The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-27
REED SHOOT HAS NO RESPECT FOR LAW Judge Taylor Makes Argument
 in Investigation CALLS IT MIGHTY PROBLEM The Law the Mormons Obey Is Higher Than the Law of the Land.
 Worthington Will
 Speak Today.
CALLS IT MIGHTY PROBLEM

Washington, January 26-Arguments in the Shoot case begun today Judge w. H. Tayler of Ohio, who has conducted the case for the Protestants, opened and to- morrow the arguments for Senator Shoot will be made by A. s. Worthington of this city and Waldemar Vancott of Salt Lake. It IS expected Former Secretary of the Treasury John G. Carlisle will close for the Protestants.
 Judge Tayler reminded the committee that 1t had been a rear since the investi- Batlon was instituted. He staged that the question of morals was but incidental, , and that the principal question involved was one of government and law He took the position that senator who was not a respector of the law he was charged to make, could not be fitted to serve in inc highest legislative branch of the govern ment.
 IT thought the facts and history jus tined it, l would not say word against the character of the members of the Mor- mon hierarchy, or Senator Shoot. or any or hls associates" said Judge Tayler. T do not speak of these because they are lawless but because they are not law less If 1t were a mere question of law breaking, this case would not cause a ripple. It is because the law they obey IS higher than the law of the land When man-made law comes into conflict with a higher law, Senator Shoot says he would go to another country, where the law of God and man would not conflict 1 am ready to admit the Mormobs are not breaking the laws from spirit of law lessness. If they were, the question would be easy to deal with"
 Could Be Excluded.
 Judge Tayler then took the question O of ha members-elect to that body and advanced the argument that if a senator was in- eligible to hold office, he might be ex- cluded by majority vote. and if by any chance he was sworn in and took his seat, the Senate had the power to exclude him by a majority vote
 Senators Bailey, Beverdge Fora<er Knox and Chairman Burrows participant ed in the discussion which was caused by the last statement, the first two talk ing Issue with Judge Tayler. That the church, the heirarchy and It's members were placed higher than the law, was Judge Tayler's chief contention why Senator Shoot should be unseated. In closing Judge Tayler said;
 Grave Question to Answer.
 "A grave question is yours to answer Reed Shoot himself Is but trivial n- cident in the mighty problem It is the problem of government; the institutional question whether law or caprice shall go vern people who know no ruler but the law, and no safe rule but respect for law.
 "A senator from the state of Utah is United States senator. He legislates for S0000.000 people who hold as their | most cherished possession such a respect for law because it is law, as Reed Shoot, unhappily for him, has never felt or un- ] derstood from the moment of his first conscious thought down to the present hour"
 Judge Tayler concuu~. his opening argument at 4:30 D. m. and the com mittee adjourned until tomorrow, when arguments will be made by counsel for 1 the defense