Salt Lake Tribune: Gentlemen—Answering the first ques- tion in your note, I have to say that I believe the extract you quote from your report of my remarks at Provo is sub- stantially correct. To the second, my reply is that "the control of the political actions of our people absolutely" is not set up as a claim in my remarks, and I certainly would not wish them to be so understood. I hold that it is the right of the Priesthood to advise at any and all times and under any circumstances those who pro- fess to respect its powers, in all matters pertaining to their tem- poral welfare and their spiritual sal- vation; if in the matter of politics, that the Latter-day Saints should be governed by pure principles, and in po- litical affairs should realize and act upon their responsibilities as Saints and citizens. This is not to claim the right to advise them how or for whom they should vote, or which party they should join. We emphatically and sincerely approved the division of the Mormon people on party lines, and we recognize every man's agency and respect his right to choose in these matters for himself. We have not advised, and do not advise our people how they shall vote; the elections that have been held in this Territory since politics on na- tional party lines was introduced, are proof of this policy; we have asked no Republican to vote the Democratic tick- et, and no Democrat to vote the Repub- lican ticket; we have never advised men to vote other than their convictions prompted them, and have no intention of giving such advice. At the same time, we claim the right, both as indi- viduals and as leaders of the Church, to counsel our people to keep aloof from the corruption, the scandal and the filfth of politics as too frequently practiced in the world, to set an example in this as in other things, and it is in this sense that I wish to be understood as as- serting the right of the Priesthood to give counsel in political affairs. As citizens we have the right of opinion and of speech; we also have responsibilities and duties to ourselves and to others; but until the foregoing can be construed as meddling in politics, I shall be unable to find ground for the uneasiness of which you speak. However, in the light of this statement of my meaning and views, I trust there can be no further cause of anxiety or unrest; I assure you there is no foundation for it. Yours respectfully, WILFORD WOODRUFF.

Pres. Wilford Woodruff Salt Lake City Utah Dear Bro: A few day ago, I received a letter from Apostle Heber J. Grant wishin requesting that myself Pres. Rudger Clawson ^of the Box Elder stake,^ and Bishop Richards of Fielding meet the First Presidency as early as we could make it convient I also received a letter from Bro. Clawson of Brigham City; sugesting Thursday October 4th at 2 p.m. if this would meet with your approval we will be there at that time to talk over the Town hall affairs and other things that may come up Respectfully your Brother in the Gospel O. C. Hoskins

Beaver Utah To President Wilford Woodruff, and members. of the General Board of Education Salt Lake City, Utah. Gentlemen At our recent meeting of the Beaver Stake Board of Education, held on friday last, the 21st inst, the secretary was instructed to write you and inform you of the condition of our Educational matters in this stake in a church school sense. It has been inopperative for us to hold our Academy for some time past, owing to undue conditions, but we are happy to state that a markedly manifest interest has been maintained in our Religion classes. As a mat- ter of fact in this city there has been no cessation of the weekly sessions for a long time past, and during the past summer months the interest has been intense and this is not confined to the teachers. We shall not be able to resume our stake school in our academy this year, but anticipate placing it at the disposal of the Trustees of District Schools We have it well along. The floors laid, Windows in, and doors ready to hang, and expect to plaster at an early

Lanark President Wilford Woodruff Dear Brother in answer to your call for me to go to Provo to take the Sunday School Normal Course that I am willing to go and learn all that I can for the benefit of the Sunday School. I can arran -ge my work so that I can go I have not the money to bear my expenses while at Provo at present but I have faith in the Lord that he will open up the way for me so that I shall be at Provo on time if the Lord is wiling I remain Your Brother in the Gospel of Christ

Gunnison President, Wilford Woodruff Salt Lake City Dear Brother I am pleaset to now report that I am ready to go on my mission to the Southern States to wich I wall called a year ago and was then excuset untill I could get ready I have been wanting to go to Denmark to get my geneoligeis and if it would meet your aprooval would prefer to go to Scandinavia but will now be in your hands ready to go where you want me waiting for an early answer that I can get ready and be sutiably prepard I am your humble Brother Nephi Anderson President Woodruff, Dear Brother, Bro. Nephhi Anderson and his many relatives here, very much desire for him to get their family-genealogy in Denmark. Very respectfully, Christian A. Madsen Bp As the S. S. mission is supplied, let him go to Scandinavia. J. F. S.

