The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-26

depended
Il was elected by the people OF Utah as
I their representative by the substantial
plurality of Sos votes An effort was
made. by what I believe 70 be an uncon-
stitutioalal znd unprecedented process. %
( exclude me from the house OF representa-
( lives. IN behalf Of myself and my con
/ stitusnts. comprising the entire popuia-
tlon CT the state OF Utah. l did al I
+ could to maintain the position % which
they had elected me: but the house o.
I representatives under the whip and spur
OF popular sentiment. have decided 70 ex-
cluae me from the house I have con-
tended for ms rights and the rights OF
my constituents. siugle-handed and
alone. 70 the hest OF my ability. but have
been overwhelmed BY force OF numbers.
Notwithstanding ali that has been said
the people OF Utah are not laviess
people. Those of them who have been
F, involved IN the past in the plural mar
i rage system. once taught and sanction
/ ed BY the Church OF Jesus Christ %
/ Latter Day Saints. are not wanton vio-
lators Of the laws: bat. finding them
/ selves II, the positloT1 where the law cpgn-
nands them to do one thing and moral
obligations sacredly entered into under
the sanction OF the Mormon church. COM
mand them to do another. they are plac-
( el in a very trying situation; and some
/ few OF them including the congressman
| from Utah. may have found Il necessary
1 10 regard their moral obligations as more
binding upon their cOnsciences than their
+ technical obedience 70 statutory Law.
such position. however. Is but tran
! sitorysin Utah and comes down to the
( Mormon people from conditions growing
out Of the plural marriage system Of the
past. The condition here referred t.
however. is rapidly passing away. From
authoritative figures officially collected
/ recently by the Mormon church. e has
been ascertained that at The time OF the
discontinuance OF plural marriages under
the authority OF the late President Wood.
runs manifesto. in September, iSe. thers
were s54l polvgamous families through
out the whole Mormon church. Sine
I then Il has been sscertained that COS q,
these families have ceased 70 ext
through death, divorce or abandonmcr'
leaving at the present time but 1ti2 s.
/ yaamous families IN the church through
out the world and as most OF these ara
( well advanced IN years and all beyond
middle life. the system will soon be ohiit-
I Grated from the earth; and under these
/ circumstances there has been little eN-
/ ouse for the extraordinary efforts put
/ forth throughout the country TO crush q
\ system OF marriage already practically
/ dead and abandoned.
The election OF the member from
I Utah 10 the house OF Representatives WAS
no effort on the part Of the Mormon
/ church to revive polyKamy or stun IL
1 down the throat OF the American con
| gress or people. Nothing OF the kind va
! contemplated in either his nomination tr
/ election. all reports 10 the contrary
4 w.thstanding The alleged statemeH
often quoted. % the effect that Brigha
/ Young. on July p $780, or at any 9th
] time declared that he would make tlla
! American people swallow MerrnoniSm.
1 poiygamy and all, and that the election
4 OF the present memoer-elect from Utah
/ was an effort to fHInil that prediction, Is
absolutely untrue lie made no such ut
| terance and the recent agitation respect
! ing Morrnonism and It's being a menace
| to the purity Of the American home Is
utterly unwarranted BY the facts in the
case.
CONGRESS has been made to believe.
however that such was the intention %
Aornonisrn. or at least has been swe1
into acquiescence that such we're SIS .u-
tentions. and hence has been led 20 vote
TO exclude the member from Utah There
Is not virtue enough. II APPEAR IN the
American house Of representatives 30
stand for their convictions a. % what
Is right in this matter. Only this morn
ing the representative from Utah receiv-
cd communication from a person who
is evidently a member Of the house %
Representatives. since the letter + writ
ten upon house official stationery and
cent 20 him In an Official envelopc Of the
house Of representatives. although the
signature Is a Republican Friend
After citing the member from Utah %
speech delivered by the Hon. James
@ Blaine. in 1871. with rvfsrsncs 70 Dol-
ygamy he SAYS: ! regret that 1 am not
n; liberty 70 vote as ms conscience eic-
tates on this question (the Roberts case.
for reasons which v01 fully understand.
President Mckinley and Speaker Hender-
son have made the support Of the Tsyier
resolution The test % Republican 5rtho-
doxy. ard ] am obliged 70 wear ne
yoke
GaF rs TfAe NlsAtffF - q ErreofAtl
affair. I may say that. whatever hap
pens. ths member from Utah can con
graduate himself that from obscure
birth and the conditions % frvon fortune
and IN spite - having espoused an un-
popular faith. hc has fought his way vp-
ward until re reached q sufficient prom
fneucs % be the de~ided choice - The
people - sovereign state % represent
them IN TIE national house - represent
affvep From thaf summit he was hurried
down hg the house under a spasm ~ pre-
iUdice arising from representation snd
faIreho1s ~ - conditions existing iu
Utah That action VII not ruin him
Conscious q the rectitHss 81 rs own fu-
teutfous. he w-iii fece fhs future uaGis-
couraged '5y thla incident IN his career.
and WI Tveavs again bis fortunes 10
u,iH face the future wien a nrht hear
ard a determination % suooee8
40. ~ viii not stand FOR reelection
80 vlRafcaiiDn - hiaaaeif ever rhogfd
re people desire f.. he VIII ak fha' BIS
exeius'tno snail ~ permitted 20 Close.
for The present this iHc15snt FL Utahis
HISTORY
CA ST RIA.
B.s.u sbs ~ I'D W " Isgf. 81;
go ~ U0