Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-24
M ORMONS SCORED
Representative Lands Caused a Sen
sation in the House.
DEBATE in fHB ROBERTS Case
Urgent Efficiency Bill Reported to
the Senate.
AGREEMENT ON CENSUS

fhe House OF Representatives resumed
the debate on the Roberts case at II o'clock
today. The galleries were again well filed
most of the occupants being ladies. Some
minor business preceded the resumption of
the debate. The Senate bill to grant an
American register 10 the steam whaler Bow
head was passed
Mf. foWers tNt) was the first speaker.
He argued in behalf of exclusion of Mr..
ftobefts. The contention of the minority for
expulsion, ne said, ran up against the very
pfecenents which were cited in its sup
port 1t was the universal rule that mem
Der could not be expelled for an offense
committed prior to election. While it might
be argued in Mr.. Roberts case that polyg-
amy was continuing status, the crime it
sef-the initial act-took place long before
Mr. Roberts was elected
we are nov separating wife from hus-
Dand SAID Mr.. Powers commenting on
MI. Roberts speech of yesterday. 'Polyg-
amy mas never been legal in Utah, either
before or after her admission into the
Union. Polygamy was illegal under the
common law of England. The moment he
TOOK wife number two the marriage was
VOID. Mr. Roberts knew the law. He can
not now plead the baby act against the
law and stern justice"
Mr. Snodgrass Crenn.) followed Mr.. Pow
erS, supporting the views of the minority
m favor OF seating and then eXpeiling MIR.
ftoDertS. II we were not to become the eX-
ponents of the French system of justice
which presumed guilt until innocence was
proven, he said, Mr.. Roberts must be ac-
fore being ousted
Mr.. Lands Qnd), a member of the Rob-
erts committee, who signed the majority
report, argued that Utah had violated her
compact with the United States There
ldu Deen universal rejoicing in "a Ia in
1856 he said, when Utah had been admitted
into the Union. The people of the United
states thought that the birth of the state
worked the death of the system of polyg-
amy Yet they were startled to learn in
1898 that Utah had elected as her sole rep-
resentative in the House a poIyga mist and
tnat he was moving upon Washington with
a p1uranty OF wives and multiplicity OF
children. Uaughter)
He commended that Mr.. Roberts was not
entltied to admission. because he had vio-
lated Ctahs compact with the United
States. o.
Scored the Mormon Church.
Mr. Lands went over the record of the
apostles of the Mormon Church to show
that most of them were guilty of continued
polygamous practices. Some of his state
ments were sensational. He scored the
church for its alleged bath faith. arousins
great enthusiasm by his scathing denuncia-
tlon AT times he eonvulsed the House with
his sarcasm. OF the fifteen apostles of the
church when the proclamation was issued
ne said. eleven were open vioators of the
law, and three had undoubtedly taken plu-
raj wives since it was promulgated
Mr.. lands said he believed and that Mr.
Roberts had not denied that Margaret C.
Ship had become his plural wife since
Utah was admitted in 1896. He paid a
high tribute to the Christian missiona ries
who had worked among the people of Utah.
Mr.. Roberts he said had boosted that he
had received the votes of the Gentiles in
his district. That Mr.. Lands said, was
because he ran as a democrat as well
as Mormon, and because his opponent
mad been DANTE who had killed his
man.. In concluding he adjured the 1000
polygamists in Utah to take care of their
plural wives. but in Gods name to refrain
from multiplying their infamy by bringing
more children into the world
MI Lands expressed his pity for the moor
woman who ministered to the rotten and
lustful notions of the Mormon priesthood
he rldlculed the proposition to admit Mr.
Roberts and then turn him out The fra
mers or the Constitution in Statuary Hall
would get down off their pedestais and
iaugh at such a procedure. 1t would be a
buriesque on law and precedent and an out
rage on common sense. Not only should
Mr.. Roberts be turned back, but also Utah
whose people. he said had solemnIy lied TO
the Congress of the United States in 1S.H;
IN ms peforauon Mr.. Lands protested
against Roberts admission in the name of
the motherhood of the land and of the nit
full innocents doomed to the shame Of lilo
gitimacy. '''
He got a whirlwind of applause when be
sat down. The speech created a sensa
ton. " 'eia
Mr. Roberts was not in the House to hear
the scath1ng excoriation Of Mr. Lands.
Mr. Lacey Qowa) argued In behalf of his
proposition for the expulsion of Mr. Rob
erts without swearing him in
But If he was driven to choose between
the procedures recommended by the ma
Jority and minority he would vote for the
expulsion.
While he was speaking Mr.. Clark O1o)
interrupted to say that if he had been Mr.
Robert legal adviser he would have had
him, on the first day of the session. object
to every member whose name was On the
roll. "Then he would have had the whole
concern in hole" said Mr.. Clark. Bat"
he added, Il was neither his legal or spir-
itual adviser"
Mr.. Lacey combated this statement, ar
guing that the members on the roll could
have passed upon an objection
Mr.. Mers und). member of the special
committee supported the majority resoIu-
tons.