Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-19
AFTER Mr.. ROBERTS SCALP
Council Bluffs Woman's Club Gets After the
Utah Congressman.
OBJECTS TO HIS GOING TO CONGRESS
CircuIatcs the Petition Sent ont by
Helen Gould and Secures Many
Hundred siRners to the
Document.
OBJECTS TO HIS GOING TO coNeRss

The members OF the Council Bluffs
Woman's club are taking an active part In
the crusade againet Congressman elect Brig
ham II. Roberts of Utah. During the last
week they have been vigorously working to
secure names to the anti-polygamy petition
sent them by Miss Helen Gould with spe-
cal request that they secure at least the sig
natures of 1000 Council Bluffs men and
women
At the meeting OF the club yesterday the
members in charge of the petition reported
that they had met with far greater success
than they had dared to expect. Every per-
son to whom the petition had been pre-
sented had attached his or her signature.
Upwards of 1000 names have already been
secured and Mrs. Montgomery president Of
the club, stated that, in her opinion, there
would be no great difficulty in securing the
required 1000 signatures. The petition,
which emanates from the National Anti
Polygamy league, is directed to all men and
|, women and 1t urges congress to reject or
expel the congressman elect from Utah and
to submit constitutional amendment dis
qualifying polygamists from holding public
Office under the United States.
Among the signatures received on the pc
tition are the names of large number Of
the members Of the Latter Day Saints
church of this city, who are bitterly opposed
to polygamy and, consequently not in favor
of Mr.. Roberts being permitted to occupy a
seat in congress.
Mrs. Montgomery, president of the club
spent some time in Utah during the last
summer and made special study of the
question of polygamy. In a short talk to
the club yesterday afternoon she said she
wit fbo md In
creasing determination of the Mormon lead
ers to revive and enforce polygamy. She was
also struck, she said, with it's blighting effect
upon the character of the Utah people and
that 1t was particularly the women and chill
dren who suffered most from it's practice. She
declared herself as being a most ardent ad-
vocate Of Helen Gould's propaganda.
In order to secure a larger number OF
names to the petition than might possibly
be obtained by circulating the petition among
the business houses, offices and homes of the
people OF this city, 1t was decided to station
responsible person at the postoffice during
the coming week and every person having
business at the postofice will thus be af-
forded an opportunity to sign it.
Mrs. e. G. Smith, prominent club woman
OF this city, has also taken a deep interest
in the anti-polygamy crusade. Yesterday
she received from Rev. C. H. Parkhurst of
New York petition now being circulated
by the League for Social Service, asking
congress to refuse to seat Congressman elect
Roberts. Accompanying the petition was a
quantity Of anti Mormon literature in the
shape OF pamphlet entitled Present As
poets Of Mormonism," which Mrs Smith was
requested to distribute among the members
OF the different women's clubs in this city.
Mrs Smith secured a number of names to
her petition yesterday