The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-02-08
SENATE DEBATE
ON P0LYGAMY
Plural Marriages Said to Exist in
Old Mexico.
POINTED QUESTIONS ASKED
REED SHOOTS ARRIVAL AWAIT
ED WITH INTEREST.

III ASHINGTON, Feb. THE state
w hood bin again today claimed
the greater share Of the senate's
attention. Mr.. Kean continued, but
did not conclude, his speech on that
subject, and toward 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 safe
guard against pclygamy.
a large number of bills to which
there was no opposition were passed
during the day.
Mr. Morgan again called up his res
olution requiring the secretary Of the
navy to forward papers concerning the
movements and correspondence of
naval officers in Colombian waters dur
ing the past year.
Buried in Committee.
Mr. Hale's motion TO refer to the
| committee on naval affairs prevailed
by a strict party vote-3I to IS. The
resolution was therefore referred, and
when Mr. Morgan complained that it
would not be acred upon by the COM
mittee, Mr.. Hale replied that it would
not be faTOra bly, reported in its pres
ent form with his consent.
The senate then passed the follow
ing bills: Authorizing the promotion
or Major William Crawford Gorgas,
surgeon in the United States army;
for the relief of Captain Joseph NJ
Simms of the United States revenue
service, and for the relief of the own
ers of the brig oliver Frances; also
pensions of SIS each for widows Of
Generals Siegel and Negly: for the
protection of national preserves and
national parks Of the United States
This bill is one on the same subject as
one passed the other day and relates
to parks and reservations.
Polygamy Debate.
Mr.. Kean then resumed his re-
marks in opposition to the statehood
bill In the course of his remarks Mr..
kean read from book of travel of
a German author to show that
poiygamy now exists in the Mormon
church in the republic of Mexico. ard
the fact was commented upon by
Messrs. Beverage, Spooner and De
pew as going to show that the con-
tention that polygamy had been abol-
ished is not we'll founded Mr.. SpoOner
asked Mr.. RawlinS whether the revela-
ton for abolition had covered Mexico
Mr. Rawlins referred him to the docu-
menIs, saying he did not care 10 put
any construction upon them, but Mr..
Hoar remarked that possibly the reve-
lator had not been able TO speak Span
ish."
Mr.. Rawlins added later. as he re-
called President Shows proclamation
forbidding polygamy, it had covered
the Mormon church throughout the
world
Mr. Depew read the proclamation to
show that polygamy had only been
suspended and not prohibited He
thought another revelation from the
Mormon church should be fOrthcOm-
ing.
When Smoot Arrives.
tative statement in the senate, he may
have all his doubts removed next ses-
sion, when the next senator from Utah
takes his seat remarked Mr.. Bacon.
That replied Mr.. Depew. ''is the
only argument that I have heard for
the admission of 2 Mormon to the
senate"
Notwithstanding the declaration of the
book quoted, polygany does not exist
among MormOns in Mexico. He
did not believe -Che people or priests
of that country would tolerate the
practice. He added it was his con-
viction that the question Of polygamy
is entirely foreign to the subject of
statehood. He went on to say that the
question was a mere bugaboo, which
had been brought in only for the pur-
pose of delay.
More TO Follow.
Mr.. Spooner took issue with the last
statement, and urged the Importance
of the subject. with me it is not a
trifiing matter. no mere question Of de-
lay, and when we are told here that the
Mormon church controls elections in a
state now in the Union I think we must
admit that that state was never pre-
pared for admission" he said.
He meant to refer to the matter IN
the future, he said. and he hoped that
he would not De charged with filibus-
tering.
Replying. Mr.. Teller contended that
the few Mormons in Arizona would not
be capable OF controlling elections there
So small a consideration should not,
he cOntended. stand in the way Of a
promise in the treaty Of Guadalupe
Hidalgo 10 admit as states the terri
tory acquired from Mexico.
Mr.. Spooner said that so long as the
bill had been pending Mr.. Teller was
the first TO break silence on the Demo-
cratic side of the chamber
Replying. Mr.. 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 had been precOncerted. pre-
arranged and studiOusly followed by
what he believed to be the minority in
the senate.
The senate then went into executive
session and, at 4:50 p. m, adjourned.