Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-06-12
MAJORITY OF SENATE COMMIT
TEE STATES REASONS FOR
FAvoRlNG EXPULSION.
soADoAEs VIOLATION OF The Law
WHILE NOT A PoLYeAMlsT HIM.
SELF HE uPHoLDs CHURCH
TEACHING. PRACTICE.

Washington, June 12.-The reasons
for the action Of the senate committee
On privileges and elections in declar-
ing, by a majority vote, that Reed
smoot is not entitled to a seat In the
senate as senator from Utah, are
stated In report submitted to the
senate by Chairman Burrows and
signed by Burrows, Dolliver, Dubois,
Pettus, Bailey, Overman and Frazier.
to be as follows: + ...s
THAT Mr.. Smoot is one Of SELF
perpetuating body Of men, known as
the first presidency and twelve apos-
Ties of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints, commonly known
as the Mormon church, that these
men claim divine authority to control
the members Of said church in all
things, temporal ais we'll 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 polygamy and polygamous cohabi-
tation In the state of Utah and else
where, contrary 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 a long time
past have controlled, the political at.
fairs of the state Of Utah and have
thus brought about In said state q
union OF church and state, contrary to
the constitution Of said state of Utah
and contrary to the: constitution OF
the United States, and the said Reed
Smoot comes here, not as the accred-
tied representative of the state Of
Utah in the senate OF the United
States, but as the chief hierarchy
which controls : the church and has
usurped the functions, of the state in
said state Of Utah: a. -. i. .s]sSz. .z.
Names Prominent PoIysamists.
The report names a dozen apostles,
former apostles and other, prominent
Mormons, who, according to- testi
mony, have taken plural wives since
the manifesto of 1890, an act impos-
sible except by consent of the pres
ident Of the church" says it is shown
by incontrovertibie testimony that a
majority of those who gave the law
to the Mormon church s'are now and
have been for years living In open,
notorious and shameless rehabilitation j.;
the list being headed by President
Joseph F. Smith. The report con
tinues: 81 II s$sss>4. <1f>@s = +;
These facts abundantly justify the
assertion made In the protest that
the supreme authorities in the
church, of whom Senator-elect Reed
Smoot5 is one, to-wit:: the first pres
idency Of twelve apostles, not only
conniVe at violation Of, but protect
and honor the yiolators Of the laws
against polygamy and polygamous CO
habitation. !" q q
,lsS The majority report characterizes
as wholly lntenable' the position
that because Smoot himself does moi
practice polygamy, and there is nc
evidence to show that he has person
ally and indiYid ually enc outraged the
practice in others, he ought not be
condemned because Of the acts Of his
associates, 1T is charged that Reed
Smoot is an inseparable part OF tbs
governing Eody of the Mormon church
and In the judgment Of the committed
ID no more entitled to d seat Ii the
senate than ne would be if he were
s associating in polygamous cohabita
: ton with q plurality Of wives.
The minority report, signed By fve
members Of the committee, declares
that Reed Smoot possesses all tht
qualifications prescribed BY the con
stitution to make him eligible TO
4 seat In the senate and that his pri
vate character Is irrepro BILE.
OCEAN q LINE r ASHO RE. # ~