The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1906-06-14

Washington, SpeciaI--The majori-
ty and minority reports Of the COM
mttee on privileges and elections in
the case Of Senator Reed Smoot, Of
Utah, were presented in the Senate,
the former by Senator Burrows, de-
claring that Mr.. Smoot is not entitled
10 his seat and the latter by Sena-
tor Foraker, taking opposite view.
At the same time Senator Bailey,
who Il . member of the committee.
stated that while he concurred in the
views of the majority, that Mr..
Smoot Is not entitled to his seat, he
was of the opinion that "Mr. Smoot
could not be deprived Of his seat un-
der the constitution except by a reso-
lution of expulsion"
Mr. Burrows gave notice that he
would call up the case "at the earli-
est possible moment consistent with
iBI l)ibilN bllo1tl0oos kCcHdIOI
Foraker expressed his approval Of
this announcement.
The reason for the action of the
Senate committee on privileges and
elections in declaring by majority
vote that Reed Smoot is not entitled
10 a seat in the Senate are stated In
the eport submitted to the Senate by
Chairman Burrows and signed by
Senators Burrows Dolliver, Dubois,
Pettus, Bailey, Overman and Fra
zier, to be as follows:
The Majority Report.
THAT Mr.. Smoot is one of a self
perpetuating body of men. known as
the First Presidency and Twelve
Apostles OF the Church of Jesus
Christ Of Latter Day Saints, common
" known as the First Presidency and
Twelve Apostles of the Mormon
church; that these men claim divine
authority TO control the members Of
said church in all Things temporal as
well as spiritual; that this authority
Is, and has been for several years
past, so exercised by the said First
Presidency and Twelve Apostles as
TO encourage the practice of polyga-
my and polygamOus cohabitatlon in
the State of Utah and elsewhere, con-
trary to the constitution and laws of
the State of Utah and the law of the
land: that the said First Presidency
and Twelve Apostles do now control,
and for long time past have con-
trolled, the political affairs of the
State Of Utah. and have thus brought
about in said State a union of church
and State, contrary to the cOnstltu-
tiOn of the United States, and that
said Reed Smoot comes here. not as
the accredited representative of the
State of Utah in the Senate of the
United States, but as the choice OF
the hierarchy which controls the
church and has usurped the functions
of the State III said State of Utah. .
The majority report characterizee
"as wholly untenable' the position
that because SmOot himself does moi
practice polygamy and there is nc
evidence TO show that he has person.
ally and individually encouraged the
be condemned because of the acts o1
his associates 1t is charged "th*
Senator Smoot is an inseparable par
of the governing body of the Mormon
church-the First Presidency ant
Twelve Apostlcs-and those who com
pose that organization is the act o.
each and every member thereof, ane
whatever policy IS adopted and pur
sued by the body which controls tht
Mormon church. Mr.. Smoot must bt
held TO be responsible for as a mem
Der of that body --..
The report declares that while
SmOot knew the polygamous practice.
of President Smith and other churcl
officials. he has sustained by his vot,
as an apostle. aud, at no time uttered
a word Of protest against the con
duct of his associates, but on the con
trary has sustained them by his 81
lence.
''In the judgment of the commit
tee, the report says, "Mr. Smoot
no more entitled tc a seat in the Sen
ate than he would be if he were as
soeiatins in polygamous cohabitatiol
with a plurality of wives.''