The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-26
ROBERTS AF TER
APOSTLE SMO0T
Challenge TO Debate Issued as
an Answer to "Gimlet"
Editorial.
MATTER PASSED UP TO
REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE
de-Stepping Is Now the Order
Of Part of the Church
Crowd.

Joint debates on the issues Of the
campaign are in prospect between
Apostle Senator Reed Smoot and Brig
ham II. Roberts. Brigham II. Roberts
Tuesday afternoon issued challenge
to Smoot in such words that the apos-
tie senator cannot well afford to de-
erts has the better of the argument.
The challenge to debate came as the
result of full page editorial which
appeared in the Herald Republican Mon"
day morning attacking Mr.. Roberts, be-
cause of the context of his letter to
Chairman James II. Moyle, which was
made public. In his letter to Mr.. Moyle
Mr.. Roberts accused Smoot and other
church Republican leaders in = tab with
being parties to a deal with the liquor
interests whereby the Republicans re-
ceived the support of the liquor inter
ests Of the state in return for pledge
not to enact any legislation antagonis-
tic to the liquor business in the state.
Attack on Roberts.
The reply of the Herald-Republica
was chiefly an attuck on Mr.. Roberts
and a defense of the senior senator
from Utah, Mr.. Roberts had not in
tended taking the stump this campaign,
but as the result of the Herald Rcpub
llCuu hlltCh HIS ucCl0Gu W lCCOHSlucl
his original announcement, and he is
particularly anxious TO meet Senator
Smoot in Il series of joint debates on
the issues involved in Mr.. Roberts s
letter and the Herald Republican reply.
Mr.. Moyle wrote to Mr.. Roberts on
Tuesday, asking him whether or not he
wished TO reply to the Herald Repub-
lican editorial, and offering him such
means at the command Of the state
narnnrru IN 70 ranl,, w thu
statement of the Herald Republican.
Mr.. Roberts S reply was challenge to
Senator Smoot for a series of joint de"
bates at such places as might be ar
ranged by the Democratic and Repub-
liean state committees. Copies of the
correspondence which passed between
Mr.. Moyle and Mr.. Roberts were sent
to the Herald Republican. Mr.. Moyle s
letter to Mr.. Roberts follows:
Hon. B. II. Roberts. City.
Dear Friend-Since the appearance OF
your recent letter to me defining your
position on the issues of this campaign,
published on the twenty-fourth OF the
present month. there has been consid-
cradle inquiry to whether OF not you
feel disposed to reply to the, editorial.
place at your disposal whatever oppor-
tunity or facilities We can command as
party 10 place Defore the pubic, What-
ever statement you may care to make.
Yours very respectfully,
JAMES II. MOYLE.
Mr.. Roberts said in his reply:
Salt Lake City. Utah. Oct, %, 1910.
Hon. James II. Moyle. Chairman Demo-
cratic State Committee, Salt Lake City.
rath.
My Dear Moyle-Rcplying to your note
of even date Will say, / do not care to
enter into controversy with a newspa-
per on the questions at Issue In my let
ter to you and the Herald-Rcpubllcnn
editorial OF the twcnty-fourth instant,
But " Senator Reed Smoot will definitely
and In toto assume responsibility for
that editorial and adopt 1t as his answer
to my letter to you, will and do hereby
and now challenge him TO a series Of
conjoint debates upon all the issues OF
my letter to YOU and the editorial Of the
Herald Republican Of the twenty-fourth
Instant. to run from now to the close
of the campaign. as you may be able
to conjointfy make the arrangements
with the chairman Of the Republican
state committee. II Senator Smoot de-
clines the challenge to debate for any
reason, but will say that ne assumes full
and complete responsibility for all the
matters OF the aforesaid editorial and ac-
cepts II as his answer 10 my letter to
you, I Will take the stump as soon as
you can get out appointments for me
and will canvass the state as far as pos
sibIe on the issues presented In the two
documents. Respectfully,