least one-half these sanity
protestants.
Houston CTex.) Post: Utah is a sover-
eign state. This fact no one can deny.
Will any one, therefore. deny the right of
the sovereign state of Utah 10 name its
representatives in the congress of the
United States?
st. Louis Globe-Democrat: If the
polygamists of Utah, past or present,
choose a man with plural families to
national position they do so at their own
risk. The law as well as the public sem
timent of this country is against the
degrade ton OF WOmdUnoou HI the mar
rage relation, and against turning the
home into a harem under the cloak of
religion. Congress put righteous mark
Yesterday upon Mormon presumption.
Kansas City Star: Just because Rob-
erts has been turned down for being pro-
miscuous in his love affairs. it doesn't
necessarily follow that there will be a
falling off this winter in the congress
sional orders for flowers for the chorus
girls.
New York World: There is a certain
grim humor in the fact that two OF the
very conspicuous leaders of the anti
Roberts crusade are men of VIGOROUSLY
immoral life. The programme of admit
ting Roberts to his seat. then expelling
him and then finding out whether such
a proceeding is lawful. is more original
than consistent.
Seattle acknowledgement: An Ohio
politician says that Representative Rob-
erts of Utah should be admitted because
he is "a pure man morally That sounds
pretty well in print. but it has never been
held to be a reason why man is or
should he a member of congress.