Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-11
TRA,IPLiNG RIGHT ANDJusrIoE

Under this caption the New York
World OF Dee. comments aa follows
on the action OF the House In the case
OF the Utah congreasman-eieot;
Tho House Of Representatives ycs-
terday violated the Constitution Of the
United states by refusing TO receive 70
lawfully elected representative OF the
people The personality OF Roberts and
the question whether he should have
bccn permitted 60 retain his seat do
not enter Into the matter. The House
has transgrcrsed the right OF rvpryscn-
itatlve government. the supreme law OF
In the same spirit OF lawiessness IN,
Speaker or the House went ON to an.
point AS the committee 60 ait as Rob.
erts'H judges nine men who had voted
against admitting him. ana 10 appoint
a. chairman OF that committee. AZ d.
rector OF ~ judicial Proceedings. Mr..
Taylor, or ohio the man who stood IN
In the House as Robcrts@ accusorl
The trampling OF fundamental
principle OF right was followed hy the
tthmpling OF u fundamental principle
Of Justice.
The crimes charged agalns, Roberts
ate uhhorrent Co the moral aenrr of the
American people. But whit IL the reln-
tive Importance Of iioh,ris's alleged po-
lIEumous prnctlcvs his alleged Viola
tinns OF the moral scnslbllties Ut clvili-
2ntlon In comparison with such reckless,
lawlossness ua thla2
III IN n moment OF great national perm
the representatives Of tho people were
10 violate fundamental nIinciplos under
stress OF dire necessity, they might hnv.
plea In justification nf their grave Of
fcnse. But what shall be said ~ such
disregard and dlsrspect for right and
Justice under no greater stress than
craven nanic2
"a dangerous precedent has been IS.
established, a dangerous inroad upon tho
rirhta OF an accused person has hean
made, No feeling about Roberts should
obscure theso fncts of rapidly growing
dlrroapcct for personal and conailtu-
unnnl rights from tho public view"
Tho Springfield Republican thlnka
the action Of the House will generally
be commended. but admits that Mr.
Roberts has a strong case. That pa
per says In part
mir Roberts NJ Utah has found that
only 90 members OF tho House would
oven go 90 far as 10 vote in favor ~
allowing him % take the oath on the
strength OF his regular certificate ~
election. Yet Mr., Roberts cerilinly
has q very fair legal case az that point
In the contest over hia admission 60
C0nsr, 49, Mr., Tavlor Of Ohio. who isd
the debate asalns, Mr.. Roberts. would
not say that tho Utah member wag
guilty ~ the charges against him:
hence. che House in REFUSING Co permit
him to be sworn in.shls acted simply
ON charges that are not yet proved il
IL safe 10 say that such extreme uctlon
would not have teen taken. had tho
case not aroused the country 10 "A rr.
mnrkable dcgrcr. judging by tho
immense majority against Mr.. l,nberis
yesterday. he could easily be- expelled
BY a 'Wo-thirda vote after taking tho
oath, and on that account the course
~ his opnonents may have been I'M
necessary"
The Woodland. Cal, Daily Democrat
of Dec, G, devotes an extended editorial
to the subject, OF which these are cx-
tracts;
"rho treatment of Congressman Rob
crts has been one OF the most nngruut
outragea ever committed under the
cloak 1T morality, lie certainly " no
worse ana IL very likely much better
who are tryins 90 deprive him OF his
seat.
John @, Abbott, o. Republican who
gi one time represented an Ohio dis
trIct n Congress, and who lInowA Rob.
ortH intimately, describes him 90 NOR
ally "a pure mnu and one 81 tho most
uhle men IN an this country. he h no
eloquent 81 Foraker and MS cloau p,ilti-
cllly us amy statesman Ohio has ever
brought FORTH That Is n certificate
Qf character TO which not many mcm-
beers ~ Congress are entitled.
80 Ear as the legal aspect OF the case