The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-12


 Dropped From the List.
 Taylor and Cowley have recently been dropped from the list of apostles and this action by the church is offered as amount ing 10 an admission by the first presi- deney and twelve apostles, that Apostles Taylor and Cowley have each taken one or more plural wives since the manifesto.
 Several instances of plural marriages by other church members are cited and the report adds.
 Tt is morally impossible that all these violations of the state of Utah, by con- tracing plural marriages. could have been committed without the knowledge of the first presidency and the twelve apostles of the Mormon church."
 One intensely interesting chapter of the report is devoted to the charge that testimony was suppressed by Mormon leaders through the sending out of the country of apostles and other officials who were charged with taking plural wives since the manifesto. The report says:
 Tt would be nothing short of self-stulti- f1cation of one to believe that these im- portant witnesses chanced to leave the United States at about the same time and with reference to the investigations All the facts and claims surrounding the transaction point to the conclusion that every one of the witnesses named left the country at the instances of the rulers of the Mormon church and to avoid testifying before the committee. It is furthermore a fact, which cannot be questioneds that everyone of the wit nesses Is under the direction and control of the first presidency and twelve apostles of the Mormon church. The reason why the said witnesses left the country and have refused to come before the commit tee is easy to understand in view of the testimony showing the contracting of plural marriages by prominent officials of the Mormon church within the past few years
 Aside from this it was shown by the testimony, and in such a way that the fact could not possibly be controverted that a majority of those who give the law to the Mormon church are now and have been for years living in open mo- torious and shameless polygamous CO., habitation. The list of those who are thus guilty of violating the laws of the state and rules of public decency Is headed by Joseph F Smith, the first president, prophet seer and revelator of the Mormon church.
 List Includes Prominent Mormons.
 "The list also includes George Teasdale, an apostle; John w. Taylor, an apostle; John Henry Smith, an apostlei Mariner M Merrill, an apostle; Heber J. Grant, an apostle; M. F. Cowley, an apostle; Charles w. Penrose, an apostle and Fran cis M. Lyman, who is not only an apostle, but the probable successor of Joseph F.. Smith, as president of the church; Brig ham 1T. Roberts, one of the presidents of the seventies and leading official of the church; J. M. Tanner, superintendent of the church schools; Andrew Jansen, as- slstant historian of the church; Thomas H. Merrill, a bishop of the church; Angus H. Cannon, a patriach of the Mormon church; George Brimhall president of Brigham Young university, and Joseph Hickman, teacher in Brigham Young uni versity. All the officials named were appointed either directly or indirectly by the first presidency and twelve apostles
 '"These facts abundantly justify the as- sertion made in the protest that the su- preme authorities in the church, of whom Senator-elect Reed Shoot Is one, to-wit: the First presidency and twelve apostles not only connive at violation of, but pro- tect and honor the vioators of the laws against polygamy and polygamous CO., habitation'"
 Another chapter Is devoted to the mani festo and the statement of one witness set forth that, the manifesto is only a trick to beat the devil at his own game"
 Ought Not to Be Condemned.
 The majority qres .,,, charsoterizes as "wholly untenable" the position that be- cause Smoot himself does not practice polygamy and there Is no evidence to show that he has personally and individu- ally encouraged the practice in others, he ought not to be condemned because of the acts of his associates. It Is charged, that Shoot is an inseparable part of the gov erning body of the Mormon church and those who compose that organization form a unit, an entirety, and whatever is done by that organization is the act of each and every member thereof and whatever policy Is adopted and pursued by the body which controls the Mormon church Mir. Shoot must be held to be responsible for as a member of that body"
 The report declares that Shoot knew the po1ygamous practices of President Smith and other church officials, he has sustain ed by his vote as an apostle, and at no time uttered a word of protest against the conduct of his associates. but on the contrary has sustained them by his silence. The report continues:
 "In the judgment of the committee, Mir, Shoot is no more entitled to a seat in the Senate than he would be if he were asso- ciating in polygamous rehabilitation, with a plurality of wives"
 The report discusses the political dom- ination of the first presidency and twelve apostles of the church. which is described as most injurious to the interests of the state.
 Result of Mormon Domination. Not only is MT. Shoot one of those by and through whom the political affairs of Utah are dominated says the report but his election to the Senate, was il is believed, the result of such domination xxr1au Mr. SmoOt concluded to be a candi. date for the Senate he was careful to ob- tain the consent of the first presidency and twelve apostles to his candidacy. But this so-called consent of the rulers of the church was naturally regarded by the people of Utah who were familiar with the ways of the Mormon high priest hood as being under the circumstances equivalent to an endorsement, ana made 1t impossible for anyone else to become an aspirant for the same position with any hope of success"
 The Binal chapter of the report just preceding the conclusion of the commit tee quoted at the beginning of this ab- stract Is devoted to the oath of ven geance administered to those who gc through the ceremony known as taking the endowments." The committee says fl was proven that an oath was admins tered. expressed substantially in this form:
 You and each of you do covenant anc promise that you will pray and never cease to pray Almighty God to avengt the blood of the prophets upon this na tion and that you will teach the same tC your children and your children's childrer unto the third and fourth generation" Took Oath of Vengeance. There can be no question:" declares tn, | committee 'in regard to the taking of tht