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| Brigham Henry Roberts. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, December 9, 1899.
ROBERTS ANSWERED.
Gentiles of Utah Enter the Morman Controversy.
DENOUNCED IN STRONG TERMS.
Committee From His State Claim He Is a Fugitive From Justice, as an Indictment for Felony Is Over Him—Impossible to Convict Mormons.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.—An answer to Brigham Roberts' "Address to the American People" was issued yesterday by a delegation representing the Gentile element of Utah who are here to oppose Mr. Roberts. The answer in part is as follows:
Mr. Roberts says he has not been convicted since statehood. It does not follow that he is innocent. He is now a fugitive from justice in Salt Lake county on a charge of unlawful cohabitation, and in Davis county, Utah, where resides one of his polygamous wives with her illegitimate twins, born Aug. 11. 1897, a charge of adultery (a felony under the laws of Utah), has been for two months pigeon-holed by a Mormon prosecuting attorney.
Mr. Roberts insists that he is only charged with a misdemeanor. He knows better. He knows that he has been charged with the felony of adultery as well as the misdemeanor of unlawful cohabitation. He asserts that in 1889 he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor only and also says that if he were guilty of the same acts in the District of Columbia, "even flagrantly so," as a member of congress, he could not be arrested therefor because it is only a misdemeanor. Here again Mr. Roberts states what is not true. Unlawful cohabitation under the Edmunds act under which he pleaded guilty was a felony, as also is adultery, with which Mr. Roberts is charged in David county, Utah. In the District of Columbia both unlawful cohabitation and adultery are felonies.
Many sentimental people are being misled by Mr. Robert's very ingenious suggestions, from which some people infer that he took his polygamous wives when it was lawful to do so. This is a mistake. Adultery was a crime in Utah when Mr. Roberts was born and at the time of the passage of the Cullom anti-polygamy act Mr. Roberts was only 6 years old. His plea for sympathy therefore amounts only to this: That he should be allowed to continue his criminal practices notwithstanding he took his polygamous wives in defiance of law. We demand that he should support his families, but also demand that he shall cease the begetting of further illegitimate offspring.
Ex-Congressman W. H. King was and is a Mormon and no claim of ineligibility was ever made against him. We point to this fact as showing that we oppose Mr. Roberts, not upon the ground of any religious opinions entertained by him, but because of his criminal practices. Neither is this a matter of religious or political persecution or prejudice. The undersigned include men of different churches and men who belong to no church; those who are Republicans and those who are Democrats.
Mr. Roberts denies and we assert that the compact between Utah and the other states has been violated.
That compact was evidenced by many public acts.
All these public acts combined show conclusively that the compact includes the discontinuance of old polygamous relations as well as the prevention of new ones.
As evidence that this compact has been broken we point to the following:
First—That in Utah 1,000 illegitimate children have been born to polygamous wives since statehood.
Second—That about 2,000 polygamous households now exist in Utah and that the attempt to secure a punishment of these offenders is denounced by the majority, as we believe, of Utah's citizens.
Third—That the circumstantial evidence unmistakably points to the existence of new wives in polygamous households, the most conspicuous examples of which are the cases of Apostles Abraham H. Cannon, John W. Taylor and Apostle Teasdale, in at least the first of which the church organ of the dominant church refuses to deny the marriage and the new polygamous wife is employed as a teacher in a church academy.
Fourth—That the very men who interpreted the manifesto of 1890 of the Mormon church, to prohibit unlawful cohabitation with prior acquired wives now publicly justify its continuance.
Fifth—That most of the same men who in a petition for amnesty pledged their sacred honor for the obedience of the law by their people, are now encouraging the commission of the crime of unlawful cohabitation.
Sixth—That men holding high church offices have pleaded guilty to the crime of unlawful cohabitation before the state courts without having their church standing affected.
Seventh—All this is by necessary implication indorsed [sic] by a majority of Utah's people in the election of Brigham H. Roberts who during his campaign was publicly charged with being a violator of the laws, and in spite of undenied charges, was elected by an overwhelming majority.
