The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-25
The Utah Whirlwind.

he got a wnlriWlnu OF applause When
he sat down"
This, We are told, was the experience yes
terday Of Mr. Lands Of Indiana, at the
conclusion Of his speech 10 the House OF
Representatives in opposition to the al
mission Of BRIGHAM II. ROBERTS to the seat
the people of Utah.
Well, men often receive whirlwinds OF
applause for advocating that which Is
wrong, while those who oppose q violation
Of the right are treated coldly by the
people.
There are parts OF the country where one
OF the most popular things 4 man can DO Is
to participate in a lynching party.
In the long run, however, it is o pretty
good way to obey the law and help To make
others obey 1t, no matter what may be tho
| consequences 30 far AS praise or blame are
| concerned.
The men in Congress like L~IrTLEFIELD
OF Maine and De ABMoND Of Missouri who
favor the admission Of ROBERTS are not
afraid to face the Misrepresentation which
holds them up TO opprobrium as advocates
OF ~polygamy. They are no more friendly
to polygamy than is the Archbishop
Of Canterbury. They are friends, how
ever, OF the Constitution Of the United
States. They know that the Constitution
does not permit the exaction OF any qualiti-
cation for membership in the House Of
Representatives snve those which are pre-
scribed in the fundamental law itself.
They fear-with grave cause for that fear
that the imposition OF unconstitutional
requirements in the case OF q polygamist
from Utah to-day may open the way 10
obStruCt the admission tomorrow, or next
year, or some time IN the future, OF some
Rnpresenthtivc-nlect perhaps from New
York, perhaps from Iowa, 10 whom there Is
no NOR" valid objection than that the major
ity in Congress do not like him and there
fore propose to keep him out. And real
izing that the only course for men who
have sworn to support the Constitution is
to support it, they are doing SO with all
the vigor ut their command.
We cannot view the attitude Of the Re-
publican majority in this matter with
patience or liberation. Tho Republicans of
III" House, for the most part, have simply
succumhcd to popular clamor. Knowing
that they can ~rightfully cXpel q polyga-
mist, although they cannot lawfully exclude
him in the first instance, they seem de-
termined to pursue tho wrong course and
create a precedent which will surely prove
q peril to free government.
We must add one observation OF he oft
repeated and wholly inpcrtincnL charge
that Utah has violated the compact under
which nat state was admitted into
the Union. This so-cailed compact re-
CURED tho enactment ~ an irrepralablo
ordinance agniuot polygamy, to form a part
OF the State Con,ti, utlon. The ordinance
was duly adopted and is in the State Consti-
tuition Of Utah to-day. Utah, in other
words, has done precisely what the Federal
Government required to be done as a
condition Of admission. There has been
no violation Of any compact. But II there
had been, what penalty has Congress power
to impose upon tn state Is Utah to be
RELOCATED to her ~rcv,ou status us "A Terri
tory. II so, why 5 uuld her Senators be
permitted to remain in N" wing # the
Capitol, while her Representative is kept
Out OF tn other?
"Whirlwinds OF applause for the oppo-
ncnts Of ROBERTS have altogether too
much to do with this whole business. The
controversy has brought with it from
Utah to Washington a different sort of
whirlwind which blinds the representatives
Of the people to the true meaning of the
Constitution.