Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-31
REED SMOOT
In Conference With His At
torneys Today.
WORKING ON HIS CASE
HIS STATEMENT TO A REPORTER
FOR THE STAR.
Not Here to Represent the Mormon
Church, but the Entire People OF
the State Of Utah.

Senator Reed Smoot of Utah is at the
Raleigh, where, in connection with ms at
torneys, he is at work on his case to come
before the Senate committee on privileges
and elections.
All of the attorneys in this case are Gen
tiles There Is Mr.. Waldemar Van Colt,
democrat who worked against Senator
Shoots election and favored the return of
Senator j. l.. Rawlins to the Senate. Mr.
Van Colt was today in conference with
Senator Smoot at the Raleigh. Another
member of his counsel. who will not be
here for a week or ten days, Is w. e. Borah,
also a Gentle. The third member of his
counsel Is Mr.. A 8. Worthington, we'll
known in this city.
The preparat ton of the case for presepta-
ton to the committee on privileges and
elections has just been begun.
Mr.. Shoots Statement.
Senator Smoot was seen by Star ce-
porter today. and when asked concerning
the representations in former Senator
Cannon's newspaper said:
Mr.. Cannon would like very much in
deed to have the American people under
stand that 1 am here to represent the
Mormon Church in my personal capacity
and as a member of that church. But l
want the people of the United States to
understand that I do not. take that posi-
ton, and Mr.. Cannon nor any one else
can force me into 1t. L was elected by
the republicans of the state of Utah
through the republican organization. and
l am here as senator representing the
state of Utah. I shall guard the interests
of all the people of Utah irrespective of
their religious creed or color. Every in
terest of the state no matter what 1T
may be nor from what class of people 1t
comes. shall be protected to the best OF
hi 60 for taS
to my taking my seat in the Senate are
concerned. 1 would do just as much for
them as for any citizen of the state.
When the Mormon Church was referred to
in discussion of the senator's case before
the Senate ne objected on the ground that
the Mormon Church had nothing to do with
the
Will Represent the State of Utah.
The Mormon Church did not send me
here" he said. Il am not here to represent
the Mormon Church. I am here to repre-
sent the state of Utah and have been elect
ed by the people of Utah without regard to
church affiiation''
When 1t was suggested that beside the
charge that he Is polygamist for which
he declared there Is not the least warrant,
an inquiry would be made as to whether the
Mormon Church is still merely suspending,
and has not abandoned, polygamy, he re-
piled:
THAT the Mormon Church has abandoned
polygamy there is no doubt.
Mr. Van Colt was also seen and declared
that he did not believe there is today
single person in Utah who believes that
Senator Smoot is polygamist.
1.-The greatest weapon we democrats used
against Mr. Shoots election to the Senate
and against the republican party there was
that he was an apostle of the Mormon
Church. That fact was Mr.. Shoots great
est source of weakness, and 1t was the
greatest source of strength to the demo-
cratic party in that state. 1t Is my per-
sonal opinion that if the campaign had
been waged simply on the proposition that
If the republicans won Reed Smoot. the
man, and not the apostle, would be next
senator, he would have had a larger major
ity in the legislature. The fact that he was
an apostle of the Mormon Church undoubt-
eddy lowered his majority in the legisla-
ture'
Mormons Voted Against Him.
Asked if he thought that the Mormons
were sufficiently strong in Utah to elect a
senator If the state should divide on lines
of Mormons and Gentiles. he thought not,
but declared that Gentiles and Mormons
are about equally divided between the re-
publican and the democratic parties.
THE Mormons In the legislature" he
said. who were democrats voted against
him without exception. The majority of
the democratic party which was against
the election of Reed Smoot to the Senate
was made up of Mormons.
There were about twenty republican
Gentiles in the legislature and all but five
voted for Mr.. Smoot. Those who did not
vote for Mr. SmOot voted for Norman for
senator. One of those five expressed a re-
greet afterward that he had not voted for
Mr.. Smoot.''