Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-12
Majority and MinorityFind-
ings Reported TO Senate.
Former Says He Has Not the
Least Right to His Seat.
Latter Differs, Claiming That The Evidence
Has Not Proved Il So.

flt'F Nv senator uctl:lflllg that
Mr.. Snloot is not entitled to his scat,
and lie latter by Senator Foraker. tax
inS The opposite view. At the same
time Senator Bailey. who is IL member
Of the committee. stated that while
he "nncur"ed in the view Of the major
ity, that Mr.. Smoot could not be de
prived of his seat under the constitu-
ton. except by a resolution of cXpul-
sion.
Mr. Burrows also gave notice that he
would call up the ease Eat the earliest
possible moment consistent with the
public business" and Senator Foraker
expressed his approval of this an
nouncemenr.
Senator SmoOt was present in the
Senate chamber when the reports were
presented. He smiled broadly when
senator Bailey made his statement.
Under the plan suggested by the Tex
as senator. Il vote of two-third; would
be necessary to vacatc the seat of the
titan senator. The report follows:
The reasons for the action OF the Sem
ate committee on privileges and cleo
tiCns III declaring by Il majority vote.
that Reed Smoot is not entitled to Il
scat in the Senate az a senator from
Utah are stated in Il report submitted
t. the Senate today by Chairman Bur
roughs and signed by Senators Bur
rows. Dolliver. Dubois Pettus Bailey,
OvrrnIan ana Frazier. to be as follows:
THAT Mr.. Smoot is one uf a sclf-per-
petuatine body u men. known as the
first president ana T. apostles Of the
church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints. commonly known as the Nor
mon church: that these men claim Dl-
Vine authority To coutrol til" members
If said church in all things, temporal.
rs we'll as spiritual; that this an
thnrity is. ana has been for several
years past. 50 exercised by the said
first presidency and i apostles as to
encourage the practice of polo%amy and
lolygamOUs Capitalization in the state
of Utah ard elsewhere. contrary to the
constitution and laws Of the state OF
Utah and the law of the land: that the
sail first presidency and l. apostles do
now contlrl. and for y long time past
have controlled the political affairs of
tie state Of Utah. and have thus
brought about in said state Z union Of
y
stitutirn Of said state of Utah and con-
trary- to the constitution Of tho United
states ana til" said Feed Smoot comes
here not as the accredited representa-
tive Of the state Of Utah in the Senate
Of the United States. but as the choice
OF tho hierarchy which controls the
church ana has usIirped the functions
If the state in said state Of Utah"
sufficient number of specific in
stances Of the taking Of plural wives
among officials of the Mormon church
since the manifesto o: 1890 have been
shown hv the testimony. says tic ma
iority. ito demonstrate that the lead
ers. the first presidency and the
apostles connive at the practice Of TAX
ing plural wives. and have done 50 ev-
e. since the manifesto was issued,
which purportcd to put an end to the
practice.
Several instances of plural marriages
by church members are cited.
The report adds.
EFT is morally impossible that al
these violations of the laws Of the
state Of Utah by contracting plural
marriages could have been committed
wit hn,t the Knowledge Of the first rr'5-
idency and the l. apostles OF the Nor
mon church..
ono intensely interesting chapter "f
the report is devoted to the charge
that testimony was suppressed by
Mormon leaders. through the sending
out nf the country of apostles AMI 9TH
or officials who We're charged with tax
ing plural wives since the manifesto.
In the judgment of the committee,
Mir Sinoot is no more entitled to a seat
in the Senate than he would be if he
were associatinc in polygamous cohab-
itation with a plurality Of wives.
That Reed SmOot possesses all the
qualifications prescribed by the consti
tuition to make him eligible to a seat
in the Senate in the conclusion reached
by the minority Of the committee. This
report is signed by Senator's Foraker.
Beverage, Dillingham;, Hopkins and
Knox
The minority says:
1--WE are of the opinion that no
ground has been established on which
to predict finding or belief that Mr..
SnIuot ever took any obligation involN-
ing hostility to the United States, OF
requiring him to regard his allegiance
to the Mormon church rs paramount t.
his allegiance and duty to the United
States
rs to whether Senator Smoot by viz
tue of his official relation to the church
as one of its apostles, has any rcspon
Siblity for tn" continuation of polyEa-
nous cohabitation by members of that
church, the minority says:
1T will be found by examination of
the testimony that he has never at any
time and particularly he has not since
the manifesto of 1890. contnnanced or
encoura ged plural marriages. but that
on the contrary, he has uniformly up
held the policy of the church. as an
nounccd by that proclamation, by ac-
lively advocating and eXerting his in
fucnce to effect a complete discontin-
1lation of such marriages and that in
the few instances established by the
testimony were plural marriages and
polyga NOUS rehabilitation, as result
Of them. have occurred since 1880. they
have been without any ENCOURAGEMENT.
counien2nceG or approval whatever or
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