The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-07-04
The Smoot Case
Once More

The Union-Signal. Evanston. Ill.
SO the word has been passed along in
the United States Senate: mo vote on
the Smoot case this session" Why no
vote? 1t Is trivial 10 say that so many
want to speak on the subject that 1t
would prolons the session unduly. why.
after nearly half century or EFFORT to
put a stop to the practice OF polygamy
and after two years OF ever-increasing
proof of such practice. brought out by
the examination Of witnesses before the
Senate Committee on Privileges and
Elections. is this subject now passed
over without A vote7 The able majority
report. which reviewed the historical
ana legal aspects or the case, closed
with the following;
The more deliberately. and carefully
the testimony taken on the investRauon
is considered, the more irresistibly II
leads 10 tho conclusion that the facts
stated In the protest are true: tnat MT
Smoot is one of a self-perpetuating body
OF men, known as the flrst presidency
and twelve apostles OF the Church or
Jesus Christ OF Latter-day Saints. com
monty known as the Mormon churcn;
that these men claim divine authority
10 control the members OF said church
In all things, temporal as well as spir-
ltual; that this authority is and has
been for several years past. so exercised
by the said FIRST presidency and twelve
of polygnmy and polygamous cohebita-
ton in the State OF Utah and elsewhere.
contrary TO tho Constitution and laws
or the state OF Utah and the law Of
the land, that the said first presidency
and twelve apostles do now control
and for long time past have controlled
the political affairs OF the State Of Utah
and have thus brought about In said
State union of church and state. con
trary TO tho Constitution OF said State
or Utah and contrary to the Constitu-
tlon of the United States. and that said
Reed Smoot comes here, not es the aC-
credited representative OF the State of
Utah in the Senate of the United States,
but IS the choice OF the hierarchy which
functions OF the State In said State OF
Utah. II follows. as a necessary con-
clusion from these facts. that Smoot
is not entitled TO seat in the Senate as
Senator from the State OF Utah. and
your committee report the following reso-
luton:
Resolved, That Reed smoot is not en-
titled to a seat as Senator OF the United
States from the staA, OF Utah"
This summing up OF the report tusti-
hes every claim made by the w c. I. U.
and other organizations working for the
expulsion OF Mr. Smoot and for an
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States forever prohibiting polyg-
amy.
And yet there Is to be no vote on the
case' Why7 We are forced to the con-
clusion that conscience has been stiflcd !;
that this great moral question has been
suppressed for political reasons. We are
forced TO believe that the dominant party
Will not go on record so long as II can
be avoided. The people should take note
OF the delays, tho subterfuges, the ut
ter failure, 80 far which has character
lied Senate action. or what value is the
positive proof OF the practice of polyg-
amy by The highest officials OF the Nor
mon church. the positive proof that 1t
ls still taught as divine institution
or what value Is the knowledge of the
disloyal character of the endowment oath
taken by Mr.. Smoot and others, II the
United States Senate Is to cit supinely
inactive?
Although Mr.. Smoot has been declared
by the Senate committee not TO be en-
titled TO a seat. no is still to go on ex~
ercislng all the powers CT a Senator,
controlled by an authority which def'es
the laws of our country and continuing
to give hs highest allegiance to a gov
ernment other than that of the United
States. How have the mighty fallen when
the President of this Republic and its
highest legislative body can calmly con-
nIve TO evade a question which has to
do with the very life OF the Republic
and with the morals OF its subjects
II the word politics" OF the baser sort
Is not the explanation OF this condition
of affairs, will some one please tell US
what Is?