That Mr. Roberts himself understood that compact to mean the discontinuance of unlawful cohabitation, we point to his registration oath of 1895, in which he swore it to be his intention to obey the law prohibiting unlawful cohabitation.
T. C. Iliff, Salt Lake, G. W. Martin, Manti, Utah.
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
Oleomargarine.
Since the law preventing the sale of oleomargarine went into effect, the stuff has not been very much in evidence in this state. The high price of butter, however, has evidently led certain dealers to take chances again on selling the product. The department of agriculture, for instance, has just unearthed a case at Hoosick Falls and another at Troy. Under the state law "renovated" butter can be sold if properly labeled as such, but the sale of oleomargarine is absolutely prohibited.
The federal law imposing a tax on oleomargarine went into effect Nov. 1, 1886. Instead of production being curtailed under it, however, it continued to increase until the fiscal year ended on June 30, 1894, when 69,632,246 pounds were made. The following year production dropped to 56,958,105 pounds, in 1896 to 50,853,234 pounds and in 1897 to 45,531,207 pounds. Last year there was an increase to 57,516,136 pounds. During the year ended on June 30 last there was a marked increase in production, the number of pounds made 85,130,474, being the largest annual output on record. The tax collected by the government was $1,956,618. The month of largest production was December, 1898, when the output was 8,964,073 pounds.
The exportation of oleomargarine during the past fiscal year was 80 per cent greater than during the previous year. Of the total production the past year 38,897,603 pounds were made in Illinois, 18,459,904 in Kansas, 12,3l9,704 in Ohio, 7,912,571 in Rhode Island, 7,086,900 in Indiana, 1,867,211 in Missouri, 1,056,432 in Maryland, and 540,657 in New Jersey.
During the past fiscal year there were 1,688,650 pounds of filled cheese made in the United States, as against 1,402,861 pound the previous year. The entire production of the past fiscal was exported, the reputation of American cheese abroad being damaged to that extent.
GRIP'S SOUVENIR EDITION.
Sales Going on Rapidly— Place Orders at Once to be Sure of a Copy.
The first batch of thirty beautiful engravings comprising the beginning of Grip's Historical Souvenir of Cortland has been received at this office where the book is being printed. Those engravings have been pronounced by those who have seen them as the best of local views ever seen in Cortland. Many of these views can be seen on exhibition at C. F. Brown's drugstore.
The ladies who are taking orders for these books report that the largest part of the sales is in the leather and leatherette bindings. Those living out of town who desire a copy of the souvenir can order through The STANDARD, sending 70 cents to pay for leatherette binding and $1.10 to pay for flexible leather binding. The extra 10 cents is to pay for postage.
The edition will be limited and those who have not given orders in advance will take their chances in procuring copies.
"Hearts of the Blue Ridge."
Dorothy Lewis, the popular comedienne, will present the beautiful pastoral drama by Hal Reid "Hearts of the Blue Ridge" at the Cortland Opera House tonight. The play deals with a long established feud existing between two families living in the picturesque Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina and the theme thus mentioned is said to have been availed of by the famous author to the fullest extent, so that he regards the play as his masterpiece. The piece was written especially for Miss Lewis, and her role of Missie Carter, the typical, big-hearted, fearless, loveable little mountain girl, is admirably adapted to her.
In selecting the company, great care has been taken to secure artists thoroughly fitted to portray the several characters in as nearly perfect naturalness as is possible and the prospect is exceptionally pleasing to all admirers of the domestic style of plays. A special feature with "Hearts of the Blue Ridge" this season is the famous Blue Ridge colored quartet, who are claimed to be among the best colored quartets in America. Prices 35, 50 and 75 cents.
LADIES' LITERARY CLUB.
Semi-Annual Entertainment—An Evening with Bangs.
