The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-01-12
HOPKINS IS
FOR SMOOT
Nor Senate's Business to Con.
denim Mormon Apostle.
AIOT A mi vCAAAiCT
NOT A POLyGAMlST.
Extensive History Of Latter Day
Saints Given By Illinois
Senator.

NASiilNtlON, Jan. IA EeneTal
service pension bill was passed by the
senate, which IL II becomes law Will
give to survivors of the civil and Mex
lean wars who have reached the age OF
sixty-two years Sl2 per month, Sl5 10
those seventy and $50 10 those seventy
five years OF age.
The first argument In behalf OF Reed
Smoot was made by Senator Hopkins
an, who contcnded that the senate
had no authority TO pass judgment on
the private acts OF it, members. lie
defended Mr.. Shoots private charac-
ter.
Mr.. Hopkins took the position that
senators were not federal officers 10
the extent that the senate could pass
upon their qualifications aud eligibility
or could lmpcach them for high crimes
or misdemeanors. II senator was 10
be punished IL must he done 10y the
state or federal courts. Only federal
officers. he maintained. we're lmpeach
able. and this Impeachment must be
for acts committed a. such federal OIL
GERS.
The precedent cited was the unsuc-
cessful effort To lmpeach senator Blount
CTcnn.l. charged with reasonable cor.
respondencc with foreign nation
more than a hundred years ago. The
conclusion then. Mr. Hopkins said. had
never been reversed, and that was that
tmhe senate had no right 60 try the
case. as Senator Blount was not an OF.
iicer Of the United States.
After citing other eases Mr.. Hopkins
remarked that IL was unnecessary Tor
him 10 multiply evidence 20 demon.
stratc his point that individual states
have no power 10 add any qualification
to n senator other than those prcscrib
cd by the federal constitution. Refer.
ring directly To Mr. Smoot. he contln.
ued:
1t Is conceded 10y the chairman OF
the committee on privileges and eicc.
lions that Senator Smoot possesses ~
81 the qualifications spoken ~ In the
constitution Itself. II Is also conceded
not only by the able chairman of this
committee. but think 10y all who arr
nt all familiar with the ease. that Sen
ator Smoot Il not n polygnmist. that
he has never married n plural wife ana
has never prncticcd polygamy: that he
N man IN his personal relations a.
son. husband. father aud citizen above
rcproach: that In all OF the relations Of
citizenship he has lived n slnaularly
pure aud upright life"
lie then asked: why. then. should
he be expelled from this body dis
graccd aud dishonored Tor life n site
ma placed upon his children. his own
life wrecked aud the happiness 81 hi
wife dcsiroyedi He IA Christian gen
tlcman. aud his religious belief has
taken him Into the church 81 Jesus
Christ OF Latter Day Saints. commonly
called the Mormon church
Mr.. Hopkins said he felt sure that
those representing the Protestant
would not contend that there was any
apostolic oath which had bccn taken
10y ,ir. Smolt which would prevent
hin from dlsc'irrgirg ~ duuCl 1s
senator. Mr.. Hopkins >ympaihizcd. De-
m.d. with ~. druunc ion uf uuy
my made 10y Mr. burrows ~ hls r"f'
speech. 70 WIS. be- believed. n reiic o.
. harhauus axe aad q dstr'ycf Hi tH
ideal American home. aud he lad nU
ympathy with the practice.
Never before In the history ~ De-
government" he declared. with great
emphasis. has the previous life Ur ga
rccr u senator been called Ia que
ton 20 determine whether be- should
remain In the senate or not.
"lf members OF any Christian church
were 10 bc charged with all OF the
crimes that have been committed In L.
name. where IA the Christian gentle
man In this body who would be safe
In his scatr'
An extended history Of the Mormon
church was given by Mfr. Hopkins. who
concluded that the testimony taken bc'
fore the senate committee dcmonsirat.
cd that II was undergoing n radical
change for the better aud that Senator
Smoot represented the higher aud bet.
ter Morinonlsm.
lie denied that the Protcstants hal
made good In amy u the charges
against Mr.. smoot. after reviewing
these charges aud the argument Ia
sustain them nj length. and concluded
with the declaration that be would h.
false TO his oath M senator II he vot.
I'd 10 expel Mr.. Smoot from the sen.
ate.