Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-02
HOLD SESSION ON ROBERTS
Prominent House Republicans Look Into His
Eligibility.
SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER MATTER
when Mormon Mcmbcr-EIect Appears
to Take Oath objection VIII He
Made and Charge of BiGnmy
VIII Re Investigated.

| WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.--At a conference
Of about twenty-five prominent house repub-
licans held at the capitol tonight it was de-
cided that the eligibility of Representative
elect Roberts of Utah to occupy a seat in
the house should be investigated and deter
mined, and that pending the decision he
should not be permitted to take the oath
of office.
This decision was arrived at by those
present without q dissenting voice. Repre-
sentative Tayler of Ohio, who will have
charge of the matter in the house, explained
after the conference had adjourned that this
proceeding does not involve pre- judgment
of the case, but Irrespective of party, will
afford the members an opportunity to vote
after a thorough investigation and COM
pete presentation of the case for consider
alton.
Mr. Tayler had made study OF the allie
cations and precedents and presented them
at length to his colleagues. He offered
plan of procedure which was agreed to
after a general exchange Of views. The pro-
cedure is to be as follows:
When MIR. Roberts appears at the bar of
the house to take the oath objection is to
be made upon the ground that he is ineli-
gibe. He will then step aside and after
the other members are sworn in the mem
Der making the objection-who probably
will be Mr.. Tayler-will recite the allega
tons and offer resolution for their investi
CATION by a special committee. This will
give the house an opportunity to vote in
the first instance on the question OF postpon
ing the administration of the oath until OTTER
the allegations have been investigated.
The resolutions have not been formulated
yet, but they will include the investigation
of the charge that Mr.. Roberts alleged con-
victon of violation of the Edmunds act in
1889 renders him ineligible by the terms of
that act. whether the fact that he is an
avowed poygamist renders him ineligible
and whether the state Of Utah in electing him
has not violated the compact by which it
obtained statehood.
Precedents Are mt Hand.
Mr.. Tayler says the precedents for OBJ
jecting to the swearing in of member duly
elected and bearing proper credentials are
numerous and in point Among others are
the well known case of Proctor Knott, Boyd
Winchester and John NJ. Rice of Kentucky,
who were elected to congress shortly after
the war and also were charged with ineli-
gibiity on the ground Of disloyalty. All
these precedents were cited at the confer
ence tonight. These precedents led to the
conclusion that objection can properly be
made to the swearing in Of a member where
there are apparently well grounded reasons
for believing him ineligible. The resolutions
will provide for the appointment of a spe-
cial commission of either seven or niue, to
be appointed by the speaker
Representative Powers of Vermont pre-
sided at the conference tonight. Those pres
ent were Messrs. Henderson Of Iowa, Gros-
venor, Shattuc, Southard, Kerr and Tayler
of Ohio, Powers of Vermont, Mcpherson of
Iowa, Dalzell of Pennsylvania, Payne and
Sherman of New York, Hill of Connecticut,
Thomas of Iowa, Alexander and Ray of
New York, Curtis Of Kansas, Warner of
Illinois, Lands of Indiana Cannon of Illi-
nois, Morris of Minnesota, Steele of Indiana
and Long of Kansas.
The Roberts case is not to come up for
consideration at the republican caucus to-
morrow night. Tho republican leaders do
not desire to make the question in any sense
party issue