Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-20

Not Hostile to United states.
There does not exist in the endowment
ceremonies of the Mormon church the re-
antagonism to the United States or to any
other nation. They are OF purely religi-
taking them and his God, and, as with the
ritual of various fraternal organizations.
regarded as sacred and secret
Adverting to the religious and spiritual
character of those ceremonies, it is con-
ceded that such character in ceremonies
often has an influence on the conscience
There is not a solitary instance where
that influence in the endowment ceremonies
has been displaying IN an act OF hostility
to the government. II any effect has been
welded, it has been for the most devoted
loyalty to our own nation.
The application in this respect as TO the
loyalty of the Mormon people, can be
brought home readily. We will pass by the
incident of the Mormon exiles from Nauvoo
States army for the war with Mexico; the
action of the Utah pioneers in raising the
American flag in the Salt Lake valley
when that was Mexican soil; the fidelity
of Utah to the union during the civil war,
and come to the period of the Spanish
American war and the insuerection in the
philippines. The state of Utah came into
the union eleven years ago. Scarce two
years had passed when there appeared on
our national horizon the cloud OF war with
Spain. Side by side, shoulder to shoulder,
with every other state in the union, tab
furnished its full quota g. OF American as an
question of religious distinction or dispute
then. The Utah light artillery was com
posed of men Of differing religious beliefs,
including orthodox Mormons, who had par
taken of their church rites known as the
endowment ceremonies. Major Richard w.
Young, the commanding officer OF the Ctah
light artillery, was one Of these; Sergeant
Harry A. Young and others who gave up
their lives for the flag were among this
number. And insofar as these endowment
ceremonies may have reference to this gov
eminent an unreserved and undisputably
record Of the Mormons mustered into the
Utah light artillery, which served in the
wal, with Spain and during the subsequent
right to question that Interpretation; no
true American will do it; IL is inscribed
in letters of fire by the history of many
Defiance to Defamers.
And here in the senate of their country
men, upon the incontrovertibe witness
borne by the brave survivors and the
heroic dead of the Utah light artillery, 1
hurl back the charge of the defamer that
there ever was a word of breath of hostll-
ity or disloyalty in the sacred religious
ceremonies, which they, or any other per-
sons participated In, as members OF the
Mormon church.
In closing, let me say under my obliga-
ton as a senator that what 1 have said
under oath before the committee, that 1
have never taken any oath or obligation.
religious or otherwise. which conflicts In
the slightest degree with my duty
senator or as a citizen. / owe no allegiance
to any church or other Organization which
in any way interferes with my supreme al
legiance. in civil affairs, to my country
an allegiance which / freely, fully and
/ gladly give.
Mr.. Smoot read his speech, which was de-
voia of oratorlcal effort. and the senator's
voice at no time was raised above the
I conversational tone.
/ There was only a Sair attendance OF
! senators ahd the gallery half filled.
/ The meagerness of the audience was due
| to the fact that the senate met at the IN
/ usual hour Of II o'clock. Mr.. Smoot was
| warmly congratulated by many senators
/ when he took his seat. He was followed
/ by Senator Dillingham;, who made an argu-
ment in support OF the Utah senator.
After the clear, concise, frank and free
| statement of the senator from Utah. IL
/ would seem that nothing more was to
/ be said" said Mr.. Dillingham;. He then
called attention TO the protest which had
/ been filed and the long and searching in
| quiry of the committee. The cost Of in
quiry to date, he said, had been more than
! s25 900.
The result was that no criticism could
be made of Mr. Shoots character. of his
! constitutional qualifications or of his cleo
/ ton TO the senate.
Mr. Dillingham; said that his personal
/ inquiry Of persons signing petitions
against Senator SmoOt invariably dis
/ closed the belief of these persons that
Senator Smoot was a polygamist. which
was not true