Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-01
Representatives Trying to Find the
Mode of Procedure.
BELIEVE HE SHOULD NOT Be SEATED
Prominent Persons Here to Advo-
cate His Election.
JUDGE OMBS' VIEW S

Members Of the House are arriving today
in numbers in readiness for the assembling
Of congress next Monday. The absorbing
topic of discussion among them is the Rob
erts case. For the time the currency bill
and the Philippines question are overshad-
owed. Even the ever succulent subject of
the money-devils. the octopuses and i'm
perialism are temporarily in allegiance.
There were no developments in the case
during the day. The republican managers
were still canvassing the means to be
adopted to accomplish the end they have
in view, Mr.. Roberts election from Con-
gress. A decision will be reached before
Monday.
The League for Social Service which is
fighting Mr.. Roberts, opened headquarters
today in room 100 Loan and Trust building
9th and F streets. DIR. Josiah Strong pres
ident of the league, is in the city and Mr.
Handy is IN charge of the headquarters.
Inc league expects to secure the service of
Mr. Wayne MacVeagh and ex-Secretary
John &. Carlisle, as attorneys. The negoti-
alton for the retaining of ex-President Har-
rson has been abandoned The officers of
the league say the fight on Mr. Roberts
VIII not be given up until he is out of Con-
sress.
Mr.. SteeIe's Views
Representative Steele of Indiana said to-
day that he has not yet seen a particle
OF evidence or law on which Mr.. Roberts
could be thrown out Of the House. Il am
frank to say, he continued, that | hone
something will turn up which will give us
a constitutional and legal ground for ex-
pelllng him. Personally l do not want him
IN IN the House, but l do not want to see a
dangerous precedent established by eX-
pelling him without ground If there was
nothing to do but take him by the back
OF the neck and seat Of the trousers and
dump him out would probably aid in this
process"
Ought Not to Be Seated
Representative BrownIow believes that
Mr.. Roberts ought not to be seated Pub
lie sentiment is opposed to it, said Mr.
Brownlow. In every county in my dis
trict the churches have held union meet
ing and asked me to vote against seating
this man. Religion itself would receive a
blow should Roberts be seated
Several OF the republican members OF the
House who are interested in the Roberts
case will hold conference tonight to de-
eide upon plan of procedure. The lead
ers are generally agreed that he shall be
deprived of his seat, and it is only a ques-
ton OF orderly procedure. But they do not
desire the matter to be made a party ques-
ton, and it will not be taken up by the
republican caucus.
Growing Impression in the House
The impression seems to be growing
among members of the House today that
Mr.. Roberts must be permitted to take his
seat and then that proceedings in eject
ment may be brought against him in order
There is decided disinclination among the
democrats TO set a precedent of debarring
man, whose credentials are regular. at
the very threshold of Congress and this
feeling is shared by many republicans
However, 1t is thought that the repubIi-
cans Will be guided tn b1,
the result of the Investigations and delib-
eratlons OF the committee of lawyers and
parhamentarians now handling the case,
and which will report before Monday
PoIygamous Practices in Full Blast.
Several Of the anti-polygamy leaders
from out of the city arrived in Washing
ton this morning. Among them are Judge
J. NJ Coombs of Utah, who is at the Hamil-
ten; A. T. Schroeder, a Utah lawyer. who
is an authority on Mormon literature, and
MI Owens, also of that state, who has the
ahdavlts and technical proofs of Roberts
guilt, who are at the Arlington. In an
interview with Judge Coombs who was
brought up a Mormon. but who has since
been United States marshal and United
States supreme Court commissioner some
interesting facts We're developed in regard
to polygamy in Utah and the Roberts case.
Judge CoombS has been in nearly all of
lne clues and towns of Utah within the
past year, having acquaintance in nearly
all on account of previous official duties
He states that polygamous practices are
IN III luIl nlast everywhere, the same as be-
1ore statehood. The foremost men in the
churches" says Judge Coombs, the bish-
ops and others, as well as lesser men, are
raising families from their plural wives,
ana there are hundreds of Young children
ana infants in the homes of these mural
wives. There is no claim or pretense among
the people that polygamous practices have
ceased '
LAS to the Roberts matter. the evidAnca
tnat ne is living with plural wives is con-
cluSiVe 1nere is no question that twins
were born to him of a plural wife about a
year ago and that he has taken a third
amy Aot p'is
The judge is of the opinion that the adj
mission of Roberts would be taken as a
Nihdicatlon OF his polygamous practices
ON the other hand, he believes that if Rob-
erts is compelled to stand aside before he
takes the oath and his seat is promntIv do
cared vacant polygamy viii receive A
check. "
Mass Meeting Sunday Afternoon.
Ihefe VIII be mass meeting Sunday af-
ternoon at 3 O'Clock in the First Congreea-
tonal Church, 10th and G. streets north
west, in the interests of the movement in
opposition to the seating of Mr.. Roberts
the representative-elect from Utah It will
pc under the auspices of the League of
Social Service, the organization in which
Miss Gould is interested and which has
done so much to crystalline public sentiment
in the Roberts case. Rev DR. McKim the
rector of Epiphany Episcopal Church.
ana Key: Dr. Bristol, the pastor of the
Metropolitan NJ. E. Church. and other resi-
dent clergymen will speak, while an ad-
dress will be made by Dr. Sarah j. Elliot.
an episcopal deaconess under Bishop Leon
ara ana Tor seven years a resident in
Utah. DR.. Josiah Strong the president OF
the league, will preside and speeches of
great interest are expected from number
of well-known people.