The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-12
AGAINST REED SMOOH
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u. .. ...1 senator IL NJ inpiieihle nth
.spressed Tho ieaits that the eass
srassd n a. NO sesltss' spp8g
~.
n,lIev suppressed me eiews N
s.sI arl his ~1lleaa is Senator Over.
A. Ir lstts asnatof ssid tha, ~ hset,s
~ .0mmttea they had Ioined In
h. .riy Npnft and heartily CONQUERED
d. ,. .nalusnns ~ the ma Jofi,y that
a.,s... l,rp,' Ia mi satltisd 10 hla ssat .
A. 81. R,lsv adsisd ,has IN nd not balisvs
Tho gts had The poweS undsg tbs Consfltt.
Is, ,r syclnde him By 9 ma jofIty vots,
st ua rs could 10 extetlsd BY the a6ep.
,sr 20 resolution BY tvo-thirda vote
Tho ua i,rI'v report points cue that the
HFH'H.. NIlIlaI NINFpN WV UNtN WuNW
srr.,s prrdentiala we're presented and
fsps,oI ,hon he took ths oath ~ once.
hut 4 v,s agreed that he was entitled 10 be
sworn 10 on hs credentials. The point thus
made "a. Intended 10 show that the pro.
,,.,anta against Smoot had never conceded
hi, rsht 10 his seat and that his disquall-
aoa,,on ottsted at tho time he was ad-
nit,ei 20 the senate. This line Of &
mem - Intended 10 sustain tho claim that
senate smoot can be exclude d by q
majority vote
The report acuuits Senator Smoot OF
tie charge Of polygamy, but sayS that no
has gwen aid and encouragement To tho
practice It says.
ItSIrsoi In behalf of sir Smoot that. con-
ed ngIt fpb be true that the first preald ent and
sons NJ the apostles are living in polygamy
and tha. some of the leaders Of the Mormon
church encourage poly gamous practices. Mr.
smoa. himself IL not a poly gamist, does not
rrsrti.e polygamy and that there Is no evil
dsrce that he has personally and Individually
.ncoura ged The practice Of poly gamyb by mem
bers nj the Mormon Church and that he ought
not "a be condemned because Of the acts Of
hi. associates
This position is wholly untenable. Mr..
snoot = an inseparable part OF the govern
Ing BODY Of the Mormon Church. the first
presldenc~ and twelve apostles and those who
compose that organization form a unit and
entirety. and whatever is done by that organ
EATON is the act Of each and every member
thereof. and whatever policy is adopted and
pursued by the body which controls tho Nor
mon Church Mr.. Smoot must be held to be
responsible for as a member of that body.
That one may be legally, as we'll as morally.
responsible for unlawful acts which he does
not hun self commit Is a rule OF Law too sle-
nentarJ to require discussion.
The report concludes by saving that
Reed Smoot comes here not as the ao-
credited representative of the State OF Utah
in the Senate Of the United States. but
as the choice Of the hierarchy which con-
trols the Church and has usurped the func-
tons Of the State in said State of Utah.
II follows, as a necessary conclusion from
these facts, that Mr.. Smoot is not entitled
TO a seat in the Senate as q Senator OF the
State of Utah"
Senator's Foraker, Reveridge, Dillingham;,
Hopkins and Knox, finds that Reed Smoot
possesses all the qualifications prescribed
by the Constitution to make him eligible
to a seat in the Senate and that the regu-
larity Of his election is not questioned in
any ann The report continues.
$50 far as his private character is con-
oerned, it is, according to all the witnesses.
irreproaohable, for all who testify on the
subject agree or concede that he has led
and is leading an upright life, entirely free
from immoral practices Of every kind.
Re Is not a polygamist, has never had but
one wife, and has been noted from early
manhood for his opposition to plural
marriages, and probably did as much as
any other member Of the Mormon Church
to bring about the prohibition Of further
plural marriages.
$50 far as mere belief and membership
In the Mormon Church are concerned he
lie fully within his rights and privileges
under the guaranty Of religious freedom
gwen by the Constitution of the United
States, for there is not statutory provision,
and could not be, prohibiting either such
belief or such membership"
As a result of conferences to-day be-
tween leading Senators it is probable that
no action will be taken at this session
on the resolution declaring that Reed Smoot
IA not entitled TO his seat in the Senate.