The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-25
lands SCORED ROBERTS
And Was Bitter 10 Denunclaliou Of the
Mormon Church.
STATE OF UTAH HAD LIED TO CONGRESS-
Many Ladies' Were Present TO Hear
the Sensational Case Dcbnted--ur.
Roberts Was Absent.

case was less dramatic than that of yes |
terday The galleries were almost us
crowded, but the ladies were less demon
stratve. The presidents pastor. Rev. Dr. |
Bristol. was in the executive gallery the
greater portion of the afternoon listening |
10 the arguments Mr.. Roberts was not |
present during the day. Had he been he !
would have heard the most scathing ex-
coriation OF the Mormons ever delivered |
upon the floor of the house. Mr.. Lands |
tlnd.), the young orator who distinguished
himself during the last congress in an
oratorical duel with Mr.. johnson tInd1, |
won new laureis today He charged that
Utah had been admitted to the Union as
result of a Mormon conspiracy and re-
viewed the history OF the apostles Of the
church, whom he charged with living in
open and fragrant violation of the statute
against polygamy. to show that they had
basely broken their solemn pledge to the
government. The other speakers were
Messrs Power (Rep, VII and Miors
tDefn. Ind.), for the majority resolutions;
Messrs. Snodgrass tDem.. TENN and vii
son tSilver Rep, fdaho), for the minority
resolutions, Mr., Lacy (Rep., Iowa. for
the proposition to expel without swearing
in and Mr.. Crumpacker (Rep., Ind for ex-
clusion by two-thirds majority. The
speeches today greatly strengthened the
majority resolutions. which seemed in
danger of failing after Mr. Litueheld's
speech of yesterday. and Chairman Tay-
Tor was confident tonight that they would
be adopted when the house votes tomor-
row afternoon.
The house resumed the debate on the
Roberts case at II O'Clock today. The gall
leries were again well filed, most OF the
occupants as on yesterday, being ladies'
Some minor business preceded the resump-
tion OF the debate. The senate bill to
| grant American register to the steam
whaler Bowhead was passed
| MIR. Powers tVt.) was the hrst speaker.
| He argued on behalf OF the exclusion at
Mr. Roberts. The contention of the min
GRITTY for expulsion. he said, ran up against
/ the very precedents which were cited in
/ its support II was the universal rule that
a member could not be expelled for an
offense committed prior TO election. While
/ it might be argued In Mr.. Roberts case
! that polygamy was a continuing status, the
/ crime itself the initial act. took place
/ long before Mr.. Roberts was elected. I'VE
said Mr.. Powers commenting on Mr.. Rob-
( erts' speech OF yesterday. "Polygamy has
I 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 look
wife No. the marriage was void Mr.
Roberts knew the law. He can not now
plead the baby act against the law and
stern Justice"
Mr.. Sncdgrass (Tenn,) followed Mr., Pow
ers supporting the Views of the minority
in favor of seating and then expulsion
OF Mr.. Roberts. "rf we were not to be-
come the opponents Of the French system
of Justice which presumed guilt until in
nocence was proven" he said, mir. Rob
erts must be accorded his prima facia right
to his seat before being ousted."
Mr. Lands tlnd.) member OF the Rob
erts committee who signed the majority
report. argued that Utah had violated
her compact with the United States There
had been universal rejoicing In the land
in 1896, he said. when Utah had been ad-
mitted into the Union. The people Of the
United States thought that the birth Of
the State worked the death Of the system
of polygamy, vet they were startled TO
learn in 1898 that Utah had elected as her
sole representative IN the house polyg-
amist and that he was moving upon
Washington with plurality OF wives and
multiplicity OF children. U4aughter.)
Mr. Lands went over the record of the
apostles of the Mormon church to show
that most of them were guilty OF contin-
ued polygamous practices. Some OF ms
statements were sensational. He scored
tbs church for its alleged faith, arousing
great enthusiasm by his scathing denun-
citation. At times he couvulsed the house
with his sarcasm. OF the fifteen apostles
of the church when the proclamation. was
issued, he said, eleven were open violat-
ors of the law and three had undoubtedly
taken plural wives since the PRONUNCIATION
of the law. Mr.. lands said ne believed,
and Mr.. Roberts had not dnied, that
Margaret C. Shipp had become his plural
wife since Utah was admitted in 1896. lie
paid a high tribute to the Christian mis-
sionares VINO had worked among the peo-
pie OF Utah. Mr.. Roberts. he said. had
boosted that he had received the votes OF
the Gentiles in his district That, Mir.
Lands said was because he ran as q
democrat as well as Mormon aud be-
!. cause his opponent had been a DANTE
who had killed his man" In conclusion
he abjured the 10000 Mormons in Utah
to take care OF their plural wives, but IN
Gods name to refrain from multiplying
their family by bringing more children
y into the world. Mr.. Lands expressed hi
I. pity for the poor women who ministeret
Z 70 the rotten and lustfui motives OF tht
= Mormon priesthood. He ridiculed tn
9 proposition to admit Mr.. Roberts and thel
= to turn him out. The trainers OF the CON
o stltution would get down OF their pedes
Z tails in statuary hall and laugh at such
: procedure It would be a burlesque OIL
d law and a president and an outrage OF
= common sense. Not only should Mr.. Rob
: erts be turned back. but also Utah. who's
Il people, he said had solemnly lied to thu
5 congress OF The United States in 1896 Ii
= his peroration Mr.. Lands protaste
against Roberts admission In the nam
of motherhood of the land and of the pitt
u full innocence doomed to the shame Of IL
legitimacy. He got whirlwnd Of ap
plause when he sat down. The speec
! created Il sensation. Mr. Roberts was no
y in the house when Mr., Lands spoke.
n Mr.. Lacey tlowa) argued In behalf Q
4 his proposition for the expulsion OF MI
Roberts without swearing him in. If h
: were driven to choose between the pro
e oedures discussed by the majority and
minority he would vote for the former o
20 the ground that exclusion means expul
sion.
.. While he was speaking Mr.. Clark mo.
= interrupted to say that II he had been Nj
Roberts legal adviser he would have hs
him on the first day OF the session, oh
ject to every member whose name was o
/. the roll. Then he would have had N
t., tf. hole aatA L.