Omaha daily bee., 1900-01-24
ROBERTS A STAR ATTRACTION
Full Attendance on Floor and in the
Galleries to Hear His Case.
NO AGREEMENT REGARDING THE VOTE
Majority aud Minority Reports Sub
mitted and ArEumcnt Opened
by Chairman TnyIcr for
Majority Report.

OUfhth
by Chairman TnyIer for
Majority Report.
! WASHINGTON. Jan. 23.-This has been
an oratorical field day in the house over the
case Of Brigham II. Roberts, the Mormon
repI esentative from Utah. The galleries
were packed to suffocation, chiefly with
women, and the spectators after listening
attcntiyely to the arguments of Tayler OF
Ohio and Littefeld of Maine, for the adop-
tion of the majority and minority reports
respectively of the special committee that
! investigated the case, remained long after
nightfall to hear the impassioned words Of
! the accused as he faced the house, like an
animal at bay, knowing that every hand
was raised against him.
Roberts was very adroit in the handling Of
his case and at times exceedingly dramatic
Taking advantage of the issue raised by
the division in the committee as to the
method of ousting him, he appropriated to
himself the argument of the minority that
he was constitutionally entitled to be
sworn in and the argument of the majority.
that, once sworn in he could not be ex-
PEELED. He defended the action of the Nor
mons in fighting the authority of the United
States for years because he said, they be-
I lieved that the sentiment would change
and dramatically stated that in those days
he had rather have his flesh hewn from
his bones than to have renounced his relig-
ious tenets.
Women Applaud Roberts.
He concluded with an eloquent peroration
In which he said he had never been con-
scious of shameful act and If he were sent
forth he would go with head erect and un-
daunted brow. Strange to say most of the
applause he won was from women. But
while they appeared to be his only partisans.
other women manifested their bitter hostil-
ity by kissing him at every opportunity.
The speeches made by Littlefield, who
succeeds the late Mr.. Dingley in defense of
the minority proposition to seat and then
eXpel Roberts, was a masterful effort and
stamped him one of the coming men in
the house The manner in which he tore
some of the arguments of the majority into
shreds jumped him into the front rank of
debaters in the house. The speech made a
deep impression. In fact, it is predicted by
many members that the majority resolutions
for exclusion cannot now carry.
Lacey of Iowa has proposition which he
will submit to expel Roberts by two third
vote without seating him, which will have
| supporters, and this may lead to compro-
mise proposition.
Miss Roberts, daughter of Roberts, was
in the reserved gallery throughout the de-
! bate today. The debate will close next
| Thursday at 43O.
Roberts Given Time TO Talk.
At the conclusion of Littlefeld's speech
| Taylor renewed his request for an agree
! men for vote al i:30 on Thursday This
was objected TO and Roberts was then given
one hour and half in which to present hie
side of the case.
| The two arguments just presented" he
began, made it appear that there was a
difference of opinion as to the method of
procedure in the case of the member from
Utah. From this standpoint he could
agree with neither view presented.
Il find myself" he said. where | might
say with propriety: A plague on both your
houses, since both propose my undoing.' -
OLaUghter). But, he continued, the situa-
tion was not altogether without its advan-
tages. He was convinced with the minority
that the houses had no right to exclude him,
and with the majority that once admitted,
he could not be expelled. Between the
two" he said, matters fall out about as
would have them and substantial justice will
be done" (Renewed laughterJ.
Roberts gave notice that he should appro-
pirate the arguments of the majority against
! expulsion and those of the minority against
exclusion. His constitutional qualifications
were admitted by both the majority and mi
nCrity of the committee and he declared that
the members OF the house, if they had regard
to the constitution OF their country, would
call him back to the bar from which he had
been improperly turned away. He warned
the house that nations fell because they de-
I ppr from their tra6itiOnc
INDUCED in constitutional immortality it
died as did the individual who was guilty
of physical immortality. He beseeched the
house not to yield to the clamor of unthink-
ing people.
What was the emergency for this proposed
departure from the constitution? man
who had married in the sancty of the church
a plurality of wives had been elected to
congress. The cry had gone up that the
American home was endangered and these
extraordinary proceedings had been inau-
gurated against him.
1t was course then denounced as
"damnable and subversive of the rights of
the people, and the majority of this com
mittee had the honor, if such it could be
called, of following such a precedent.
He took up the cases cited by Tayler and
questioned the deductions drawn from them.
Littleheld evoked the first applause by his
sarcastic reference to the authorities" cited
by the majority and to the influence Ohio
was eXerting through its jurists and the
chairman of this committee, He insisted
that the authorities" were largely refer
ences of writer's to the opinions of others,
without the weight of a court decision.
There was a brief clash between Little
field and Tayler, representing the two OPP
posing sides, when Tayler questioned a
Tod DVt,
latter responded that John Sherman Of Ohio
had voted on that precedent and the ironlcal
tone of "Ohio" brought out another de-
risive burst of laughter and applause, mainly
from the democratic side. Littlefeld de-
clared that all he wanted was that Roberts
should have his constitutional rights; neither
more nor less
AFTER THE UTAH POSTMASTERS