Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-05
THE ROBERTS CASE.

The case against Congressman
Roberts Of Utah has been largely work
ed up through the efforts of a sensa-
tional New York yellow journal, whose
industrious correspondents and agents
throughout the country got together
the names signed to the enormous pc
tition which was piled in opera bouffe
fashion in a great mass on the Speak
ers table at the opening session and
the scene then photographed for the
benefit of the readers of the aforesaid
yellow journal, whose main interest in
the matter is to secure advertising for
itself. The same paper doubtless could
have got as big petition on the other
side of the case.
But even the efforts of yellow news
paperdom would scarcely have sue
ceeded in making the case a sensation
without the backing of the public splr-
tied millionairess. Miss Helen Gould,
who seems to have taken the morals
CT the nation under her wing.
Congress will most likely make
short work of Mr.. Roberts's title to his
seat when the question is put to vote.
He will doubtless be ousted by a sub
stantial majority. Many of those who
will vote against him, however are even
more unfit, morally, to sit in Congress
than Mr.. Roberts-a fact quite Wig
orously laid bare recently by the veter-
an Susan B. Anthony, who knows
thing or two about this matter, woman
though she be, and who pointed out
that there are other evils infinitely
nearer the home and ten thousand
times more menacing to the national
morals than the sitting in Congress of
this man who is man enough to insist
on supporting the women he long ago
married under Mormon rights. and his
children.
The question as to Mr. Roberts-s
right to take his seat should be decid-
ed wholly on Constitutional and legal
grounds. Should he be ousted on 9TH
er grounds there at once is created the
most dangerous precedent of the exer-
else Of extra-constitutional and auto
cratic powers by the majority. 1t has
been frequently pointed out by the
more conservative members that if the
majority in Congress may deprive a
member of his seat on other grounds
than those named in the Constitution
they may with equal right Gust a dozen
Or the whole minority, which is thus
Aaft absolutely without protection and
at the mercy C the sweet will of a
partisan and too often wholly unscrup-
uicus majority. But the party in pow
er at Washington in both executive
and legislative branches of the govern
ment seems no longer to hold in re-
spect the Constitution of their country.
Ihey have persistently trampled upon
1t of late when it interfered with their
schemes and have flippantly set it
aside as an instrument out of date
and inapplicable to our advanced"
civilization. Certain it is that the large
number of Congressman who have ex-
pressed their hostility to Mr.. Roberts
seem to take no other than a senti-
mental, or as many put it. a "moraI"
view OF the case, leaving the question
OF Mr. Roberts's Constitutional rights
entirely out of consideration. Such
congressman are not fit representa-
tlves OF the people in constitutional
government. Our fundamental law is
all that stands between government by
the people and military dictatorship or
anarchy, and can not be tempered with
or set aside without danger to all our
institutions of which it Is the basis
Those sentimental Conoraesp,a,, ~, :.