Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-12-14
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.


three caucuses were held In the senate
end of the capitol. They were under
the auspices respectively of republi-
can. democratic and Independent sena-
tors, the last named including the Sill
yer republicans and populists ana
each considered the reorganization OF
senate committees. In each instance
the detail work was referred to special
committees.
Washington, Dec. 5.-After an inter-
esting debate of three hours the house
by vote of 1902 to 30 adopted the
resolution offered by Taylor (Ohio),
for the appointment of a special com
mittee to investigate the charges
against Brigham II. Roberts, mormon
representative-elect from Utah. Prev
iously the house had rejected the sub
stitute resolution offered by Richard
son, the leader OF the minority, to al
low Roberts to be sworn In and send
the whole case to the judiciary com
mittee. or the 80 who voted against
the Taylor resolution all were demo-
Gratis except two Loud (rep,, Cali, ana
Newlands, silverite, from Nevada. by
the terms of the resolution Roberts IS
denied seat In the hall The most re-
markable feature OF the debate was
Roberts presentation OF his own side
OF the case which lasted almost an
hour, and became so absorbing that he
won the sympathy OF the men In the
galleries and was several times shower
ed with applause. During the debate
Mr.. Grosvenor OF Ohio Indignantly re-
PEELED the inslnuatlon OF Roberts
that the president had knowingly P-
pointed men guilty OF polygamy 10
federal Offices In Utah. Taylor said the
power of congress to halt the claimant
at It's door was clear. lie read from
decisions of the supreme court defin-
ing polygamy which stated that irres-
pectIve OF whether a man had con-
traeted plural marriages after the pas
sage of the Edmunds act and prospect
i've of whether he since cohabited with
n pluray wife, he was guilty of polyg-
amy IL he still maintained the rela-
ton of husband to more than one
wife. But higher than the civil law
was the law OF civilization which de-
manded that one 80 tainted be ex-
Guided For supporting higher law
the member was answerable only to
his conscience, his country and his
constituents. In all his investigation
OF precedents, Taylor said he failed to
find single case where the house hesl-
tated to assert upon proper occasion
It's right to halt u member Mt the bal
when his qualifications for his seal
were questioned. I'VE are told,
said Mr.. Taylor, his voice ringing ou
clearly, that we are about to create
an unhappy precedent. Why, Mr.
Speaker, we are doing this In the opei
gaze OF the whole world, not In clols
tered court. We are servants OF thu
people empowered to do right as we Sc
it. The public eye Is upon III. In tina
presence we can do no wrong II we d.
but obey It," Roberts sent to tn
clerks desk and read his natnrallza
ton papers. He held he had not bee
arraigned or condemned for any Grim
since the amnesty proclamation. II h
had been law breaker why had he nc
been punished since the nonMormo
power prevailed In Utah? Proceedin
he took up the charge that Utah ha
broken her contract with the Unite
States by the election of an allege
polygamous Representatives III thf
were true then Utah had simply TO
lowed the illustrous example of tn
national administration,
AFFIRM" said he, that there la abunC
ant evidence that objections similar
those In the present case were made
the president and senate against I'll
appointment of certain federal otllcia
waived aside" In concluding Rober
denied that the members who voted
seat him would be voting for poly
amy, The question of polygamy WI
settled. IL am not defending polygam
1t Is dead Roberts concluded
thanking Taylor and the house {,
their indulgence. He was given
round applause as he took his sea
Dinsmere and Richardson dems
opposed the Taylor resolution. M
Grosvenor rep0 denounced Robert
statement concerning the appointing
by the president Of polygamists In ut'
AS n miserable subterfuge. The vo
was then taken, first on the pr
Roberts substitute which was defoato
30 to 2i7 The vote then required II
on the adoption Of the Taylor resol
tion which was adopted by Il vote
302 to 80 and thus Roberts is deni
his seat TIL ais case is fully investlga
ed by a committee. The chances a
very much against his admission.
Washington, Dec. 6.--Thc rociprSci
treaties negotiated during the congrt
sional recess were transmitted to t
senate and were referred to the Co
mittee on foreign relations. The mt
important of these treaties Is that
tween the United States and Fran
for reciprocal reductions In tariff rat
Reciprocity treaties negotiated W
Great Britain are four In number