The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-12
DEBATE BEGINS
ON SMOOT CASE
Senator Burrows of Michigan
Attacks Right of Utah Sen
ator to His Seat.
GALLERIES ARE CROWDED
Republicans and Democrats Listen to
the Arrangement With Close
Attention.
HISTORY OF THE M0RM0MS
SMooT CHARGED WITH SUSTAIN
ING PoLYGAMY.
GALLERIES ARE CROWDED
HISTORY OF THE MORM0NS
SMooT CHARGED WITH SUSTAIN
ING POLYGAMY.
Especial 10 The HeraldD

especial 10 The Herald
Washington. u. G., Dec. 11.--When
Senator Burrows. chairman Of the COM
mittee on privileges and elections of
the senate. commenced about 1 o'clock
today to deliver his speech in advocacy
Of the expulsion Of Reed Smoot from
his seat in the senate, members of botn
sides OF the chamber began to gather
about him, securing seats as close as
possible and forming group of atten-
tive listeners. intending such notable Il
members of the senate as SpOoner. Al
drich. Hale. Foraker, Lodge, Teller,
Culberson. Blackburn and Burnham
and others, Democrats and Republl-
I cans. So many Democrats crossed over
and took seats on the Republican side
of the chamber that nearly the entire
membership of the senate was for once
or the Republican side.
Smoot Never WINGED.
The interest manifested in Senator |
Burrows speech was shown by the fact |
that nearly all of the senators who /
gathered about him remained in the
chamber throughout the entire three
hours of its delivery, even though
large part of the speech was historical
in character and it's substance known |
To many senators familiar with Nor |
mon history. Both of Utah's senators
were present. Senator SmOot sitting
within twenty feet of Burrows and III |
the direction he most frequently turned
his attention and gazed while deliver
ing his remarks. Smoot never left the |
senate chamber while Burrows was
speaking, and sat throughout the
speech without changing countenance
OF showing any emotion or feeling, |
even when Burrows denunciations of
the Mormon hierarchy were most EN-
phatic.
Howell Was Present.
Representative Howell also was a
listener, and during the course of the
speech many other house members
came in and listened attentively. All
the gallery space was filled during the
entire time of the speech. In the SEN
ator's gallery were Mrs. Burrows, Mrs.
Dubois, Mrs. Schoff and other ladies in
terested in the anti-Mormon side OF the
question. At the close of Senator Bur
rows mastery perora ton there was no
demonstration of applause in the gal
lery. which, although against the rules,
often follows a speech on some absorb
ing question such as the one discussed
today.
Dubois Speaks Thursday.
When Burrows finished he was asked
nv Senator Foraker who Is expected to
lead the defense for SmOOt, what ar
rangement had been made or was de-
sired for future procedure IN Tie case.
Burrows stated in response that beyond
setting aside Thursday afternoon for
n speech by Senator Dubois, no further
arrangements had been made. After
this speech he would ask for a day for
a vote on the resolution adopted by the
committee declaring that SmOOt was
IC3t entitled to seat in the senate, and
4. Nhe declaration of this would, OF course,
vdepend somewhat on the wishes OF
members of the senate who intended
speaking for or against Smoot.
Senator Burrows read his speech to-
day. following closely the matter as
formulated I'm his manuscript. Early
IL mis- remarks he absolved SmoOt from
the charge of polyGamy, saying. This
relieves the inquiry of its personal
character. always distressing, and Sen
ator Smoot stands before the senate
il personal character and bearing
above criticism and beyond reproach,
and if found disqualified for member
ship i'm this body. it must be upon other
grounds and from other coEsidera-
tons"
History of Norman Church.
Burrows devoted the Introductory
portion of his speech to a succinct and
chronological history Of the Mormon
church from the date OF its organiza-
ton in 1880 to the present day. He
characterized that branch OF the Nor
mon church which has never taken up
polygamy as composed of patriotic,
law-abiding citizens. who have con-
formed to the laws OF their country snJ
have adhered to the faith Of the foun-
der of their creed. He went into many
details Of the administration OF Br:E-
ham Young as governor, president OF
the church and originator or the pTac-
tee of polygamy, reciting with effect
the text of the revelation authorizing
and commanding polygamy as promul-
gated by Young, who falsely attributed
lis authorship to Joseph Smith.
Utah's Political History.
Later the political history of Utah
and connection of the church with pn-
@;tical and commercial affairs Of the
ls4ate were brought out with VfVidnesS
fv burrows. who contended that in tht
4 ligp~r of ali the testimony i'm the Smoo'
II was shown clearly that the
hrnooD hierarchy. of which SmoOt i:
member. uses it's authority to incul
/cate and encourage a BELIEF in poly91
4 my and polygamous cohabitatiOn. an;
bonors those who violate the laws pro
Limiting such crimes. He said; ''Smoot.
horn and bred i'm Utah and identifie,
with the Mormon organization from
cbildbond-instructed and nurtured il
its dnctrines-could not have been ig
norant of the character of this hier
Continued on Page 2.