The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-12

disqualified from holding Il seat in this
body, no evidence was submitted to the
committee IN support of such allega-
tion: and, so far as the investigation
discloses, the Senator stands acquitted
of that charge. This relieves the in
qmry of its personal character, always
distressing. and the Senator stands be-
fore the Senate in personal character
and bearing above criticism and beyond
reproacb, and if found disqualified for
membership IN this body il must be
upon other grounds and from other con-
siderations | propose. therefore, TO
state as briefly as possible the reasons
which impel the majority of the com
mlttee TO the conclusion reached in their
report.
In passing upon The issue involved it
is mportant-indeed, absolutely essen
tial 10 an intelligent application of the
evidence elected and the law applicable
thcreto-to recall and hold in mind the
accredited facts Of history in connec-
tion with the organization and develop
ment of the Mormon church, especially
that community known as the Utah
Mormons, or Brighamites, with head
quarters at Salt Lake City. presided
over by one Joseph i. Smith. recognized
and acknowledged by his devotces as
president, prophet. seer, and revela-
tor y and with which organization Sen
ator Smoot is publicly identified as one
of It's so-called 'apostles, and who,
by virtue of his ecclesiastical Office
therein, occupies conspicuous place in
this Mormon hierarchy.
Origin of Mormon Church.
The regular and legitimate Mormon
church had its origin in and grew out
of an alleged discovery Of some metal
lie plates. sand TO have been found near
Palmyra, n. Y, by one Joseph Smith,
bearing certain inscriptions which were
said to have been translated by him and
embodied in what is known and accept
ed as the Book of Mormon belief
in which formed in 1880 the basis of
an organization styling itself 1.-The
| Church of Latter-day Saints which
for fifteen years increased in member
ship and extended in influence, until
in 1914 it numbered about 10000 ad
herents. On the, 18th day Of June.
1874, Joseph Smith, the founder of this
cult while confined in jail at Carthage,
ILL.,, was set upon by mon and killed.
With the details of the early history
of this people from 1880 to 1914 and
their tenets we have nothing to do. 1t
is sufficient for the purpose of this dis
cussion 10 state that, previous 70 the
| death of the prophet there were no dis
seusi6ns in the organization, so far as
! known, all subscribing to a common
creed and holding common faith.
Judge Phillips in the Circuit court of
the United States for the Western dis
trict Of Missouri. in delivering the opin-
ion of that court in 1894. in what is
known as the Temple lot cases, luvolv-
ing the title to certain real estate,
| said
Beyond all csvil. n human testimony
| Is TO place any matter At rest, this church
! was one in doctrine. government and
purpose from 1870 to June. 1894. when
Joseph Smith its founder. was Killed.
| II had the same federal head. governing
! bodies. and faith. During this period
| there was no schism. no disscnsions. no
| parting of the WAYS In any matter fun
| damental OF affecting its oneness.
| The death of Joseph Smith in 1914,
| however. carried dismay and demorali
zation throughout the entire member
| ship of the Mormon church, scattering
| its adherents in divers directions, and
for the time being seemed to prcsage
the complete overthrow and dissolu
| tion of the organization. Recovering,
however, from the shock. the scattered
bands soon reappcared in various parts
of the country and promulgated their
doctrines with increased zeal, and set
to work to reassemble and reorgamze