The Indianapolis journal., 1899-11-29
He Contends There Has Been No Vio-
Iation of the Compact Entered Into
with the Federal Government.
POLYGAMISTS ARE IN OFFICE
But NOT THERE BECAUSE THEY
HAVE MORE THAN ONE WIFE.
Some Appointed by the President and
Confirmed by the Senate-An In
vestfgatiOn Proposed.

WASHINGTON. Nov. Ex-senator Raw
lins, of Utah, for the present the sole rep
resentative of that State in the Senate,
furnishes the following statement with ref
erence 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 impunity.
Il was q delegate from Utah in the
House at the time of her admission, intro
duced 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 state
hood bill l had no communication with
them, either directly indirectly, upon
that subject. The mormon Church did not
speak or act through me. OF course, 1 re-
ferred to their public acts and declarations
on the subject of polygamy and told the
House / did not believe that the practice
would be ever revived and if it did so
would not advocate Utah's admission to
the Union.
"The compact between the State of Utah
at the time of her admission and the
United States that po,ygamous marriages
should be forbidden, was to be irrevocable
without the consent of the United States
and the people of the State. Jtah, both in
her Constitution and statutes, has pro-
vided for the punishment of polygamy and
all kindred offenses. No complaint has been
r.
are not enforced. All the members of the
Supreme Court and seven out of the nine
district judges in the State are non-Mor-
mons and it is safe to say that the entire
judiciary stand ready to enforce these
laws. The public prosecutors are mostly
non-Mormons and ALL believe, are anti
polygamiStS.
During the past year the State has been
raked In search Of cases of polygamy with
which to feed this new modern sensation,
but no complaint has been presented
against any man charging him with this
offense. Some cases of unlawful cohabita-
ton have been prosecuted and punished
$50 far Utah has sacredly kept the COM
pact. But it is charged that the people
of Utah have elected polygamists or per-
sons In that status to office This is
true in some instances. and il is equally
true that the United States, acting by the
President, with the consent of the Senate
has appointed polygamists office and
years these polygam SITS have held and are
now holding important federal offices in
the State of Utah
If this be a violation of the compact
both parties have violated it. the President
on the one hand, anf the electors of the
State on the q her No nor nave he peo-
pie OF Utah than the President sought to
cram polygany down the throat of the
Natlon or the State. Such a motive can
not be justly ascribed to either
That polygamists should be disqualified
to vote or TO hold office was no part OF
the compact between the State of Utah
and the United States. In territorial elec.
tons polygamists were so disqualified Blu,
Congress, purposely and knowingly wiped
away all such diSQualifications as to the
very hrst election to be held under the
enabling act, namely. the election of dele.
gates to the constitutional convention. II
persons who happened to be in the status
OF pOlygamy have been elected by the peo.
pie OF Utah, or appointed by the President
to ONCE, 1t has been for o.ner reasons, per-
sonal or political, and not to lend counter.
ance or aid to that practice.
urther accession TO the ranks of polyg.
question, it has not been thought necessary
or quite in the line of charity to keen :
class otherwise reputable under perpetual
civil or political disability. When such q
person has been appointed or elected il Is
safe to say that no thought of menacins
the American home or examining this OBJ
noXfous practice down any ones throat
ever crossed the mind of the President in
Issuing his commission or of any elector in
casting his ballot. But the people of Utah
are ready for this issue. They propose tC
stand by. their pledges and keep absolute
faith with the Nation, and they do not pro
pose to rest under any suspicion to the con
trary.
Now that this question is raised an6
the moral sentiment of the country il
alarmed, they propose to demand a search.
ing investigator and will be found rem.
dering full aid to any remedial measures
deemed necessary to give assurance to the
country that polygamy cannot live any
where in the United States or in any place
over which they have Jurisdiction Tc
the Senate to pass this resolution:
BE 1t resolved by the Senate Of the
United States that the committee on ju
dietary is hereby instructed to inquire
into and to report to the Senate first, tC
Wat extent polygamy is practiced or polyg
amous marriages entered into in the
United States or in places over which they
have jurisdiction; second, have polygam
its. or persons reputed to have more thar
pie of Utah and If SO, has such election
been for the purpose Of encouraging polyg
amy or in violation of any compact be-
tween said State and the United States
| tI-.rd, have polygamists, or persons re-
puted to have more than one wife. been ap
pointed to office by the President, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate
or in cases where the concurrence Of the
Senate is not required. and if SO. have such
amy, or in violation of the compact be-
tween the United States and the State OF
Utah with reference to that subject
fourth what, If any, steps should be taker
or measures enacted for the prevention OF
polygamy in the United States and ir