The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-08
He FEARS POLYGAMY
DEPEW CONTINUES ARcTIxos
AGAINST STATEHOOD BILL.
TALKING BILL TO DEATH.
CHARGED THAT POLYGAMY STILL,
EXISTS IN MEXICO.

| Depew Read Proclamation of Presi-
dent SNOW For Purpose of show
ing That POIyEamy Has Only Been
suspended and Not Prohibited.
BacOn Suggested That Newt Sem
ntor From Utah Would BE Able to
Make Authoritative Statement ON
Subject-TelIer Expressed Opinion
That PoIyEamy Is Not Now Prnc-
ticed in Mexico.
Washington, Feb. THE statehood
| bill again to-day claimed the greater
share of the Senate's attention Sem
ator Kean continued, but did not con-
] clude his speech on that subject, and
towards the close of the day there was
a general debate on the allegation OF
the opposition to the bill, that it does
not contain sufficient safeguards
against polygamy. A large number of
bills, to which there was no objection,
We're passed during the day.
Senator Morgan again called up his
resolution requesting the Secretary OF
the Navy to forward papers on file in
his department concerning the move
ments and correspondence of naval Of
/ ficers In Colombian waters during the
past year, but was informed that the
resolution had gone to the calendar
under the rules. He said that rot
withstanding the rule the resolution is
before the Senate and he pleaded for a
vote upon it, saying that he wanted
the information asked for, and the
world wanted it, whether the Senate
wanted 1t or not. He said undue pres
sure had been used in disposing of the
| resolution.
BY unanimous consent the resolut on
was taken up and a vote was taken on
Senator Hale's motion to refer to tbs
Committee on Naval Affairs. The mo-
ton prevailed by a strict party vo e,
81 to IL. The resolution was therefore
referred, and when Senator Morp al
complained that it would not be acted
| upon by the committee, Senator Hale
| replied that IL would not be favora bly,
reported in its present form with his
| consent
PoIygnmy I'm Mexico.
In the course of his remarks Senator
Kean read from a book of travel by
a German author to show that polygS-
gamy now exists In the Mormon church
| inathe republic of Mexico, and this was
commented upon by Senators Bever-
idge, Spooner and Depew as going to
show that the contention that poyg-
amy had been abolished is not well
| founded.
Senator Spooner asked Senator Raw
| Inns whether the revelation for aboli-
| ton had covered Mexico.
/ Senator RaWlius referred him To the
| documents. saying he did not care to
| put any construction upon them, but
! Senator Hoar remarked that possibly
the revelator had not been able to
| speak Spanish"
! Senator Rawlins added later that as
he recalled President Shows proclama-
| ton forbidding polygamy it had COW
| cred the Mormon church throughout
| the world. Senator Depew read the
| proclamation to show that polygamy
| had only been suspended, and not pro-
| hibited He thought another revela-
| ton from the Mormon church should
| be forthcoming.
IF the Senator wants an authori-
tative statement in the Senate on the
| subject he may have all his doubts
removed next session, when the new
Senator from Utah takes his seat
remarked Senator Bacon.
That" replied Senator Depew, lis
| the only argument that / have heard
| for the admission of a Mormon to the
| Senate"
Senator Teller expressed the opinion
that Notwithstanding the declaration
of the book quoted, polygamy does not
exist among Mormons in Mexico. He
did not believe the people, or the
priests Of that country. would tolerate
the practice. He added that it was his
conviction that the question of
polygamy is entirely foreign to the
subject Of statehood. The question
was mere bugaboo. which had been
brought in only for the purpose of de-
lay.
No Trifing Matter.
Senator Spooner took issue with the
last statement and urged the i'm
portance of the subject.
with me 1t is no trif1ing matter,
no mere question of delay, and when
we are told here that the Mormon
Church controls elections in a state
now in the Union. think we must adj
NIT that state was not prepared for
admission"
Senator Spooner said he meant 20
refer to the matter in the future, and
said he hoped he would not be charged
with filibustering.
Replying Senator Teller said the
few Mormons in Arizona would not
be capable of controlling elections
there. So small a considera ton should
not stand in the way of a promise
made in the treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo to admit as states the terri
tory acquired from Mexico.
Senator Spooner said that as long
as the bill had been pending, Senator
Teller was the first to break silence
on the Democratic side of the
chamber.
Senator Teller said the reason why
the Democrats had not spoken was
found in the fact that they did not
want to assist in the delay which he
believed preconcerted, prearranged and
studiously followed by what he be-
heYed to be, the minority in the
Senate. The Senate then went into