The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-12-13
SMOOT CASE is UP.
Opening Gun Is Fired in What
Promises to be Notable Debate.

PROMISES to be notable DeDate.
/, The Opening gun in what promises
to be one of the most notable debates
in the history of the senate, was fired
Tuesday afternoon by Senator julius
c. Burrows, Chairman of the commit
tee on privileges and elections, in sup
port of the committees report that
Reed Smoot is not entitled to his
seat and should be excluded there
from
In a carefully prepared speech of
some 10000 words the senator mar
shalled tn various arguments against
Shoots eligibility to represent the
state of Utah in the upper house of
congress, charging that the oaths he
took as an official OF the Mormon
church were incompatible with that
which he took upon entering the SEN
ate, and that he has countenanced
the practice of polygamy.
The character of the speech is well
illustrated by one paragraph in which
Senator Burrows referred to the evil
dence given before the committee by
Joseph F Smith, president of the
church, to the effect that Smith is
continuing his polygamous practices,
relations with FIVE plural wives, and
that he had AZ children.
IF the public press is to be cred
tied, this number has been augmented
during the last year to 43, and while
we are discussing the right Of the
representative of the hierarchy 20 a
seat in this body, we can imagine its
sanity head sitting n the home OF his
fifth plural wife rocking the cradle OF
the latest illegitimate offspring of his
debauchery and crime, and with
sanctimonious air singing the familiar
hymn of his church:
Now the Gentle reign is DER.
Darkness covers earth no more.
Gentle tyrants sink to hell,
Now's the day of Israel
After further quoting President
Smiths testimony to the effect that
he proposed to continue to live with
and support his FIVE wives and child
rem, and that 'the congress of the
United States has no business with
my private conduct" but that it was
the law of Utah TO which he was
amenable, Senator Burrows contin-
ued:
"Mr. Smith evidently understands
the strength of his position, that he
can have FIVE wives or so within the
limits OF the state of Utah, that the
| United States has no power to inter
fere or suppress the crime or punisf
the criminal, and that the state ha.
no disposition to interfere"
Early in his speech Burrows haC
this to say for Smoot:
mo evidence was submitted to th'
committee in support of the charge ,
polygamy against Smoot."
| Burrows said that Smoot was dis
qualified from holding seat in th'
senate of the United States for thes'
reasons:
"First-That at the time of hi
election the state of Utah and TIL
legislature thereof were under TIL
hierarchy, of which he rs member
and that such hierarchy so far in
terefered with the functions of tn
state as to secure the election OF ON
4 of its owni members and an apostl
and that his certificate of election b.
the legislature was only the recorde
edict of the hierarchy in defiance O
the constitutional inhibition that "n
church shall rule the state nor inter
fere with its functions
"Second-That this Mormon hier
archy, of which the senator is a cor
spicuous member, inculcates and er
| ccurages belief in and the practice
OF polygamy, ETC."
Third the senator in cor
. nection with, and as a member G
|, such organization has taken an oat
of hostility to the government of tn
, United States incompatible with hi
. obligation as a senator"
II He gave many instances OF tn
, domination of the church in ,secula
! affairs taken from the testimony b.
, fore the committee He quoted Pres
dent Smiths admissions that he wa
mot only president of the church, bt
president or director in Is or 20 il
dustrial institutions in the state
; There has been no case" contin'
ed the senator, "in which candida
r for high office in Utah has obtaine
r the consent of the church 10 run an
l has been defeated, and there is n
} case in which one who did not recei,
such consent has beef elected. Til
fconsest of the hierarchy IS a con
mand of the church"