Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-11-23
OPPOSED TO ROBERTS.
General missionary Committees
observation-disclosures nm Yssuc.

ResolutiOn--Involv an Issue.
Washington, Nov. 23.-The general
missionary committee of the Method
list church yesterday placed itself on
record against the seating of Repre-
seniative-elect brigham II. Roberts, of
Utah. in the next congress. The mats
Ter came up when the appropriation
for mission work in Utah was under
discussion. The resolution was intro
duced by Bishop Warren and was
adopted by standing vote. a COM
mittce of-three was appointed to visit
the president and place copy of it in
the hands of every member of con-
gress. In substance it said:
The general missionary committee
expresses its unqualified disapproval
of the election of Mr.. Roberts, an
avowed polygamist, and by the cleo
ton Utah publicly regulates her sa4
cfett agreement which she made III or
der to secure statehood. 1t most earn
estly calls on every representative of
the Fifty-siNth congress to use his ut
most endeavor and to exhaust all hon
orahlc means to the prompt expulsion
of MIR. Roberts and also to secure ac-
ton by congress proposing an amend
ment to the national constitution de-
filming marriage and making polyga-
my and polygamous cohabtation
crime punishable by severe penalties
including disfranchisement and dis
qualification TO vote or to hold Office
of any kind
The committee appropriated $4,000
for the mission work In Utah during
the coming year and $1,000 for the
school work. The other appropria-
tohs for home mission work were as
follows: Missions among the Ameri-
can Indians, $7.lsG; conferences north
of the Potomac and Ohio and east of
the Mississippi, $25,l for the con-
ferences of Kansas, Ohio and the
states north, including the Black
Hills, $S1 .437; for Montana, Wyoming,
Arizona. New Mexico, Idaho and Ne
vada $57 $40. and for the Pacific coast,
S33,47G.
Peoria. Ill.,, Nov. a3. Joseph "
Graft, congressman of the Fourteenth
congressional district, snid Yesterday.
"1'he question OF the religious belief
of. Representative Roberts is not inn
portant. and his morals themselves
might not be a matter of Importance
bearing upon the. question of his ex-
pulsioh from tile house of representa-
tives. MIR. Roberts in the beginning
of the discussion of his polygamous
practices not only admitted that he
was polygamist, but boosted of that
fact, and seemed to think that his
taking this position openly and after
wards retaining his seat would be in
tcrpreted as am acknowledgement by
the people of the country of one STEP
ila he direction of giving polygalny
some degree of recognition. Accept
ing this as the truth, the country has
concluded to take issue with Mr.
Roberts upon hie position, Therefore
the retaining of MI. Roberts III his
upon the subject of polygamy. 1t hat
already been indicated to me that the
various women's clubs in the city OF
Peoria propose to pass resolutions adj
dressed to congress favoring the UNI
seating of Mr.. Roberts, and l have al
ready received numerous petitions and
letters from every county in the dis
trict to the same effect. There has
never been any doubt in my mind as
to what course | would pursue in this
matter, and | shall vote to unseat Mr..
Roberts and use every effort in that
direction. The purity of the home is
the foundation oil the state, and there
fore no question which is likely to
come before congress goes deeper into
our welfare than this. | believe il
will not be a partisan question and
the necessary two-thirds will be found
voting i'm favor of his expulsion