Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-09


| MES that he is one Of said alleged self
| perpetuating body OF 10 men or that
| there IL any such body, or that said
church, or any part thereof or any
| person therein, inculcates or encour-
ages belief In the practise Of polyg-
amy or belief In or practise Of polyg-
amous cohabitaton: and this respon-
dent denies that he Is guilty Of polyg-
| amous cohabitation or that he Is a
| polygamlst or that he ever has been
| q poygamist, or that he has ever prac-
Used polygamous cohabitation.
NEVER CoUNTENANCED VIOLA
TON OF LAW.
"Thls respondent further denies that
he has over countenanced or connived
at any violation Of any law, either OF
the State Of Utah or OF the United
states, or that he has ever protected
or honored any person or persons who
may have violated the laws OF the land.
And this respondent denies that he Is
guilty of any practlses or any practise
destructive either OF the family or the
home On the contrary, this respond
ent alleges that he honors and re-
spects and obeys all OF the laws Of the
and has never been guilty of any Of
Tense against either. And this re-
spondent further alleges that the pres
ident of said church and his two
councillors constitute the first presi-
dency and Is the highest governing
body In said church and the same has
control of the spiritual and temporal
affairs OF said church, but not OF the
fem moral a Mnigc "a
any members of said church. that the
next highest governing body in said
church Is the Twelve Apostles, con-
Sstlng or II members OF said Church,
VINO are under the direction OF the
FIRST Presidency and said Apostles on
the dissolution OF the first presidency
Tor any reason whatever, then and not
Otherwise have authority equal to such
first presidency
PoLYGAMY NOT TAUGHT.
Respondent further alleges that
since the manifesto Of President Will
ford woodruff was issued in 1890 mel
Their belief In nor practise Of polyg-
amy or polygamous cohabtatlon has
either been taught or encouraged"
MI Smoot admits that the First
Presidency 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
or Twelve Apostles are supreme In the
exercise OF the alleged mandates. He
says the only accepted standard works
OF the Church are the Bible. namely,
King James version the Book OF Nor
mon, the Pearl OF Great Price and the
Doctrine and Covenants, together
with the manifesto OF President
woodruff, dated 1890. SO far as quo
tatIons are made from any OF the fore
going and correctly quoted, the respon-
dent makes no complaint, but he de-
MES the construction placed on them
by the protestants.
RULE REGARDING POLITICS.
1t is admitted that the Mormon"
church made rule In regard to its
leading officials taking part in politics.
but denies that this rule is fully or
correctly set forth in the protest In
reference to the deposlng OF Nose,
Thatcher from the Twelve Apostles and |
his defeat by the Church In his con- !
test for senatorship in the Legislature. |
The respondent denies that the defeat |
was due TO his opposition 10 the rule of |
the Church, He admits that remarks |
were made by George Q. Cannon, Will |
lord Woodruff Lorenzo Snow, John |,
Henry smith Brigham Young and ,Jo-
seph Smith on the subject OF such depo- |
huon' but denies that such remarks are
correctly quoted In the protest.
Mr.. Smoot alleges that since the man. |
ifesto OF President Woodruff in 1890. the |
practise or polygamous cohabitatIon by |
those VINO are polygamists Heretofore |
had been abandoned by many but con- |
llnued by some for a time and where 4
continued on the sole responsibility OF |
such persons. and subject TO the penal |
ties of the law.
NO CONVEYANCE AT PoLYGAMY.
i is denied that any body OF officials
ellher practices or connves az polyga-
my or lhat Mr. Smoot or any body OF |
olhcials sought to pass law multiplying
enactments against polygamous CO.
naOllatlon IL Is admitted that such |
a law did pass the Utah Legislature m
lSOl but II Is asserted that some OF the
Mormon members voted against tho
Dill and that 1t was vetoed by the gov.
ernor and the veto was sustained by
the Legislature, q large majority of |
which were members of the Mormon"
Church
Mr. smoot admits the charge that he
Is director Of Brigham Young acade-
my, but alleges that he is not familiar
with details Of the employment of In.
structors.
sANCTITY OF THE HOME. ]
The charge that Mr. smoot, from the
high station OF United States senator.
would wage war upon the home IL de-
MED 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 for It's duties
as has any Of the protestants or the
most loyal citizens. lie admits that
the enjoyment OF the privileges OF
statehood must depend upon the OBJ
servance Of the sacred compact upon
which statehood was secured, also that
the rights thereby granted are not in
alenabe but denies that he Is or ever
viii be untitled to make any law,
SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS ELECTION.
Concerning the political significance
Of his election as United States senator,
Mr.. Smoot says that In May, 1902, he
announced he would be candidate
before the Legislature to be next elect
ed and that such declaration was of his
own judgment. Continuing. he says,
that 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 vote for the
Republican ticket meant Just that
much toward the selection Of this re-
spondent as the next Republican Unit
ed States senator from the state OF
Utah that the members ~ the Legis-
lature were nominated and elected on
that issue and your respondent was
tho choice, by large majority, OF
such Legislature, as the Republican
United States senator from the state
OF Utah. and most OF the Gentle Re-
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