The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-06-14
IS A HARD BLOW
FOR MORMON CHURCH
Report OF the Senate Commit.
tee Against Smoot Based
on Polygsmous Practices.
BLAMED FOR OTHERS
he In Held Responsible, ~ One Of tho
Rulers Of the Church. for the Plural
Marriages Of Others, Though
Guiitless Himself.

washington, June i3.-The reason FOR
the action OF the senate committee on
privileges and elections In declaring by
majority vote that Reed Smoot In not
entitled To n seat In the senate as SEN
ator from Utah as stated I'm tie report
submitted tn the senate today by Chair
man Burrows and signed by Senator's
burrows. Dolliver. Dubois, Pottus.
Bailey. Oyerman and Frazier To- be as
follows:
Psrpetuates PoIyssmy.
That Smoot In one OF self perpetual
'ng 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 to con-
troll members OF the said church
In all things temporal as well as
spiritual: that this authority IL and
has been for several years past no ex-
ercised by the said FIRST presidency
and twelve apostles as To encourage
the practice OF polygamy and polyga-
nous cohabitation In the state Of Utah
and elsewhere. contrary 20 the constI-
tuition and laws OF tho state Of Utah
and the laws Of the land: that said
tirst presidency do now control and
Tor long time past have controlled
political affairs In the state Of Utah
and have thus brought about In said
state. the union OF church and state
contrary To tho constitution OF Utah
and the United States. and said Smoot
comes hero not AS the accredited rep
resentatiye OF the state OF Utah In
the senate OF the United States but OF
the chief hierarchy which controls the
church and has usurpcd the functions
u state in said state OF Utah.
Responsible for Others Crimes.
After reviewing the testimony taken
Al the hearings the report character
Ices as wholly untcnable' the position
that because Smoot himself does not
practice polygamy. and there In no ey-
idencc TO show he has personally and
individually encouraged the practice I'm
others, he ought not To- be condemned
because OF the acts OF his associates.
II Is charged that Smoot is an insep-
srable part OF the governing body of
the Mormon church.
Ia the Judgment OF the committee
smoot is no more entitled To- a seat
N the senate than he would be IL he
were associatlng In polygamous cohab-
itat!on with plurality wives.
The Minority Report.
The minority report. signed by For
aker. BevcridEc. Dillingham;. Hopkins
and Knox. says Smoot possesses all the
qualifications prescribed by tho consti-
tuition TO make him eligible to n seat
In the senate, that the regularity OF his
election by the Legislature OF Utah IL
rot questioned In any manner, and
that Shoots private character IL ir-
rcproachable.
$50 far az the mere belief and MEM
bership In the Mormon church are con-
cerned' says the minority. "Smoot IL
within his rights and privileges under
the guaranty OF religious freedom Civ
en- by the constitution OF the United
States, for there IL no statutory pro-
vision prohibiting either such belief or
such membership"
According to the report there Is no
trustworthy proof that Smoot ever
took the endowment oath or ciat he IL
responsible for the polygamous co.