The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-06-12

MINORITY MAKES REPORT

Washington, june l2.-~l he majority
and minority reports If the Committee
on Privileges and elections Iii the case
OF Senator Reed Smoot OF Utah were
yesterday presented IN The Senate, the
former BY Senator Burrows, declaring
that MI Smoot III not entitled To lls
seat. and the latter bv Senator Foraker,
takinr the' opposite view. All the same
time senator Bailey, who II member
Of the committee, stated thai while
he concilrred iii the view of the majority
that Mr.. Snaoot Ii not entitled til his
seat, he was Of tile opinion That MIR
Smoot could not be deprived of Ills seat
under the Constitution. except by re-
solution OF expulsion Mr. Burrows
also gave notice THAT lie would call up
the case TAT the earliest possible mo.
ment consistent with tile public busi4
ness, and Senator Foraker expressed
his approval Of this announcement. SEN
ator Snoot was present III the Senate
chamber when the report was presented.
He smiled broadly when Senator Bailey
made his statement. Under tile plan
suggested BY the Texas senator vote
lot two thirds wouid be necessary to va
cate the seat of the Utah senator.
The reasons for the action of the
committee IN declaring. BY majority
vote. that Reed Smoot lii NOT entitled
TO 4 seat i'm the. Senate al il senator from
Utah, are stated 70 be Az followss
That Afr. Smoot il, one OF self per.
petuating body If men, known al tho
first presidency and twelve apostles Of
the Church of Christ Of Latter Day
Saints, commonly known as the Mormon
Church, that these men claim divine atl-
thority To control the members Of said
Church IN all things, temporal al well
as spiritual; that this authority is, and
has been for several years past, 20 ex-
ercised BY the said first presidency and
twelve apostles al to encourage the
practice OF polygamy and poiygamous
rehabilitation in the State OF Utah and
Eclsewheres contrary to the Constitution
and laws of the State Of Utah and the
law Of the land; that the said first presi-
dency and twelve apostles do now con-
troll. and for long time past have con-
trolled. the political affairs Of the State
lot Utah, and have thus brought about
in said State a union aof Church AMI
State. contrary to the constitution of
said State Of Utah and contrary To the
constitution OF the United States. and
the said Reed Smoots comes here. not
as the accredited representative Of the
State of Utah. In tn Senate Of the
United States. but ~ the choice of the
hierarchy which controls the Church and
has ltsurped the functions Of the State
IN said State Of Utah.
A sufficient number Of specific I'M
stances Of the taking of plural wives
among officials of the Mormon Church
since the manifesto Of 1890 have been
shown BY the testimony, says the ma
pority, TO demonstrate that the leaders,
the first presidency and the twelve apos.
ties eonniye nc the practise of taking
plural wives, aud have done 10 ever since
the manifesto was issued which purport-
ed TO put an end to the practice Sey.
efat instances of plural marriages By
Church members are cited. The report
adds:
{ II is morally impossible that all these
violations of the laws of the State Of
Utah by contracting plural marriages
could have been committed without the
Knowledge OF the first presidency and
The twelve apostles Of the Mormon
Church. ( vs. sfsh ms
One intensely interesting cilanter Of
the report y devoted to the charge that
testimony Was suppressed by Mormon
leaders through tile sending ont OF the
country Of apostles and other officials
who were charged with taking plural
wives since the manifesto. In the iudg-
inent Of the COMMITTEES, Mr.. Srnoot is
no more entitled TO seat in the Senate
than he would be II he we're assoeiating
in polygamous cobabitaton with Il
plurality Of wives.
Report Of the Minority.