Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-01-09
SNOOI REPLIES
70 PROTESTS
Mormon Senator Denies There
Is Any Legal Obstacle to
His Holding Office
SAYS He IS NOT a PoLycAMIsT
Has Never Had More Than One wifs,
and sh. !. the Mother Of All Hiss
chiIdren-eound by No Oath ineon.
sistent With the Oath Of unissd
State. Senator.

Washington, Jan. 9.-The response
of Senator Reed Smoot, of Utah, to the
charges made against him today pre-
sented to the senate committee on
privileges and elections by Chairman
Burrows. The members OF the conn
mittee did not go thru the fornality
of reading 1t during the session. Il
was agreed that on Saturday next the
attorneys for Smoot and for the petit
TONERS would be heard as to the merits
OF the case as already presented.
Washington, Jan. 9.-1n his answer
to the charges against, him Senator
Smoot says that but two charges Ia
protests, either directly or by impli.
cation. could legally effect his right, to ]
hold seat in the senate. These
charges are:
4. That respondent is polygamisk
'.2. That he is bound by some oath
or obligation which is Inconsistent
with the oath required by the constita-
ton, which was administered to him
before he took his seat as SENATOR :
Both these charges 9moot dea3eA
and says that he was married the 17th 4
of September 1884. to Alpha May IA
bridge. She Il stili his wife and the
mother OF all his children. He never
ho At6 rp@H I'D kan
itated with any other woman.
.As to the second charge Smoot sayas
he never has taken any such oath. -
In any way assumed any such ob3io
ton. He holds himself bound 70 obG1
and uphold the constitution md slAN1
Of the United States, inciuAlr az
condition in reference q 1nly npsl
on which the state Of Utah Wal 15n1ite Z
ted to the union. He moves 70 6tSt6o7 Z
out, eliminate and separate from SAID
protest, each and every matter and
thing therein contained. except tho tNo
charges above mentioned. Smoot th1n
takes up every charge brought against
the Mormon church made rule In -
gard to its leading officials taking part
in politics, but denies thSt this rule IL
correctly set forth in the protests,
Smoot alleges that since the mAnifestos
of President Woodruff Of 1850. the
practice OF polygamous cohabitation BY
those who were polygamists theret0s
fore had been abandoned by many
but continued by some for time. and
where continued 1t is on the sole Ie-
sponslbility of such persons and sub.
ject to penalties Of the law.
Smoot admits the first presidency Q, =
the Mormon church is vested with su>
preme authority In all things spiritual.
and in all things temporal SO far ~
temporal things pertain to affairs Of
the church. He denies the first presi-
dency or twelve apostles are supreme
in exercise OF alleged mandates.
In reference to the deposing Of Moseo
Thatcher from the twelve apostles ana
his defeat by the church in his conteae
for senatorship in the legislature the
respondent denies that the defeat wap
due to his opposition to the rule q
the church. He admits that remarks
were made by George Q. Cannon, VIE
fred Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow. J0A0s
Henry Smith. Brigham Young and jos
seph Smith on the subject OF such dee
position, but denies such remarks are
correctly quoted in the protest. It is de-
MED that Smoot or any body Of the OFFS
ficials sought to pass law multiplying
the enactments against polygamOus CO.
habitation. It is admitted such q law
did pass the Utah legislature In 19ols
but many Mormon members voted
against the bill and II was vetoed BY
the governor and the veto sustained BY
the legislature, large majority OF
which were members Of the Mormons
church. Smoot admits the charge that
he is director Of the Brigham Young
Academy, but alleges he is not familiar
with the details of the employment Of
instructors. The charge that Smoot
from the high station Of United States
senator would wage war upon the home
is denied in strong language.
He agrees that the home Is the basic
Institution upon whose purity and per-
petuity rests the very government it
self and he alleges he has az sacred
a regard for the station of senator and
for it's duties as has any OF the pros.
testants or the most loyal citizen. He
admits that enjoyment Of the privile9eoe
of statehood must depend upon OBJ
servance of the sacred compact upoAi
which statehood was secured; alDot
that the rights thereby granted are !
not inalienable, but denies that he -
or ever will be untitled to make any
law. Concerning the political signin.
canoe of his election as senator. Smo0e
says that in May, 1902, he announced
that he would be candidate before
the legislature to be next elected ana
that such declaration was Of .hie
own Judgment. He says that the dem.
ocratic papers Of the state Of Utah op-s
posed his candidacy: that all demo-
cratic Mormon legislators opposed hia
nomination and voted for another caA-
didate; that most Of the gentle repuhs
Means voted for him.
chaffes Assumes Command.
fshafp 4