The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-29

Washington, Nov. Ex-senator Raw
lins of Utah, for the present the sole
representative of that state in the SEN
ate. furnishes the following statement
with reference to the charges against
his state on account of the election of
Mr.. Roberts:
1T is claimed that the Mormon
church, by deceit and fraud. brought
about the admission of Utah into the
Union, so that behind statehood lines
polygamy might be practiced with i'm
punity.
L was delegate from Utah 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 afterwards until the passage of the
statehood bill | had no communication
with them, either directly or indirectly
upon that subject.
THE Mormon church did not speak
or act through me. OF course re-
ferred to their public acts and declara
tioils on the subject of polygamy, and
told the house / did not believe the
practice would be revived, and that If
] did think so. ! would not advocate
Utah's admission into the Union
Plural Marriages Forbidden.
THE compact between the state of
Utah at the time of her admission, and
the United States. that polygamous
marriages should be forbidden, was 10
be irrevocable without the consent of
the United States and the people of
the state
Utah, both in her constitution and
statutes. has provided for the punish
ment of polygamy and all kindred Of
fenseS No complaint has been or can
truthfully be made that these laws are
not enforced All the members OF the
supreme court, and seven out OF the
nine district judges in the state are
non-M -Mormons, and it is safe to say that
the entire judiciary stand ready to en-
force these laws. The public prose
cutors are mostly nom -Mormons, and
all. | believe, i-pOlygamiStS.
During the past year the state has
been raked in search OF cases of polyg-
amy with which to feed this new mod
ern sensation, but no complaint has
been placed against any man charging
him with this offense. Some cases of
unlawful cohabitation' have been pros
ecuted and punished. So far Utah has
sacredly kept the compact.
President Appoints Polygamists.
But it is charged that the people of
Utah have elected polygamists or per-
sons in that status to offices. This is
true in some instances, and it is equally
true that the United States, acting by
the president with the consent of the
senate, has appointed polygamists TO
office, and under such appointments for
almost three years these polYgamists
have held and are now holding import
ant federal offices in the state Of Utah.
If this be a violation of the compact,
both parties have violated it, the preSi-
dent on the one hand, and electors of
the state on the other.
No more have the people OF Utah
than the president sought to cram po-
lygamy down the throats of the nation
or the state. Such a motive cannot
be Justly ascribed TO either.
THAT polygamists should be disqual-
ified TO vote or TO hold Office was no
part of the compact between the state
of Utah and the United States In ter
ritorial elections polygamists were so
disqualified. But congress purposely
and knowingly wiped away all such
disqualifications as to the very first
election to be held under the enabling
act, namely, the election of delegates to
the annual convention.
Not to Aid Polygamy.
IF persons who happened TO be in
the status of polygamy have been
elected by the people of Utah or ap-
pointed by the president TO office, il has
been for other reasons. political and
personal. and not to lend countenance
or aid to that practice. Further ac-
cessions to the ranks of polygamy being
rigidly forbidden and out of the ques- |
ton, il has not been thought necessary
or quite in the line of charity. TO keep /
a class otherwise reputable Under per- |
petual civil or political disability.
when such a person has been ap-
pointed or elected it is safe to say that |
no thought Of menacing the American |
home or of cramming this obnoxious
practice down any ones throat ever |
crossed the mind of the president in |
issuing his commission or of any eiector |
IN casting his ballot.
But the people of Utah are ready for /
this issue. They propose to stand by |
their pledges and keep absolute faith /
with the nation. and they do not pro-
pose to rest under any suspicion to the
contrary.
Will Introduce. Resolutions.
Now that this question is raised, the |
moral sentiment of the country is
alarmed, they propose to demand a