The evening times., 1900-01-24
THE RIGHTS OF ROBERTS
Debate on The Committee Reports
Continued in the EOuSe.
The Questions Mt Issue IN the Case of
the Representative-EIec From
state 10 Keep Him on of a
SeRt-The Argument OF Ms. Lands.

erts case, the public galleries were vel
filled and the reserved ones had a fair
sprinkling Of occupants at that hour De-
bate on the resolutions before the House
was resumed by Mr.. Powers o. Vermont
The only question at issue. he said, vas
which Of the two forms of procedure. eX-
clusioR or expulsion. should be followed
upon an agreed state Of facts. The gem
tleman from Maine CNr. Litueheld), 1t
seemed TO the speaker. in his very able
argument Yesterday ran up against the verv
precedent H. had invoked-that expulsion
from the House could not be exercised eX-
eept for cause committed before election
That gentleman might answer. Mr.. Powers
continued. that polygamy was a continuing
offence land he should insist upon that
facD, but the initial stage OF the offence
which made Roberts ameBable 10 public
justice was committed long before the
election.
The House in this instance was sitting
as a judge. In that capacity its power vas
pleudry. The constitution nowehere linn
tied its action in time OF manner. the
| House could as well determine against the
admission o. member as 20 eXpel him
| later. Mr. Power discussed al length the
"
| the prohibition in the organic act OF Utah
was against the institution OF pOlygamy
and the status assumed by those who pTaC-
lice H. and not merely against bigamOD'
marriages
Rcbuke To Utah.
II was true 10 the strict and legal sense
used by Nr. Littlefeld yesterday, said Mr.
Powers. that there was no compact or con
] Hnf IN
State. but there was such a thing as the
Observance Of good faith in the keeping
OF promises made. To Tebuke the people
OF Utah for f2iluTe TO keep the promises
made by them g. was right 10 keep Roberts
! out Of ais sea;. The House had 10 deter
mine the question whether or not Roberts
should be excluded or permitted TO take
his seat when the House would have no
power 20 eEpel. Mr. Roberts had complain
| ed that tie crusade against pOlygamy
would result in the destruction of families
and The forCible separation Of husband and
wife.
Il deny &c." said Mr. Powers. poIygamy
has never been legal in Utah. Even before
/ g. v2s Territory. the common law Of
/ England which prevailed there made polyg-
/ amOus marriages a crime. II has never
! been legallzed In America aTd the charge
l that families are TO be destroyed and hus-
I bands and wives separated has no founda-
/ tion. for no .egal family and Iagal marriage
| relation could be established by plural
I marriages. And Mr.. Roberts knew the law.
/ he cannot come here and plead the baby
| act FOR he and all who voted for him
/ knew the effects Of thei- acts"
Mr.. Roberts had asserted that By ex-
! cluding him from the House q dangerous
| attack would be made upon the buIvarks
OF the Constitution. This sermon. said
| Mr. Powers. would have had more force
| had IL been preached by one who was no,
| himself engaged In an effort 10 break down
| these bulWsrks AS the old ship Of state
sails over these troubled waters. the tim
bers may cresk and the cordage snap. but
| I am sure she viii never founder in ths
miry waters Of Salt Lake OLaughJeTD
zone thing the people and Congress were
! determined upon that q relic o. barb5risu
/ which has come down from long ago shall
| no longer be permitted TO vex us. We
/ say 10 the people Of Utah take back yOul
! Representative; and il you will send US
man who is IN accord with the spiIit and
! letter OF the Constitution, he shall hay,
! his seat
! Mr. Powers was followed by Mr. Snod
grass Of Tennessee. who made an a amen
in favor Of admitting Roberts TO a eeat
| He said Roberts prima facie right theret,
was as good as any member on the floor
Mr.. Snodgrass is not an impressive speak
er and the confusion on the floor prevente,
him from being clearly heard He sup
ported the minority report and announce,
his readiness 10 vote for expulsion becaus
Roberts was a polygamist.
Mr. Landis speaks
The first member Of TIE Roberts com
mittee 10 address the House was MI
Lands OF Indiana. who followed Mr. Snod
gress. He started out by saying that ther
was universal rejoicing throughout tn
United States in January, 1896, when th
| announcement was made that Utah ha
been admitted 10 Statehood. The caus
for rejoicing was that it meant the death O
polygamy. a relic Of barbarism. True, h
said. some had opposed the admission O
Utah because they cOntended that polygam
had not Ieen abandoned
And now, in less than three years,
said Mr. lands, Utah sends as her Rep
resentative a pOlygamist.'
There were just three questions in III
case. Is Roberts a pOlygamist2 If so. i
. he entitled 10 seat on the floor Of tn
, House? II he is not a pOlygamist, hOV
, shall y e part company with him?'
The committee, said Mr.. Landis, wa
unanimoU@ in the opinion that Mr.. Rob
erts was a polygamist. He argued, a
p | Chairma.a Tayier had done, that Utah ha
| DrOhen neT compact VIII lut Auite
| States. Utah. he said. had made six un
successful attempts to get into the Unio
, and only succeeded when assurance wa
> | given that pOlygamy should forever b
! ! abandoned and prohibited.
Mr.. Iandis said he was no lawyer. 81
| was my ambition a few years ago" sal
| he TO be a criminal lawyer. After thre
| DAYS study l gave it up. when aseeT
. ! tanned that after the legal arguments an
a discussion Of the facts the case was sui
| mite to jury, and in this case l preft
& to be one Of the Jury.
q Mr.. Lands said he was surprised Whe
a it was charged that the President had al
: pointed polygamists to office in Utal
''Why,-' exclaimed the speaker. Il did nt
= know there we're any polygamists
o Utah" He charged that Utah had tran
s pied her compact under foot. and that
d polygamists had been appointed TO Off
r it was because the President had bee
h deceived He cited numerous cases
polygamy existing among the apostles WI
T, signed the petition for amnesty, thl
5. Calming that Utah had wantonly viOlat,
If the agreement by which she obtain;
d statehood.
o Senator Rawlins Quoted.
Mr.. Lands read extensively from Il
" record Of the proceedings in connectiC
with the admission OF Utah to the Unio
In the course Of this part Of his remark
Mr. Lan1is referred to speech of Del
: gate Rawlins (nOw a Senator from Utah
P and compared the statements therein wi
n some recently made by Mr.. Rawlins in
communication TO the press. He the
/ 49, az hn Tnsr