The [Cortland] Ladies' Literary club has a host of friends both within and without the town who are interested in all that concerns it. It is, therefore, unfortunate that with such a program as that given by the members last night at the home of Mrs. S. J. Sornberger, the limited space did not permit of more invited guests to enjoy the pleasures of the evening.
The occasion was the semi-annual entertainment of the club and a unique program was prepared by the entertainment committee: Miss Marguerite Force, Mrs. Sornberger and Miss Editha Stephens. The program read thus:
Mrs. G. H. Smith interpreted Valse Brilliante with artistic effect, rather than a-la-Bangs, as noted on the program. A sketch of the life of John Kendrick Bangs was given by Mrs. E. C. Beach who read a letter from the author himself which very happily introduced the man quite personally to his devotees of the evening. Owing to the illness of Mrs. Henry the impersonation was omitted.
The principal event of the program was a comedy by Bangs. The wide doors which the audience faced were thrown open and an attractive drawingroom revealed. Mrs. J. A. Jayne appears as a handsome gentleman of the blond type. In rehearsing to himself the proposal of marriage which he is about to make to Miss Dorothy Andrews he unwittingly addresses himself to the maid Jennie who has quietly entered the room. Jennie, who is Mrs. Julia F. Twist very fetchingly disguised, accepts him as a lover on the spot. Before explanations can be made—enter Jack Barlow. This gentleman is more on the order of the brunette with dark mustache and Auburn locks. One would have to look twice to discover the countenance of Mrs. J. E. Banta underneath the mask. Miss Dorothy follows, no other than Miss Miriam S. Skidmore. The nervousness of Bob over his dilemma, the provoking sallies of his rival Jack, the charming blindness of Miss Dorothy and the blundering antics of Jennie, the maid, all conduce to precipitate one predicament upon another and to season the farce with the humor for which Mr. Bangs is so well renowned. A happy ending and one quite acceptable to the audience comes when Miss Dorothy accepts the blond lover with the golden curls and invites the rejected brunette gentleman to be their best man.
After a hearty laugh over the fun of the comedy, the audience indulged in choice refreshments prepared under the direction of Mrs. F. D. Reese and Mrs. F. W. Higgins and in social conversation.
Police Records.
On account of the illness of Police Justice R. L. Davis, Justice of the Peace Harrington presided in police court this morning.
James Rigney was brought before the court and pleaded guilty to the charge of being a tramp. When questioned he said that he lived in Penn Yan and was on his way to that place. Upon promising to make all haste in setting out upon his journey, the court discharged him.
BREVITIES.
—Rev. W. C. Wilcox, for twenty years a missionary to Africa, will speak at the Congregational church to-morrow evening.
—Manager Wallace has booked "Ten Nights in a Barroom" by a strong company for next Saturday night, Dec. 16, at the Opera House.
—New display advertisements to-day are—Stowell's, Christmas presents, page 7; Mrs. J. T. Davern & Co., Millinery, page 6; C. F. Brown, Xmas gifts, page 6.
—The annual election of officers of the Epworth league of the First M. E. church will occur at the church parlors Monday evening, Dec. 11, at 7:30 o'clock.
—A large elm tree on Church-st. in front of Mr. C. W. Stoker's residence has been ordered removed by the village board of trustees, as it is badly rotted and thought to be dangerous to passers by.
MR. BARNED'S ANNOUNCEMENT.
He is Dying All the Time but is Not Yet Dead.
Mr. R. E. Barned of 28 1/2 North Main-st. says that as a matter of fact he is dying all the time, but he is not dead yet. At any rate he is a very lively corpse. He is still to continue his steam cleaning and dying works at 23 1/2 North Main-st. and thinks that a mistake in the number was made in the announcement that Mr. O'Leary's new undertaking rooms were to be at 23 1/2 North Main-st.
[It was a mistake. Mr. O'Leary says he took the number from an old directory which was incorrect. The correct number is 27 and Mr. O'Leary's new undertaking rooms were opened at 27 North Main-st. to-day.—Ed. STANDARD.]
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