The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-29

Seeking Statehood, That POIyg-
amy in That State Should Cense-
Big Sensation Promised.
WASHINGTON, Nov. Ex-senator Raw
Inns, of Utah, for the present the sole
representative of that state in the senate,
furnishes the following statement with
reference to the charges against his state
on account of the election of Mr. Rob-
erts:
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. 1 was
delegate from Utah in the house at the
time Of her admission, introduced the bill
under which she became a state, and
spoke in the house in favor of it's 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 indirectly upon that subject.
The Mormon church did not speak or
act through me. OF course 1 referred to
their acts and declarations on the subject
not believe that practice would be revived.
and if 1 did SO believe l would not advo-
cate Utah's admission into the Union.
THE compact between the state of Utah
at the time Of her admission and the
United States that polygamous marriages
should be forbidden was to be irrevoca-
BILE, without the consent of the United
States and the people of the state.
Utah, both in her constitution and
statutes has provided for the punishment
Of polygamy and all kindred offenses. 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-Mormons, 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, carbohydrates.
SENSATIONS SOUGHT.
During the past year the state has
been raked in search CT cases of pOlygamy
with which to feed this new modern SEN
sation, but no complaint has been pre-
sented against any man charging him
with this offense. Some cases of unlaw-
full cohabitation have been prosecuted and
punished
so far Utah has sacredly kept the
compact. But 1t is charged that the peo-
pie of Utah have elected polygamists, or
persons in that status, to office 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 important federal offices in
the state Of Utah. If this be violation
of the compact, both parties have violated
it. the president on the one hand and the
electors Of the state on the other. No
more have the people of Utah than the
president sought to cram polygamy down
the throat Of the nation or the state.
Such a motive cannot 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 cleo
tons polygamists were so disqualified.
But congress purpOsely wiped away all
such disQualifcations as to the very first
election to be held under the enabling
act, namely: the election of delegates to
the constitutional convention. If persons
who happened to be in the status of po-
lySdlI1y nave DeSu elected Oy the people
Of Utah or appointed by the president to
office, it has been for other reasons. per
sonal or political, and not to lend counte-
nance or aid to that practice
Further accessions to the ranks of
polygamy being rigidly forbidden ard out
Of the question, 1t has not been thought
necessary or quite in the line of charity
to keep a class otherwise reputable under
perpetual civil or political disability.
hos
| or elected it is safe to say that no thought
of menacing the American home or of
| examining this obnoxious practice down
any ones throat, ever crossed the mind
of the president in Issuing his commits
sion or of any elector in casting his bal
| lot.
READY FOR THE ISSUE.
But the people of Utah are ready for
| the issue. They propose to stand by their
| pledges and keep absolute faith with the
| nation, and they do not propose TO rest
under any suspicion to the contrary
Now that the question is raised and
the moral sentiment of the country is
alarmed, they propose to demand a
searching investigation, and will be found
| rendering full aid to any remedial meas
ures deemed necessary to give assurance
| to the country that polygamy cannot
thrive anywhere in the United States or
| III any place over which they have JurtS-
diction. To this end at the first oppor-
tunity I shall ask the senate to pass this
resolution:
BE it resolved, by the senate of the
United States, that the committee on jul
dietary is hereby instructed to inquire
into and report to the senate: First, to
! what extent polygamy is practiced or
| polygamous marriages entered into in
| the United States or places over which
they have Jurisdiction. Second, have
" M 1-tG
more, than one wife, been elected to office
! by the people of Utah, and if so, has
! such election been for the purpose Of en-
! couraging pOlygamy, or in violation of
any compact between said state and Unit
ed States. Third, have pOlygamists or per
| sons reputed to have more than one wife
| been appointed to Office by the president,
| by and with the advice and consent of
the senate, or in cases where the concur
! renee of the senate is not required, and
! If so, have such appointments been made
in aid of polygamy, or in violation Of the
| compact between the United States and
| the state of Utah, with reference to that
| subject. Fourth, what, if any, steps
| should be taken, or measures enacted,
! for the prevention of polygamy in the
| United States, and in places where they
| have juriSdiction?"
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.