The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-10
SOME VIEWS OF CONGRESS.
WOMEN CURIOUS TO SEE THE MEM
BIER FROM UTAH.

How Nr. ChnnIcr Was Induced to
Become Candidate for Congress.
Sketches of Some of the Represen-
tatives.
Washington, Dec s-Upwards Of
twenty thousand people, besides those
whose business it was TO be there. besieg-
ed the doors OF the capitol on the open
Ing day OF Congress for admission 20 the
o galleries wnose utmost capacity is strain
ed by a few hundred. AS everybody
knows. a session opens Oh the stroke Of
twelve, (noon), bus by daylight crowds
were streaming up al the avenues lead
ing capitolward, aud early as O'Clock
those who were compelled 10 force a pas
sage through the throng, performed "a feat
almost as difficult as that OF the typical
camel through the needles eye Fully IS
per cent. Of the crowds were women; and
regret TO add that the majority seemed
to have left their good manners az home
There is nothing Ike a Washington crush
to bring out the innate brutality of hui
man nature stripped Of its thin veneer
of conventional politeness. Was it pa
triotism that brought the female contin-
gent out in such unusual numbers? Ny
goodness no. Il was simply Ewes curl
osity to note how it Jared with the luckless
Mormon. The same gentle spirit that an
imated the danes Of Nero's court, when
they hocked to the arena to see how vic
tins bore themselves, actuated the fair
sex when one man was to stand alone be-
fore the bar of the House, the target Of
the whole country because of his religion.
Was there ever a question with only one
side to il? In the Roberts question, the
popular side has certainly been well aired;
in the interest OF human fairness-unpop-
ular though it be-suppose we look for a
minute 10 see If there may be another
view of the case Heaven forbid that tive
should advocate polvEamy, which is now
a thing Of the past, and forever banished
from the United States; but in this land
Of the free. which tolerates al manner Of
religions and irreigious beliefs. which per-
mits The Chinaman TO worship his Joss,
the jew 20 deny his Saviour, and the
heather TO bow before idols Of his own
fashiouing-why should We make a spe-
cial crusade against the religion of Nor
man. the tenets Of which most Of us know
nothing whatever about? Having mar
ried his wives before pOlygamy was abo-
ished. what Is Air. Roberts to do about IL
now? When the legal opportunity was
given. had he deserted The helpless wom-
en-. and thereby rendered them outcasts
before the world and their children iIeg-
itimate, would that Infamous action have
made him more worthy seat An Con-
gress2 A thousand times, no. Whatever
may be Mr.. Roberts sins OF omission or
commission, he has shown himself the
honorable gentleman in that respect,
against his own political and social inter
ests, and certainly a brave man in fac
ing his foes. Why all this tempest in a
teapot any way? Everybody knew that
Mr. George Q Cannon, for many years,
the Mormon delegate In Congress, had
nearly double Mr.. Roberts num-
Der of wives, and none felt
called upon to protest. No more
moral nor upright man ever sat
among the lawmakers than Mr.. Cannon,
whose private life in Washington was
without naw; while with shame and sad
ness the world knew hat the same could
not be said OF al his brother congress-
men. The pre- sent crusade is not question
OF mo- lily. NoX o nj is an un 1ertan
jade at best-ht aping riches upon the rich
and permitting others equally deserving
TO remain in the depths of pOver.y y. spend
ing mill MS In honoring Dewey to-day and
has sing his pictured tace o-morrow-and
tne;e Is no e ling what she W 4 do next.
The most dpl3iahl feature Of the Rob
etts Ell ole is Il needless suffering in
nicted uron his fair young daughter. since
tabyhood she hos been h.r fathers devo.-
ed and constant companion. and the affec-
ton between ihe two l. BEAUTIFUL 10 be-
nod. Naturally. believing as she does
in her IA her, she imagined that the couu-
try had only to understand his side of The
question, as he would t,uthfuly explain
il, 10 accord him justice. He f0reseeing
some Of the trials in store earnestly be-
sought her 10 remain at home; but he put
her sna hand m h big, s.rong fist and
In the 8nguage of Ruth remarked "Wi h
er ,hou goesi, ! wiz so. and that settled
It, To our shame fe 1t said hat her snort
residence at the national capital has been
perpetual rartyrdom, in which older wo-
men have be her most cruel ana unre-
lenting prosecutors. stared at askance by
unfriendly crowds followed about the
streets and subjec ed to insulting COM
ments, without one friend in the city to
speak a kincSy wo d-lhe simple little
country girl yet maintained a quiet dignity
that never once fatered in public until
The q sing scene hat was The day vixen
her lie owed parent SO d allne before tie
tar If tie Hcus1. the under gladiator IN an
Unequa. ight-one nah against 7OO1O.nO)
recorded speaking in mis- own DE-
Tense. Sturdy, clean-cut, with pleasant
face and convincing manner, Mr.. Roberts
stood for forty minutes defending himse II
in the face Ct certain defeat The scene
was one of the most dramatic ever enact. d
in that hstor. chamber Of a THOUSAND
dramatic scenes. From scorn, contempt
Hnd unfeason ng aversion, the spectators
were swaytd by this strange. strong man.
who challenged his accuSers boldly and
flung back taunt for taunt. That he was
again and again applauded TO the echo
was only another evidence Of he tickle
ness Of Nox Popuh; and when his daugn-
ter. sitting among a s,a q hos lie strang-
ers in he gallery, broke down in tears
the terrific strain of 1t all being more than
the poor child could longer cndure-even
the grim array Of bitter women who hal
come 10 see this man cast out relaxed a
httle, and for a moment there was much
swishing Of handkerchefs.
The membership of the new Congress in
Guides more than a hundred brand-new re-
cruits in the House alone, who have never
seen service in the national Legislature.
California sends four new Republicans in
d dele gaticn Of seven, which includes only