Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-09

Otah Wnen MI. Roberts was Dorm, anu
at the time OF the passage of the Cullom
anti-polygamy act Mr.. Roberts was
only years old. His plea for SYM
pathy. therefore. amounts only to this
that he should be allowed to continue
his criminal practice, notwithstanding
lie took his polygamous wives In de-
lance OF law. We demand that he
should support his families. but also
demand that he shall cease bringing
additional illegitimate offspring into.
the world. and this is our only bone of
contention. the only thing demanded
which he refuses to yield. In this mat
Ter we disclaim any desire to have him
declared ineligible because he is a;
Mormon, but solely because he is vio-
latng and dcfying the laws OF our
State. of the United States and of
common deccncy
y CASE IN POINT.
EN- Congressman w II. King was,
and Is Mormon. and no claim of In
eligibility WAS ever made against him.
We point 10 this fact as showing that
we oppose Mir. Roberts not upon the
ground Of any religious opinions enter
tanned by him. but because of his Grim
inal practices. Neither is this q matter
of religious or political persecution or
prejudice. The undersigned include
men of different churches and men who
belong tn no church, those who are Re-
publicans and those who are Demo-
Gratis.
MIR. Roberts denies. and we assert
that the compact between Utah and
the other States has been violated.
POLYGAMY CONTINUED.
AS evidence that this compact has
been broken. we point to the following:
"First-That in Utah 1000 illegitimatc
children have been born To polygamouS
wives since Statehood.
"Second-That about two thousand
polygamous households now exist in
Utah, and that the attempt to secure
II punishment OF these offenders Is de-
nounccd by the majority, as we believe,
of Utah's citizens.
Third. That the circumstantial evil
denco Enthusiastically points To the eN-
iStcrcc ot mex wives i'll polygampus
households, the most conspicuous eN-
nmplcs of which are the cases of Apos
ties Abraham II. , canncn. John w.
Taylor and Apostle Teusdalc. in Mt
least the first of which the church or
gan of the dominant church refuses to
deny the marriage and the new polyg-
amous wife is cmp'oycd rs teacher III a
church academy.
Fourth. That the very msn who in.
terprctcd the manifesto OF 1890 to pro-
hibi, unlawful relations with prior nc-
quiicd wives now publicly justify its
continuance.
Fifth. That most of the same men
whN in petition for amnesty pledged
their sncred honor for the obedience of
the law by their people are now by eS-
ample ond precept encouraging the
commission of this crime.
'SiN;h--!As IL further evidence of this
bad Faith we call attention TO the fact
That men holding high church offices
Rave plead guilty TO tho crime OF mis-
demcanor before the State courts with
out having their church standing affect
ed, even in some cases having their
mes paid by sympathetic friends
Sevcnth-All this Is by necessary
implication endorsed by n majority OF
utah's people in the election OF Brig
nam III. Roberts. who during his cam
pa!En for election was publicly charged
with being Il viulator OF the laws as
evidenced by his illcgitimate progeny,
and in spite of these undencd chnrres
he was elected by an overwhelming
majority.
That Mr.. Roberts himself under
stood that compact to mean tho discon-
tinuance of his unlawful conduct we
point TO his registration oath Of 1895.
in which lie sworc II 10 be his inten
tion to obey the law prohibiting mis-
deamcanor.
tSigncd) "r. c. LIFE.
salt Lake.
&c. w. MARTIN,
"Manu. Utah.
&C. ". OWEN,
Salt Lake.