New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-10
SUOOT ANSWERS CHARGES
DENIES POLYGAMY.
Not Bound by Oath Conflicting acith
Duty US Senator.

7
y rs presented 10 the Senate Committee
n1rsiegas and Elections to-day by Senator Bur
=. chairman Of JLat committee. The document
= ,-iDteG. and the members OF the committee do
" % through the Formally Of reading ii at the
-, II Was agreed that Al the regular meet
= the committee next Saturday the attorneys
o. NJ Sinoot and for the petitioners should be
- Jchn q. Carlisle, OF New-York formerly
..-ztyyy OF tbs Treasury. and r. ". Tayler, FOR
,srly a Representative IN Congress from Ohio VIII
rssr for the prosecution, while Mr.. Smoot Will
- -enr.serted by 4. 5. WortLIngton OF Wash
,-grou: WaIdernar Van Colt, Of Utah, and ~. r.
Borah o. Idaho. The attorneys viii be heard IS
- the merits Of the as already presented
They will De expected 10 show presidents and au-
,borities and after they have made their presenta
tou the committee VIII decide whether to 60
trther into The subject by calling witnesses or
Tisoose Ct il On the showing which viii have been
made.
NJ. smoot submits the following statement:
This respondent is advised and AYERS that bat two
Of the charges made against HIM il, said protests:
Z t5T the ' senate These two charges are:
Firs,IIhat The tesPoade3n,L Is a poeyEams5,
im which is inconsistent with the oaIh REQUIRED
hin before he took his seat a a Senator.
Both these charges respondent denies.
spondent says that he married on september
l. lssl to Alpha May Eldredge She. is still his
has never has any other wife. and has never CO.
hsf1Ied WIN any OlheT woman.
As 10 the charge that the respondent Is bound
ny oath or obligation controlling his duty
III assumed snv such obiieati0n He holds him
self bound obey and uphold The Constitution ana
laws Of the United States, including the condition
s }0 Ro5yfS SIo t SPqn n T4ch the s'0 81
The respondent now moves 10 strike out and
every matter and thing therein contained except
th9 tMo GaIses aD S ileIGUiig 7 o,-.r tp.,
the other matters referred 10 IN said protests are
as Affecting the right Of the respondent to retain
MS in the Senate nevertheless the respondent
proceeds 10 answer the same, submitting me
Ing his said motion but insisting thereon,
DEFENDS THE MORMON CHURCH.
The respondent denies that he is Of said al
legged sef-perpetuating body Of fifteen men. or that
there is any such boqy Of men or that the follow
Latter Day Saints, or any OF them accord The
iSo+ she yiev ssgctioned or otherise to
shape the belief control the conduct OF those
PoFa or s That SAID Ga a ' Or such alleged 6od
CLAIMS or exercises any sach al5egef Tehs or ei her
Of them unite either in One body or in ali Of them,
or that said Sh q or d aeged BODY or any
person or body, exercises any authority or power,
belief in the practice OF polygamy or belief in or
countenances or conniyes ct any violation OF the
laws of the State Of Utah or OF the United States
either regardless Of pledges. or pledge or other
wise az all either made for the said alleged pur-
Or covenant or otherwise either made with the
people CT The Unisse States or any other person or
by all any means whatsoever. either protects or
1ity q said alleged s PRACTICES or any practice
ether destruetiye et the family or the home: or
them. Violates any Of the land or is guilty Of
Tor himself in particular, denies that he IS Of
said alleged self perpetuattng body Of fifteen men
Church. any part thereof or any person therein,
81 poygany or beIfef IN or prctice OF DolygarloGs
ehitaton and this resPondent denies that he is
polygaTpisf or that be ever has been polyganEist
Con A' -. ever i''''-Seo p0-'tA'',o1' so'l4''A
oountenaneed or connived AZ any violation 81 any
law, either Of the State Of Utah or Of the United
any person or persons who may have violated the
laws Of the land; and this respondent denies that
sfructive either Of the family or the home on the
Snt RESPECTS and obeys ali Of he laws Of the State
OF Utah and OF The United States. and has never
respondent further alleges that the president or
Srst Pretdersy an6 is the highest governing body
IN said Church. and the same has control Of the
spiritual and temporal affairs OF said Church. but
Of any members of said church: that the next hih
est governing body in said Church is the twelve
apostles eonststing q twelve members OF said
presidency; and said apostles, on the dissolution
then. and not otherwise. have authority equal 10
such first presidency
feste OF President MILFORD Woodruff was issued IN
lsE0 neither belief in, nor practice OF. polygarrY
or encouraged.
Mr.. Smoot admits that the first presic-a~y Of
the Mormon Church is vested with supreme au-
thority in all things spiritual and in all things
temporal. so far temporal things pertain to this
affairs OF the Church. He denies that the first
presidency 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's version the Book
Of Mormon. the Pearl of Great Price, and the
Doctrine and Covenants. together with the mani
festo Of President MILFORD Woodruff. dated lss>.
So far quotations made from any OF the
foregoing and correctly quoted the respondent
makes complaint. he denies the construction
placed on them by the protestants.
MORMONs IN POLITICS.
j 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
recty set forth in The protest. In reference
oePosing OF Moses Thatcher from the twelve
apostles and his defeat by the Church in his
test for SenatoTship in the legislature. the
bpondent denies that the defeat was due his op-
position the rule OF the Church lie admits
mat remarks were made by George. .. Cannon,
Niford Woodruff. Lorenzo Snow. John Henry
Smith, brigham Young and Joseph Smith the
subject OF such deposition. but denies that such
remarks are correctly quoted in the protest
Ar. Smoot alleges that since the manifesto of
President MILFORD Woodruff OF 1880 the practice OF
poygamoUs cohabJauon by those who were
poygamists heretofore has been abandoned by
many but continued by for a time and
where continued Il IS the sole responsibility Of
sGch persons and subject the penalties Of the
law
It is denied that any body Of officials either prac-
Uses or connives at polygamy, that Mr. Smoot
or any body Of officials sought to pass law multi
Iyang enactmeIts against pOlygamous cohabitation.
- Is admitted that such law did pass the Utah
legislature in 1891. but many OF the Mormon MEM
here