BIBLE AND CONSTITUTION, BENHAM RESPITED, ABOUT TRAMPS, AND PREACHED TO SIR KNIGHTS

 

Dr. Mary Walker.

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, December 29, 1899.

BIBLE AND CONSTITUTION

SHOULD BE REVISED, SAYS DR. MARY WALKER.

To Expunge All References to Polygamy and Concubines in the Former and to Religious Liberty in the Latter—Petition to be Sent to Congress by Dr. Walker Asking for Revision.

   Dr. Mary Walker of Oswego, who is spending the week in town, handed to The STANDARD for publication the full text of a bill which she expects soon to send to congress for introduction to revise the Bible and the constitution of the United States along the lines which she indicates in the bill and for reasons there stated. The bill is as follows.

   WHEREAS, All religious bodies claim the Bible as their standard, that book being the same as was revised by order of King James of England; and,

   WHEREAS, Rights and liberties to worship God according to dictates of individual conscience are clearly guaranteed by the constitution of the United States in accordance with the understanding of such Bible; and,

   WHEREAS, Every member of the house of representatives has placed his hand on said Bible, and solemnly sworn to support the United States constitution and, therefore,

   WHEREAS, A large number of people belonging to religious denominations outside of the Mormon church have sent petitions to the house of representatives asking to have a duly elected Mormon prevented from taking his seat because of his religious belief, when such religionist bases such belief and life on the same Bible as said petitioners; and,

   WHEREAS, Equality before the law in all rights and duties is one of the cardinal principles of a Republican form of government, therefore,

   Resolved, That it is the duty of the members of the house, under their oath of office, to seat Representative Elect Roberts, and then proceed to revise the Bible, and to amend the religious liberty clause in accordance with Bible revision of 1900: Be it enacted, etc.

   Sec. 1. That the standard Bible as handed down by King James of England, and officially recognized by the republic of the United States of America as the religious guide of the people, shall be so revised as to expunge all things relating to polygamy and concubinage.

   Sec. 2. That the religious liberty clause in the constitution of the United States shall be so amended, as to read in accordance with the revision of the standard Bible as revised in 1900, by act of congress, ratified by three-fourths of the United States in legislature assembled.

   Dr. Walker appears to ignore the fact that it is not because of Mr. Roberts' belief in Mormonism or because he is a Mormon that congress is being petitioned to deny him admission to the house, but because he is believed to be a violator of the constitution of the state of Utah from which he comes, and as a lawbreaker and a criminal is ineligible to a seat in congress. The purpose of the committee of the house which is now taking testimony in the matter is to find out whether these charges are true or false. If true, he probably will not be seated under the constitution, and if false he probably will be seated under the constitution. Congress shows no desire to interfere with Mr. Roberts' religious liberty or belief. The Mormon church has stated that polygamy is not one of its tenets, and polygamy is unlawful under the constitution of the state of Utah. Consequently, if the congressional committee finds that he now has more than one wife with whom he is living in the relation of husband and wife and that he has married that wife since the constitution of the state was adopted he cannot fall back upon religious belief to defend himself. And it is equally clear that if congress finds such a state of affairs to be true Mr. Roberts is a violator of the constitution of the state from which he comes, which would of itself make him ineligible.

   It is safe to say that congress will not attempt to prevent Mr. Roberts from being seated simply because he is a Mormon. It is contrary to the constitution, as Dr. Walker says, to consider that matter at all, and no one will venture to put forward any proposition for seating or unseating a member which could be construed as an entering wedge along those lines. There have been Mormons in congress before, but they were not polygamists, and if Mr. Roberts is denied admission another Mormon who is not a polygamist will doubtless be sent. If a law abiding Mormon could be rejected, simply because he is a Mormon, some other man could be rejected because he is a Protestant, or a Catholic or a Jew, or because he is a Methodist or a Baptist or an Episcopalian. It is ridiculous to think of religion cutting any figure in the Roberts question, especially as Mormons themselves denounce polygamy.

   As to the revision of the Bible referred to in Dr. Walker's proposed bill, it looks to us as though the doctor was trying to get some fun out of the question and was trying to make a burlesque of the whole thing.

 

Howard C. Benham newspaper sketch.

BENHAM RESPITED.

Governor Roosevelt Grants an Extension of Sentence to Feb. 10.

   ALBANY, Dec. 29.—The first official act that Governor Roosevelt preformed yesterday afternoon on his return here was to grant a respite until Feb. 10 to Howard C. Benham, the convicted Batavia uxoricide, who has been sentenced to die in the chair during the week of Jan. 2. Justice Hooker at Buffalo, before whom motion for a new trial has been made on the grounds of newly discovered evidence, made the request for the respite, in order to secure further time in which to review the evidence and reach a decision.

