The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-02
Another Constitutional Amendment Necessary

The recent investigation in connec
ION with the Senatorship for the State
cf Utah revealed n condition that
startled the country and challenges the
serious consideration of the National
Government, When in 1896. Utah was
admitted into the Union as n State
- was supposed that precautlon was
AIKEN to adequately guard against the
continued domination of the Mormon
church and lis practice OF polygamy
which had marked the course OF that
.rganization from its first settlement
in the Territory. To that end NJ was
sjipulated in the enabling act, and
subsequently embodied in the Consti'
ution under which Utah was ad-
nitted that .EThere shall be no union
# church and State, nor shall any
hurch dominate the State or inter
;ere with its functions. And that
& Polygamous or plural marriages are
forever prohibited.
When, on the ith of January, 1908,
The credentials of Reed Smoot were
submitted TO the Senate, there was pre-
sented at the same time a protest
against his being permitted 10 take
he oath of Office as n Senator, for
,hc reason that the conditions upon
which Utah was granted Statehood
Nad not been complied with, that the
State had broken faith with the Gov
crnment of the United States, that Il
Inion of church and State had been
established, that the church continued
n dominate the State and interfere
With its functions. and finally, that
he practice of polygamous or plural
marriages still prevailed.
1t was further charged that Joseph
.. Smith, with his two counselors, con
stituting the first presidency OF the
church, together with twelve So
allied apostles. OF which Reed Smoot
#as one, constituted the ruling author
ties OF such church, and that such
body continued the practice of political
,lictation and interference with the
functions of the State, and incnlcatcd
and encouraged 4 belief IN polygamy
and polygamous cohabitation, and that
Reed Smoot. by identifying himself
with and becoming part of such gov.
crning body, had disqualified himself
for membership in the Senate of the
United States.
Under that provision OF the Consti-
tuition which authorizes each house to
Judge of the elections, returns and
qualifications of It's swn members, the
credentials of Mr., Smoot. together with
the protest above mentioned, were re-
ferred 10 the Committee on Privileges
and Elections, with instructions to eX-
anime into the charges made in the
protest, and generally 80 inquire into
The right and title of Reed Smoot 10
n scat as a Senator from the State of
Utah, and report its findings theron.
The inquiry, thorough and exhaustive,
extended over a period of more than
two years, and the result of such i'll
restigation is summarized in the report
of the majority OF the committee as
follows:
That Mr smoot is one of a self-per-
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 control the members
OF the church in all things. temporal as
we'll as spiritual; that this authority is.
and has been for several years past, so
exercised by the said first presidency
practice Of polygamy and polygamous CO.
habitation in the State of Utah and else
where. contrary to the constitution and
laws OF the State of Utah and the laws
OF the land: that the said first presi-
dency and twelve apostles do now and
for long time past have controlled the
political affairs of the State OF Utah,
and have thus brought about in said
State a practical union of church and
State, contrary 20 the constitution Of the
said State of Utah. and contrary TO the
Constitution of the United States, and
that said Smoot comes herc. not a. the
accredited representative OF tho State OF
Utah in the Senate OF the United States
but as the choice OF the hierarchy. which
controls the church and has usurped the
functions OF the state.
The report of the committee CON
cluded by recommending the adoption
of the following resolution:
Resolved, That Reed Smoot is not en-
titled TO a seat as a Senator OF the
United States from the State Of Utah
The action of the Senate in disagree
ing TO the recommendation of the com
m;ttce puts an end 10 the controversy,
SO far as Senator Smoot is concerned,
by confirming his right and title to a
seat in the Senate Of the United States
as a Senator from the State Of Utah
But we are confronted by a question
OF far greater moment than the scat.
ing Of Senator Smoot. The investiga-
tion discloses condition Of affairs
in the State of Utah and adjacent
States ard Territories. in relation TO The
continued practice of polygamy and