The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-12

ADsOivos Him or but Declares
He Aided and Allotted the Unlawful
Practices OF His Associates In Power
and Had Taken the Endowment OATH
WASHINGTON, Dec. Ex-senator Bur
rows Of Michigan, chairman OF the Senate
Committee on Privileges and Elections,
called up to-day the majority report OF the
committee in the case Of the protest against
Reed Smoot, Senator from Utah and apostle
OF the Church OF the Latter Day Saints,
being allowed 20 retain his seat In the
United States Senate.
His speech, which was an exhaustive
analysis Of the voluminous testimony cover
ing hearings in two Congresses, was a
bitter a~rraignment OF the Mormon Church,
hierarchy as he termed it, for alleged
p~olygsmous practices and interference
in politics and business. Smoot was not
charged, either in Mr.. Burrows's speech
or in the report, with ever having practised
polygamy. In fact. IL is conceded that he
is free from the im~putation.
The case against him rests upon the
charge that he is an apostle in the Mormon
Church. one Of the twelve in authority.
and that because Of that fact he is prop
erly ~chargeable with and Responsible Tor
the nlawful practices OF the Church. Sena-
tor Burrows was particularly. severe on
Joseph Smith, head OF the Mormon or
ganization In Utah, who recently pleaded
guilty to adultery. After reviewing the
testimony the Senator said:
1t Is important to note that when the senior
Senator from Utah became a member OF
this hierarchy in 1900 the three persons OF
the first presidency were all polygamous.
ten OF the twelve of his apostolic associates
were living in pDlyOaTnOns Capitalization
and that the Senator owes his elevation to
the spostleship 10 the formal action OF this
body or polygamists. The very year and
hour the senior Senator voluntarily Identified
himself with this governing body OF fifteen
men fourteen OF the number were living
In polygamy. and the members Of this hier-
arohy were then able. Jointly. to muster a
barem OF sixty women. whom they claimed.
recognized and cohabited with as their wives.
To contend that the x~enator. born and
reared In Utah and identified with the Nor
mon organization from childhood. instructed
and nurtured in Its doctrines. was ignorant
of the character OF his hierarchy and the
criminal practices OF it's individual members.
challenges belief and impeaches his intelll-
sence. The vital question. therefore. is:
Can one become a member OF. identify him
self with a band OF lawbreakers knowing
them TO be such, participate In their counsels
and sustain them In their conferences. and
vet escape all responsibility for their unlaw-
fMl acts?
The Senator quoted from cases TO sus-
tain his contention. and continued
" il established that a majority of the
ruling authorities or the Mormon Church are
living in open polygamy and thereby en-
couraging the practice of polygamy and
polysanous cohabitation. many OF them
having taken plural wives since the manifesto.
un1 NhAN \ GAA.W- AZ a..al
organization, Is cognizant of their crimes
and Indifferent to their preparation.
The Senator's completely, encouraging
pOlygamy aud polygamOus rehabilitation.
does not consist wholly In the fact that he il
one OF the governing body of that Church.
BY repeated acts he has as a member OF
the quorum Of The twelve apostles given sc-
tive aid and support TO the hierarchy in its de-
hance OF the statutes OF the State and the
law of common deCency and in its encour-
agement Of poly Famous practices by both
preCept aud example. One OF the first acts
OF the Senator af' err his elevation to the
apOs1olate was TO assist by vote aud in1u-
enoe IN The elevate lon of Joseph +. Smith to
the presidency Of The Mormon Church with
fun knowledge that he was living in polyG-
amy.
lie has since repeatedly voted to sustain
him. and even afrer fun knowledge that
Joseph +. Smith was living IN po~lvgamous
Cohabitation and had asserted his intention
10 continue IN this course IN defiance OF the
law OF God and man. He aided in the selec-
ton Of Heber !. Grant as president Of a mis-
sion when 1t was a matter Of common notorIety
that Grant was a pOlygamist. He voted to
MI a vacancy in the apostolate by the election
Of Charles W. Penrose, even after testimony
had been given in the investigation showing
him To DE- a poly ga mist.
Senator Burrows declared that al no time
had Smoot uttered a syllable Of protest
against the conduct Of his associates" but,
on the contrary, had sustained them in
their encouragement OF polygamy and
pOlygamous cohabltation by his acts and
silence"
Another and final reason why Smoot
should not retain his seat. Mr.. Burrows de-
Clared, was that he had taken the "endow-
ment oath" an obligation incompatible
with his oath as Senator. The Senator
quoted that obligation:
You and each OF YOU do covenant aud prom
Use that YOU will pray and never cease TO pray
Almighty God to avenge the blood of the
prophets upon this nation and that You
will teach the same 10 youT children and to
your children's children to the third and
fourth generation.
There was no doubt, Mr.. Burrows as
serted, that Smoot had taken the oath and,
in his opinion, il was OF such a character
as TO force the courts 70 hold that il was
a bar TO citizenship, Mr.. Burrows in
closing moved the adoption Of the resolu-
ton declaring that Reed Smoot IL not en-
titled TO his seat in the United States Sem
ate as a Senator from the State OF Utah"