The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-01-11
CsneciaI TO The Herald.l

Especial to The Herald)
Washington, Jan. 16.--The Roberts
investigating committee held its first
executive session today. No business
was transacted openly, and the session
was secret. The committee engaged in
a general review of the facts elected
during the several hearings Tt is said
there is substantial unanimity that
there should be a report to the effect
that Roberts is a full citizen of the
United States, and also that he has
contracted at least one polygamous
marriage.
The first of these positions was yield
ed even by Schroeder and Tayler. The
latter has only been denied by Mr.. Rob-
erts as a matter of pleading, and not as
a matter of testimony on oath. Thus
the agreement on these points could
have been readily predicted.
Chairman Iayler and Lanham of
Texas were this afternoon designated
as a subcommittee to prepare a state
ment of the facts as to which there
is unanimous agreement.
The Two Reports.
The Roberts committee will probably
-emain in session for several days. The
Tayler, or anti Roberts report, will IA
vOr Roberts absolute exclusion, both
from being sworn and from member
ship in the house, on the charge that
polygamOus Capitalization has been es-
tablished by the arguments presented
before the committee. 1t viii favor his
exclusion totally. proceeding on the
theory that congress has the broad
right to exclude an Objectionable mem
Der at the moment Of his presentation
at the bar
The other report viii undoubtedly IA
vOr Roberts being sworn, and contend
that his prima facie right to member
ship has been in no particular affected
by any of the evidence presented dur
ing the hearing. 1t is not at all GER
tain whether the minority report viii
take up the matter of his permanent
right to a se,-f. These gentlemen who
favor his being sworn in may take the
view that expulsion for pOlygamOus re-
laJiOnS is a question entirely for sub
sequent consideration.
There will be, as previously stated, a
general agreement by the two sides of
the committee on nearly all the facts
in the case, and the difference in the
reports viii pertain entirely to the
rights of Roberts and the rights of
congress under these facts. A vote win
be taken tomorrow.
Carlisle Wanted His Fee.
While the persons to whom the prep
didltDl Oh the EtifOL II Will DE dSclEltC
have not yet been selected, it is be-
lieved that the one against Roberts
probably the majority One) will be
drawn by the chairman and the other
che by Littlefield of Maine. The lat
ter, who is the most aggressive pro-
Roberts man on the committee, is the
successor in the house of the late Mel
son Dingley OF Maine, a very TesClute
and earnest man and good lawyer, who
lr. frrfs obfarra Lon
clamor and individual rights in advance
of sense tionalism.
1t developed today that the reason
ex-Speaker John G. Carlisle did not
appear TO present his final arguments
in the case was because the New York
anti-ROberts organization either did
not put up a suitable retainer or that
he thought that they were not good for
the one they had promised.
Tayler Wouldn't Put Up.
II was conveyed to Chairman Tay-
Ter by one of the eX-speaker's repre-
sentatives that he would be glad TO
present his opinions as to Roberts
rights in eXtenso if requested by the
committee ID do So This course would
have carried with ii the payment of
large fee by congress. As an ex-
speaker he could have claimed he re-
ceiVed a very large compensation. The
sum Of 5000 has been suggested by his
representative as what he thought
proper for his distinguished services.
Chairman Tayler's reply to this sug-
gestion is said to have been that the
committee would be glad TO hear Mr..
Carlisle if he desired TO present his
views"
This was becoming a champion of
social purity at too cheap a rate for
the eX-speakcr, and he withdrew from
the case.
Was a Great Speech.
Representative Roberts this morning
completed the revision of the manu-
script report of his extended address
20 the investigating committee, and il
was submitted before the beginning Of
today's session of that body. This adj
dress, Of which only brief press reports
have appeared during its progress, is
one of the most remarkable that has
been made in the recent annals of con-
gressiOnal contests. It is highly cred
liable to him. both for the massing of
legal arguments and scholarly and eIO-
Quent presentation Of the history of
the whole case. His massing of argu-
ments in his closing address created a
profound impression among the mem
bers Of the committee, and is mainly.
If not wholly. responsible for the fact
that there VIII be a minority report in
his case.
The closing sentences Of the speech