The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-09

HISL presidency ana SAID apostles on
the dissolution of the first presidency
for any reason whatsoever, then and
not otherwise have authority equal to
such first presidency.
Respondent further alleges that
since the manifesto of President Will
ford Woodruff was issued in 1890, Meth
er belief in nor a practice of poly
gamy or polygamous cohabitation has
either been taught or encouraged"
Mr.. Smoot admits that the first pres
ident of the Mormon church is vested
with supreme authority in all things
spiritual and in all things temporal SO
far as temporal things pertain to the
affairs of the church.
He denies that the first presidency
of IL apostles are supreme in the ex
ercise of the alleged mandates. he
says the only accepted standard works
of the church are the Bible, namely,
KING James version. the Book or Nor
mon, the Pearl of Great Price. and the
doctrine and covenants, together with
the manifesto of President Wilfred
Woo 1ruff. So far as quotations are
made from any of the foregoing ana
correctly quoted, the respondent makes
structlon placed on them by the pro-
teStantS.
1t is admitted that the Mormon
church made a rule in regard to its
leading officials taking part in politics,
but denies that this rule is fully or cor
erence to the deDosing of Moses, that
character from the Il APOSTLES. and his
defeat by the church in his contest for
senatorship in the legislature. the re-
spondent denies that the defeat was
due to his opposition to the rule OF
the church. He admits that remarks
were made by George Q. Cannon, Will
ford Woodruff. Lorenzo Snow. John
Henry Smith. Brigham Young and Jo-
seph Smith on the subject of such de-
position, but denies that such remarks
are correctly quoted in the protest.
Mr.. Smoot alleges that since the
manifesto OF President Woodruff in
1894, the practice of polygamous cohabl-
tation by those who were polygamists
heretofore had been abandoned. but
continued by some for time, and were
continued on the sole responsibility OF
such persons and subject to the penal
ties of the law.
1t is denied that any body of officials
either practices or connives at polyg-
amy or that Mr. Smoot or any body of
officials sought to pass a law multiplying
enactments against polygamous cohabi-
tation. 1t is admitted that such law
did pass the Utah legislature in 1891,
but that many of the Mormon members
voted against the bill and it was We
toed by the governor, and the veto was
sustained by the legislature, a large
majority of which were members of
the Mormon church Mr. Smoot admits
the charge that he is a director Of
Brigham Young academy, but alleges
that he is not familiar with details of
the employment of instructors. The
charge that Mr.. Smoot from the high
station of United States senator would
wage war upon the home is denied in
strong terms. He agrees that the home
is the basic institution upon whose
purity and perpetuity rests the very
government itself, and he alleges that
he has as sacred regard for the station
of senator and its duties as has any
of the protestants or the most loyal
citizens.
He admits that the enjoyment of the
privileges of statehood must depend
upon the observance of the sacred COM
pact upon which statehood was secured,
as that the rights thereby granted are
not inalienable. but denies that he is
or ever will be- untitled to make any
law. Concerning the political signifi
canoe of his election as United States
senator, Mr.. Smoot says that in May,
1902, he announced he would be a cam
didate before the legislature to be next
elected and that such election was of
his own judgment. Continuing he says:
The Democratic papers in the state of
Utah, opposing the candidacy of this
respondent, stated over and over again
in prominent headlines and in strong
editorials that a vote for the Republi-
can ticket meant just that much to-
ward the selection of this respondent as
the next Republican United States SEN
ator from the state of Utah, that the
members of the legislature were nomi-
mated and elected on the issue and your
respondent was the choice by a large
majority of such legislature, as the Re
publican United States senator from the
state of Utah and most of the Gentle
Republican legislators voted for this re-
spondent for such Office. At the time
all of the Democratic Mormon Iegisla-
tors opposed his nomination to such Of
flee and voted for another candidate.