 

Reserved Decision.

   BUFFALO, Dec. 29.—Attorneys for the prosecution in the Benham case finished their arguments against granting the convicted wife murderer a new trial yesterday and Justice Hooker reserved his decision.

 

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

   New Yorkers are waking up to the fact that the motormen on electric cars should have the front platforms enclosed against the storms and winds of winter. A law is to be introduced in the New York state legislature to compel the traction companies to make this just and proper provision for the protection of their employees. The eastern metropolis is, however, a little slow in getting about it. Almost everywhere else such humane regulations have been enforced for a number of years.

 

ABOUT TRAMPS.

Niagara Courier's Comments on Mr. Mantanye's Tramp Theory.

   The Niagara Courier of Dec. 23 says:

   Hon. W. J. Mantanye of Cortland, one of the state prison commissioners, has given his opinion in an interview published in the Syracuse Post-Standard, of the operations of the law regarding tramps. He disapproves of the present law as applicable to counties that have not made special provision for sentencing tramps to the county jail and to work. He says the law is not a success, as it requires tramps to be sentenced to the nearest penitentiary, involving liberal fees for justices and officers, sometimes amounting to from $10 to $25 in each case. Tramps have come to know of this law and they flock into this state as cold weather comes on, and often ask to be sent up until spring, when they go forth on a summer campaign of beggary. The state pays for penitentiary charges, but this really falls upon the tax-payers of the state. St. Lawrence, Oneida, Tioga, Orange and some other counties have provided to care for tramps by making them work under the sheriff, and they are pretty careful to avoid those counties. Work doesn't agree with them. Mr. Mantanye advocates the re-enactment of the law that for fifty years was successful, requiring tramps to be sent to the county jail, and compelled to work. He is a lawyer of standing in Cortland, and enjoys a wide acquaintance in the state. We know him to be a gentleman who has become well informed on this and kindred subject, that come under his observation as a prison commissioner. We presume he will press the matter upon the attention of the legislature, several of its members having served with him in the last constitutional convention.

 

Visiting Prison Commissioners.

   Hon. Wm. R. Remington of Canton and Hon. John G. Dorrance of Camden, state commissioners of prisons, arrived in town this morning and are at the Cortland House. They came from Elmira, where they have been inspecting the state reformatory and will remain until Saturday, engaged with Prison Commissioner Wm. J. Mantanye in completing the annual report of the commission of prisons to the legislature. The three commissioners mentioned constitute the committee of the commission on annual report. They also inspected the county jail this afternoon and met several members of the board of supervisors who were in town.

 

PREACHED TO SIR KNIGHTS.

Commanderies Attended Service at Grace Church Wednesday Night.

   The festivals of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist are sacred to Free Masons everywhere, and are usually commemorated with appropriate ceremonies by that fraternity. This year the latter was observed in public by both the commandery of Knights Templar and the Masonic lodge. By invitation, the fraternities of Cortland, Homer and vicinity, in full regalia, attended divine service in Grace church in this village on Wednesday evening last, Rev. Amos Watkins officiating. For the convenience of all present, the church's full service was printed in pamphlet form and the large audience joined most heartily in the same. Mr. Watkins selected for his text, 1 Kings v, part of the first verse, "For Hiram was ever a lover of David." His discourse treated chiefly of the origin, progress, achievements and beneficence of the order of which he is an honored and esteemed member. His remarks were scholarly, convincing, instructive and his applications full of truth and wisdom, not only to those of the mystic circle, but to outsiders as well. He was listened to with rapt attention and his efforts are the subject of general praise and commendation, especially among the members of the craft.

   The musical part of the service was particularly beautiful. Mrs. G. H. Smith presided at the organ and Mr. George Oscar Bowen was a conspicuous acquisition to the choir.

   After the service the Masons retired to their banquet hall in the Hopkins block where light refreshments were served, in the course of which several impromptu speeches were made. Before the close of the festivities a goodly purse was made up which will be presented to a local charity in place of the customary New Year's offering.

 

BREVITIES.

   —The sleighing could not be improved upon the paved streets. Off the pavement it is a little rough, but the wheeling is not bad.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—F. D. Smith, Skate time, page 7; F. Daehler, Happy New Year, page 7; Glann & Clark, Cut prices on winter shoes, page 7.

   —Ladies' night at the Tioughnioga club will occur on New Year's night instead of on the following Wednesday night. Cards will be in order and Darby's orchestra will play.

   —Mr. A. D. Wallace of the Brunswick hotel has sold to Frank M. Miller of New York City his black and white English setter ''Grouse'' for $100. This dog is thoroughbred and registered and was considered one of the best trained dogs in Central New York.