Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-06-11
FORMER IS AGAINST HIM
And HOldS That He is No More Enti.
tied 10 His Senate Seat Than If
He We're POlygamlst
MINORITY REPORT SUSTAlNS HIM
Says He Has a Right to bo a
Mormon In Religion.
He HAS NEVER BEEN A PuLYOAMlsT
A..ocIaled 80. pI.palch hr spaolnl MIrc..

Associated Press Dispatch BY Special Wires
Washington, June li.-The reasons for
the action Of the Senate committee on
privileges and elections in declaring, by
a majority vote, that Reed Smoot Il not
entitled to a scat IN the Senate asa Sona-
tor from Utah are stated in a report sub
mittcd to the Senate today by Chairman
Burrows and signed by Senators BUR-
rows, Dolliver, Dubois, pettus. Bailey,
Overmnn and Frazier, to be as follows
That Mr.. Smoot Is ono Of seli-per-
petuating body Of men. known as the
First Presidency and Twelve Apostles of
the Church Of Jesus Christ OF Latter Day
Saints, commonly known as the Mormon
Church, that these men claim divine
authority 10 control the members Of said
church in all things temporal as well aa
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 cohabitation
IN the State Of Utah and elsewhere, con-
trary to the Constitution and laws Of the
State OF Utah and 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
affairs Of the State OF Utah, and have
thus brought about IN said State n
union OF church and State contrary 70
tho Constitution Of snid State and con-
trary to the Constitution Of the United
States; and that the said Reed Smoot
comes here not aHthe accredited represen-
tative Of the State Of Utah, but az the
choice Of the hierarchy which controls
the church and has usurped the functions
Of the State IN said State Of Utah
IL Is shown beyond reasonable doubt
that the authority Of the First Presidency
and Twelve Apostles is 80 exercised over the
members OF the Mormon Church as TO
/ inoulcate belief Ia the divine origin Of
| polygamy and polyenmous cohahitation
ut Is very evident" the report says.
that Il polygnmy were discountenanced
by the leaders OF that church IL would
very soon be thing Of tho past among
the members Of that church. On the
contrary, II appears that since the ad-
mission Of Utah into the Union as a State
the authorities Of the Mormon Church
have oountenanced and encouraged the
commission Of the crime Of polygamy
instead Of preventing Il, as they could
easily have done.H
The majority eportpcharacterizes az
"wholly untenableH tho position that
because Smoot himself does not practice
polygamy, and there Is no evidence to
show that he has personally and in
| dividually encouraged the practice IN
others, he ought not 70 be condemned
because Of the acts OF his associates. The
report concludes:
''In the judgment Of the committee Mr.
Smoot is no more entitled 20 a seat in the
| t.s
ciating in polygamous cohabitation with
plurality Of wives"
THE MINORITY REPORT.
That Reed smoot possesses all the
qualifications prescribed by the Consti-
tuition 10 make him eligible TO a seat ia
the Senate, and that the regularity Of
his election by the Legislature Of the
State of Utah is not questioned in any
manner Is the conclusion reached by the
minority OF the committee, which also
submitted its views today. This report
is signed by Senators Foraker Beveridge,
Dillingham;, Hopkins and Knox.
Attached TO the report Is an extended
statement Of the investigation con-
Quoted by the committee in hearings
covering three years. Tho report says.
aside from his connection with the
]
character is concerned, il is, according
to all the witnesses, irreproachable fol
all who testify on the subject agree on
concede that he has led and is leading an
upright life. entirely free from immoral
practices OF every kind He is not q
polygamist has never had but one wife
has been noted from early manhood fol
his opposition 10 plural marriages, anc
probably did as much as any other mem
ber Of the Mormon Church 70 bring
about the prohibition Of further plura
marriages.
$50 far as mere belief and membership
in the Mormon Church are concerned,
saws the report "Reed Smoot is withir
ms rights and privileges under the guar
anty OF religious freedom given by th'
Constitution Of the United States, fo
there is no statutory provision, and coulc
not be prohibiting either such belief ol
such membership.