ished beyond the shadow of a doubt;" and
that "aside from this it was shown by the testimony that a majority
of those who give law to the Mormon Church are now, and have been for
years, living in open, notorious and shameless polygamous cohabitation."
Concerning President Woodruff's anti-polygamy manifesto of 1890, the
majority of the committee reported that "this manifesto in no way
declares the principle of polygamy to be wrong or abrogates it as a
doctrine of the Mormon Church, but simply suspends the practice of
polygamy to be resumed at some more convenient season, either with
or without another revelation." They found that Apostle Smoot was
responsible for the conduct of the organization to which he belonged;
that he had countenanced and encouraged polygamy "by repeated acts
and in a number of instances, as a member of the quorum of the twelve
apostles;" and that he was "no more entitled to a seat in the Senate
than he would be if he were associating in polygamous cohabitation with
a plurality of wives."

The report continued: "The First Presidency and the twelve apostles
exercise a controlling influence over the action of the members of
the Church in secular affairs as well as in spiritual matters;" and
"contrary to the principles of the common law under which we live, and
the constitution of the State of Utah, the First Presidency and twelve
apostles dominate the affairs of the State and constantly interfere in
the performance of its functions.... But it is in political affairs that
the domination of the First Presidency and the twelve apostles is
most efficacious and most injurious to the interests of the State....
Notwithstanding the plain provision of the constitution of Utah, the
proof offered on the investigation demonstrates beyond the possibility
of doubt that the hierarchy at the head of the Mormon Church has, for
years past, formed a perfect union between the Mormon Church and the
State of Utah, and that the Church, through its head, dominates the
affairs of the State in things both great and small." And the report
concluded: "The said Reed Smoot comes here, not as the accredited
representative of the 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 in Utah. It follows, as a necessary
conclusion from these facts, that Mr. Smoot is not entitled to a seat in
the Senate as a Senator from the State of Ut