The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-27
FUSSY ABOUT 1T.
The House Nettled Because 1t
is Brought
To Express Its Views on Ques-
tiOn of POlygamy.
Which They Say Has Nothing
to DO With Kansas.
MOST MEMBERS VOTE
But Complain of the Folly of
Buncombe Resolutions.
Thirty-One Vote Against the
Anti-Polygamy Resolutions.


was introduced into the house a few
days ago by Mr.. Abrams, instructing
the Kansas delegation in congress to
vote against the seating of Roberts, the
Utah poIygamist, which was published
in the Journal Wednesday, had a hard
time in getting through the house when
1t was brought up for passage yester-
day afternoon.
Nearly every one supposed that there
would be little or no opposition to the
resolution, and there was but little de-
bate on it. Adams OF Butler made
about the only speech, and he said:
This man Roberts, I am told, has
four wives. Now I have none at all,
and 1 am therefore opposed to him on
personal grounds and shall vote for the
resolution"
The first vote taken was a rising
vote, and developed the startling result
of 81 for the resolution to Al against it.
Speaker Pro Tenn Benefel, who was
in the chair, ruled that every member
present would have to vote, and another
rising vote was taken, resulting As for
and AZ against the resolution, nearly all
the POpulistS voting against the reSOlu-
tion, and a number of the Republicans,
among them such leaders as Dawes,
SeaVer, McKeever, Grosser, Osborn of
Douglas, and Francis.
1t was evident that a large per cent
were refusing to vote and a roll call
was demanded. Meanwhile a number
Of the members who had voted against
the proposition got up and went out.
On the roll call the resolution carried
by a vote of sc to 81.
Gentlemen voting in the affirmative
were:
Messrs. Abrams, Aclzerman, Adams of
Butler, Adams of Sedgwick, Baker,
Beezley, Bigham, Bogenrief. Brooke,
monds. Elder. Finley. FlannelIy, FogIe,
Fuller, Giessler, Grafton, Hallett, Har-
ris, Hayden, Heberling, -Heeney, Hoag,
Hogue, Keifer, Kutz, Longley, Loonis.
mon, Nichols, Pogue, Poison, Rees of
Ottawa, Reid, Remington, Reser, Rich
ardson, Rhinehart, Scott of Elk, Scott
of Wichita, Shelley, Shoup, Smith of
Stephenson, Sweet, Tenny, ThOrp, Tul-
loss, Ward, Wheatley, Wilcox, WISE
Woodward, Wright of Lyon.
Gentlemen voting in the negative
were:
Messrs Anderson of Sedgwick, Babb,
Bailey, Bowman, Campbell, Carl, Dawes,
Edwards, Francis, Gabriel, Goodno,
Gregory. Grosser, Haskins, Hef1ey, ia
quins, Johnston, King, Lawrence, Law
son, Marks, Martin, McKeever, Ravens
craft, Reeder, Rodgers, Seaver, Swine
hart. Wheeler, Wiley, Wright of Nor
ton.
Gentlemen absent or not voting were:
Messrs. Benefiel, Biddle, Bradbury.
Burkholder, Conrad, Elwood, Fairchild
Ford, Gillespie, Godshalk, Harper, Hen
ley, irving, ,Mendenhall, Osborn of Doug
las, Oursler, Prather, Rees of Anderson,
Seaton, Shoemaker, Short, Smith of
Rocks Welch, Willis, Wright of Bar
ton, Speaker Osborn.
About a third of the members took
occasion to explain their votes, as they
seemed tC consider them necessary of
explanation. Among the explanations
offered were the following:
Adams of Sedgwick-I am opposed to
resolutions of this character being in
troduced here, because they simply con-
sumo our time, but on this I wish to
vote aye.
Babb-T am emphatically opposed to
polygamy in every form, but I am also
opposed to having resolutions on every
conceivable subject introduced into this
house and being compelled to vote aye
on them. 1 wish to enter my protest
against them by voting no.
Brooke am opposed to taking up
the time of the house with this sort of
resolutions, but I will vote aye.
Crosby-The people did not send us
here to spend our time voting on such
rot as this, and 1 therefore vote no.
Cfregory-If this man Roberts has
four wives as is stated, I am thorough
ly convinced that he has had trouble
enough and is entitled to be allowed to
get away from home. I vote no.
Grattan-If he has four wives L think
he ought to stay at home and tend to
them. vote aye. CMr. Grattan is not
married.)
NfroSSer-We have trouble enough of
our own without borrowing any from
congress, when congress is abundantly
able to look after it's own troubles Be
sides, it isn't necessary for us to pass
this resolution in order to preserve our
Kansas homes or to keep Kansas girls
pure, and I vote no.
Harris-I am opposed to buncombe
resolutions. CThis was a quotation from
Mr.. Brooke on Harris expansion reso-
luton Wednesday and produced a gen
eral laugh.) But 1 am still more op-
posed to polygamy, and I therefore vote
yes.
Marks-I don't believe that Roberts is
as bad a man as he is made out to be
He is simply carrying out the principles
of his religious belief. He has four wives
and he supports them and his offspring.
but there are men in congress who will
vote against his admission who keen
their four wives in secret, but as soon
as they are done with them they aban-
don them and leave their offspring to
be sent to the reform school I vote no
Carle-The constitution of the United
States says that congress shall be the
Judge of its own members, so that this
legislature has nothing to do with this
question, and am opposed to wasting
time in considering it. 1 vote no.
ALL GOING TO WASTE.
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