The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-01-06
SM00T REPLIES
TO PR0TESTANTS
Denies That PoIygamy Is Prac-
ticsd BY Mormon Church.
ALL OTHER CHARGES DENIED
INVESTIGATION MADE PRAc-
TIcALLY CERTAIN.
ALL OTHER CHARGES DENIED
lspecIaI to The IIeraldl


tkE AsHINGTON, D. c.. Jan. 5.-Sena-
w tor smoot and Chairman Burrows
declined today to give for pub
leation any information concerning
Shoots answer to the charges filed
against him. Chairman Burrows sad
the answer would not be made public
until after il was submitted II the
elections committee, which would be
saturday next. Senator Smoot said his
answer was at the disposition Of the
committee and he considered IL would
be an Improperly on his part to an
noUnce its contents in whole or IN part.
From authentic sources it is learned
that Shoots answer is not the volumi-
nous document IL was expected 10 be.
and also that the nature of the answer
Is such that an investigation of Nor
monism is probably made certain.
Not a Polygsmist.
In his answer he denies absolutely
the charge that he is or has been d
poiygamitst. He also denies Absolutely
that he has taken an oath as a MEM
Ter of the Mormon church or an Off
Ger Of such church IN conflict in any
manner with the oath he has Ia ken as
senator of the United States. He in
sists that alt other charges made by
citizens of Utah represented by the
committee Of nineteen are not Eermane
to the question OF his right to hold
his seat as senator. He insists that
they are all irrelevant and have no
bearing whatever on his title to a seat
IN the senate.
But while not admitting that tine
charges have any bearing On his case
he proceeds TO answer them reserving
the point, however. that they are not
material Following this procedure he
denies that the Mormon priesthood TT
first presidency is vested with supreme
authority over the Mormon people 9th
er in things temporal or spiritual.
Polygamy Not Practiced.
He denies that polvgamy is practiced.
recognized, encouraged or .counte-
nanced by authority Of the Mormon
church or by the Mormon people. and
denies generally and specifically all of
the other charges set forth in the pro-
test of the committee of nineteen. He
admits that parts of specific statements
and quotations in the protests are cor
rect, but states that they are in the
main garbled. and when considered in
relation TO the contest proceedings. of
which they form part, would convey
an entirely different meaning from that
sought to be conveyed by the protest
ants Further questions on the issuG
involved would entirely neutralize the
effect of protestantsf showing. In clos
ing his answer, Smoot states that ne
was elected not as d representative of
the Mormon church. but as the repre-
sentative Of the Republican party OF
Utah.
All Republicans For Him.
lie says that during the campaign
preceding his election it was charged
by Democratic papers that he would be
made senator if the Republican party
won. and it was generally understood
in Utah that he was the candidate of
the Republican party He states that
In the legislature he received the entire
Republican vote, including that of the
Gentle members of that party: that
the Democrats all voted against him.
including Democratic MoTmOns He
concludes by reasserting that at no
time has he taken an oath or obiiga-
ton inimicaI to the government of the
United states and conflicting with his
oath as senator