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Show A SIDE-LIGHT ON THE ROBERTS CASE. Mr. Brigham H. Roberts was elected a member of the house of representatives representa-tives in November. 1898, and, although he has not yet taken his seat, he is, de jure and de facto, a member of that body. .His expulsion from the house of representatives is asked by the Salt T.akei Mirustf rial a ! otin and V.'-cirecT V.'-cirecT organizations" "throughout tne cpunlry- The opposition to Mr. Roberts, it is affirmed, is not due to any feeling of hostility, because he is a Mormon, and it is expressly stated that the campaign i against mm is m no respect religious persecution. Mr. Roberts' expulsion is asked for, not on the ground that he has religious convictions, but .because he lives up to his convictions. We would suggest to those who are seeking Mr. Roberts' expulsion that when they accomplish it they might turn their attention to the relations existing ex-isting between the government of the United States and his majesty, the Sultan Sul-tan of Sulu, with whom President Mc. Kinley's commissioner, President Schurman, has recently concluded a treaty. Jn view of the charges that are being pressed against Mr. Roberts, It might be cited that the position of the Unfted States government on the polygamy question is somewhat irregular and in-eonsistan'L in-eonsistan'L , . -'..- - Anyway, 'speaking of the treaty'. referred re-ferred to, the Baltimore Sun says: "Under the terms of this treaty, the American government agrees to pay a stipulated yearly sum to the Sultan and to a number of his chiefs. Mr. Roberts is not'a polygamist of the type of our Sulu friends, however objectionable his : practices may be. He has very few wives, and probably takes care of them. The Sultan of Sulu and his chiefs maintain main-tain large establishments in the true Eastern style, and to polygamy add slavery. The people of the United States, through the treaty negotiated by the administration with the Sulu potentates, po-tentates, are, therefore, taxed to support sup-port polygamy and slavery in the Philippines Phil-ippines in its most offensive; form. While the Salt Lake Ministerial Association Asso-ciation is destroying polygamy in Utah, it ought also to use its influence with President McKinley to nullify the treaty by which this government takes money out of its treasury and gives it to the Sultan of Sulu and his chiefs to maintain their harems. What is bad in Utah should not receive the indorsement indorse-ment of this government in the Philippines." Phil-ippines." , Somebody said consistency was a jewel. The suggestion seems to lipid good in this case. |