SALT LAKE CITY, . Wilford Woodruff, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Dear sir: Heretofore the Tribune has reported you and others in authority in your Church as giving utterance to the sentiment that the Mormon people ought to divide upon national party lines, according to the political senti- ments which each man might entertain, without interference in any way from officials of your Church in that mat- ter. Frequently has that utterance been given, and the public has come to rely upon it as fixed and final. Now, however, this feeling of safety from Church interference in poli- tics has been disturbed, and a fresh source of unrest introduced by a report which appeared in the Tribune this morning of your remarks yesterday at Provo. The report was made by a man in complete sympathy with yourself so far as Church affairs go, and who, it is certain, would refuse to misreport you in any way. Subsequent inquiry develops that he is confident in the accuracy of his report of your remarks as he under- stood them. The portion of that report which causes uneasiness is the following: "It is generally thought the First Presidency should have nothing to say about politics," he continued. "I picked up a paper this morning saying that we had no business to meddle in politics. We have a right to lead the people in spiritual and temporal affairs. We have the same rights of leadership that President Young had, and that the Prophet Joseph Smith had. In temporal affairs? Yes. In political affairs? Yes. We have a right to ad- vise both Democrats and Republicans to lead a pure campaign. We have a right to say to the people that they must be pure in politics as well as in temporal affairs. We have thou- sands of children growing to manhood in Zion. I am interested in their welfare, and I would like to see them brought up under proper in- fluences, and not under the influence of such a campaign as we had two years ago." The purpose of this inquiry is to ascer- tain with exactness, First, whether your remarks were pre- cisely as reported, and, if not, wherein they depart from precision. Second, if the remarks were as report- ed, then in what sense do you wish them to be understood: whether as a claim to control the political actions of your people absolutely, or only as a citizen to advise the right. Third, the claim is apparently made in your remarks that the Church authorities claim the right to direct the people in their business and politics, and, in gen- eral, their temporal affairs, as well as spiritual. It is desirable to know whether this claim is really made and insisted upon at this time, and is to be in the future, while the public has been led to believe that claim a thing of the past. Most respectfully, TRIBUNE PUBLISHING CO.

Provo, Utah, Presidents Wilford Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith, Dear Brethren: In a recent conversation with me, Brother Richard Lyman requested that I recommend to you some one to speak before the students of the University of Michigan in their regular lecture course. Since then I learn that President Talmage of the University of Utah has been suggested, but has stated that he can not accept. Prest. Talmage would receive the hearty approval of all, I believe, but if it be true that he can not accept, permit me to recommend one whom I think will do us justice, and arouse among the students and professors a great interest in the Mormon people. I refer to Elder Frank J. Cannon. In my opinion no other man in Utah would make a better impression upon his congregation than Brother Cannon. Very respectfully, Your brother in the gospel, B. Cluff, Jr.

President Wilford Woodruff [President] George Q Cannon [President] Jos F. Smith Dear Bretheren I received my notice to go to Provo this winter to attend the Sunday School Normal Course, at the B. Y. Academy, which Labor I accept Cheerfully. Your Brother James M. Horsley I am pleased to accept the offer to attend the Sunday School Normal class at Provo Yours Respectffy Mrs Matilda Horsley.

Paris Idaho To the Presedent and Counlcle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Dear Brethern Your comunication of the 15th inst calling me as a Missionary to the S. S. Normal Class, to hand, and highly apprecated in consulting with my Bishop I regret to say in consquence of not being in a positon to bear my own expence it is thought best for me to decline accepting what I feel would be a great blessing. Trusting I will not be Considered less worthy by so doing, I remain yours Respectfully Frank O Nye