The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1900-02-02
Lands DelIOunces Roberts
On Floor of the House.
SERIOUS CHARGES MADE
Indiana Senator Says Utah Was Ad-
mitted ThrOugh Conspiracy o.
The Part Of MOrmOnG

A Washington special says: The
house resumed the debate on the Rob
erts case at IL o'clock Wednesday.
The galleries we're again we'll filled,
most of the occupants, as on Tuesday,
being ladies. Some minor business
preceded theresumption Of the debate.
Mr.. Lands, of Indiana, then deliv-
cred a sensational speech. He
oontended that Dir. Roberts was
not entitled to admission be-
cause he had violated Utah's COM
pact with the United States. Mr..
Lands resented as unworthy Of belief
the charge made, he said, by Senator
Rawlins that the president had sp-
pointed notorious polygamists. The
senator might as we'll accuse the
house Of endorsing polygsmy since it
had passed a bill appropriating 840,-
600 for the agricultural college at Lo-
gan, Utah. ''The president of that
college" said he, ''is a polygamist,
living in open and notorious polygamy
with three wives. One of his leading
professors is q polygamist, living with
two wives. The trustee is a polyga-
mist, living in open and notorious
polygamy with seven wives Qaughter)
and they have been blessed with thirty
nine children. daughter
He further asserted that three of
the members of the first presidency
and ten of the twelve apostles who
signed the petition for amnesty were
polygamists.
!, cot these fifteen leaders who
solemnly pledged their nonor and
faith to the future obedience to the
law of the church of Christ and Latter
Day Salts, three have probably kept
their pledges, namely, MILFORD Wood
ruff, Franklin D. Rodgers and An
thony H. Lunn.
After detailing the polygamous rela-
tions of other Mormon leaders, he
continued:
pages might be written of the vio-
lation Of the compact by which Utah
was given star. Mr.. Speaker, that
star is fallen star; it does not shine
with the brilliancy and luster of her
sister stars. 1t shines by cunning
and by deceit, by treachery, by fraud.
1t speaks of crime and of violation of
the most solmn covenant ever made
between territory and the Union"
applause.
= eve have as representative from
Utah man with three wives, the last
one taken, the report says, as near as
we can ascertain, before $780, I be-
lieve. And he did not deny that that
woman became his plural wife after
Utah was taken into the American
Union. And I here charge that Utah
came in as the result of deliberate
conspiracy to free that people from
the federal authority, and thus enable
them to live their religion unhindered.
F, SIN 1896 Mr.. Roberts was a candi-
date for congress, and the church dis
ciplined and defeated him because the
time was not then ripe for polyga-
mist to come to the American congress.
He became a car didate in 1898, and
the man who placed him before the
convention stated that he ran by per-
u1r$o4Ou VI VIC AL 1000 VIC
were engaged in a war with foreign
foe. American manhood was away
Rirom home and all absorbed in coun-
try.
"Valor was at war and virtue was at
prayer. The north and the south un-
der one fagi They hoped in this gen.
eral condition of magnanimity to come
back, and it was then this periured
cheat attempted to crawl in. Sir, it
came by itself. but it will be hurled
back boldly and in the open day by
the outraged indignation Of the Amer
s lean people. applause. And across
yon threshold will be written in let
6ers large enough to be read from the
national capitol to the Mormon tenn
pie: NO polygamist shall ever sit as
member of the American congress. :"
(Anplause.l