Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-23

pose for which he rose to address the
House.
Before Mr.. Tayler had been speaking
fifteen minutes, he was compelled to
appeal to the Speaker for order, so loud
had become the hum OF conversation
among the members
During the time many members
sought Mr.. Lacey 20 learn the purpose
Of his amendment. II declared that
under the rule and the circumstances,
Brigham II. Roberts ought not TO have
or TO hold a seat In the House OF Rep
resentatives, and that the seat he now
holds be declared vacant" The purpose
OF the resolution was TO debar Mr. Rob-
erts from membership In the House
with the humiliatlng ordeal of formal
expulsion
The tenor Of Mr.. Tayler's attitude is
best stated In one part OF his adj
dress ito exclude Mr.. Roberts is In har-
mOny with all precedent to expel him
is In violation Of every precedent"
When Mr. Tayler In his speech ad-
dressed himself to the history Of Mr..
Roberts's marriages, the attention Of
the House began to waken. When Mr..
Tayler stated that ito show how utterly
he defied and despised the American
Congress, he married third wife" ev-
cry man turned to look at Mr. Roberts,
who sat In his accustomed seat al the
extreme right hand corner OF the
Democratic side. As Mr.. Tayler pro-
ceeded in his scathing denunciatlon OF
him, Mr. Roberts rose and taking his
books and papers. walked TO the seat
Usually occupied by MIR. Bailey, one OF
the most conspicuous positions in the
House, where every man and woman
and child in the House and the galleries
could watch the effect on him Of Mr..
Tayler's excoriatlon But Mr. Rob
ertss seif-contr6i was perfect and to
those not familiar with his features. IN
spite OF the countless pictures that have
been printed, he seemed only member
OF the House listening attntively to an
interesting discourse, that he might
vote intelligently.
Only once was Mr. Tayler inter-
rUpted by applause when he alluded
sarcastically 10 Mr.. Roberts as the
magnificent specimen Of Utah man.
hood which Mr. Rawlins tnow senator)
had predicted would be sent to repre-
sent the commonwealth in the House
II II were granted Statehood" The APP
HiauSt Ndlilt AIplll iHt Edltllttt N0tIt
sat number OF ladies' Mr. Tayler
again admitted, as he did In his speech
when the case first came before the
House, that II was very doubtful II a
resolution OF expulsion would secure
the votes Of two-thirds of the members
required by law, and he called atten-
bers. He cited among the precedents the
the House had refused 10 expel mem
bers. He cited among tn precdents the
prophetic case OF George Q. Can
non, and he spoke Of the contest In the
House as a "bunco game"
Mr.. Tayler spoke an hour and three
quarters, and when he sat down he was
applauded
He was followed by Mr.. Littlefield
who spoke for the minority Of the COM
mittee, which favors the seating OF Mr..
Roberts, and expulsion afterwards. No
little interest attached 10 Mr.. Little
field. He Is the successor OF the late
Mr., Dingley, the leader Of the House
under Speaker Reed He is regarded
in Maine as It's foremost jurist and
orator, and his friends predict that he
will soon be the strongest member OF
the Maine delegation. Mr.. Littlefield
said that the minority had sought to
ind the law,as II existed, not as some
would like II to exist. 1--WE believe
hat the House sits as great constitu-
,ional court 10 ascertain what are the
qualifications Of the gentlman, and II
he possesses them, not 10 legislate.
The majority holds that the House can
add TO these requirements, the minori-
" holds that the House cannot add.
The minority holds that II the gentle
man possesses the qualifications he
must be seated.
Stripped OF all yerbiage, the majority
resolution claims that the House can
add qualification or disqualification;
az this time II Is proposed TO add the
disqualification OF polygamy. If this
view Is to be held no man can tell
when he is elected, what new quallfl-
cation or disqualification may be raised
when he appears before the bar Of the
House. Such a contention could be
justified by only the general welfare
clause OF the Constitution.
Such thin, filmsy view cannot be
upheld. The right TO a seat in the
House Is a right and privilege great
and high. and II surrounded by legal
rules and right ought not 10 be affected
by the needs OF political majority or by
the tickle evanescent sentiments Of the
public mind"
Mr.. Littlefeld held the entire atten-
ton OF the House. He was OCCASION
ally Interrupted by Mr.. Tayler. but the
applause seemed invariably 10 follow
his replies TO the Ohio member.
II the applause Of the members could
be taken as an index OF the sentiment
the Tayler resolutions would be de-
feated. Mr.. Littlehelds statement.
Il want Brigham Roberts te have his
full constitutional rights, namely. the
seat TO which he was elected" was APP
plauded vigorously, but Il seems GER
tain that the power Of the Speaker will
be great enough to bring all Rcpubli-
cans In line when the vote is taken.
Washington. Jan. 2s.-Enormous
crowds were present today 10 witness
the opening OF the debate in the Rob-
erts case. Fully three-fourths OF the
spectators were women.
They occupied the reserve galleries
tier on tier and their bright gowns IL
lumlned the gloom OF the caverneus re-
ccsses about the spacious hall. The d.
plomatic gallery alone was a yawning
chasm. Mr.. Roberts was In the seat
Continued on page two)