National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-09-08
THE SECRET SERVICE.

The Solicitor of the Treasury has made
an elaborate report to the Secretary upon
the workings of the present organization of
the secret service of the Treasury Depart
ment 1t is too voluminous to be printed
in ertenso, but results in the recommends
ton that the entire service be reorganized.
That portion Of the evidence taken and the
section of the report having reference to the
safe burglary at the office of the United
States attorneys Office has been transmitted
to the Attorney General, in compliance
with the terms of the resolution of Congress
accepting the report Of the investigating
committee, which made similar disposition
of the testimony relating to this subject
which was taken by that committee. The
Secretary has determined to reorganize the
service, but has not yet fully decided upon
the changes to be made, nor is ii certain
that he has the power to make all that
might be desirable without additional legis-
lation. By law the operations of this branch
were formerly confined to the detection and
prevention of counterfeits and alterations
of Government notes, bonds and papers. 1t
is very obvious that this ground might with
advantage be greatly enlarged. The duties
of special agents are or should be of secret
character. The officers and employees of
this line of service should be secret appoint
mcnts. The name of the chief should not
be made known to the public. Communi-
cations intended for him should be made
to the Solicitor or other officer of the Treas
ury having the business in charge. Allthe
publicity which the agents of the service
should be allowed should be simply the
means of identifying themselves as agents
Whenever the exigencies of the service
should require that they be made known.
How can we expeN counterfeits and
frauds to be discovered and exposed or pre-
vented if we hasteT to advertise to the per-
petrators the names of the agents who are
to watch them9 1t is no doubt a fact sus-
ceptible of proof that the counterfeiters put
their shadows" upon every known Gov
eminent agent whom they have any reason
to suspect of watching them and their opera
tons They use every endeavor to mis-
lead the agent and divert his attention to
trivial matters. The agent being known,
and the criminals being only suspected, Of
course the former labors under every dis
advantage. His hand is exposed while that
of his opponent is in the dark. We beg
leave to suggest that an agent who cannot
be satisfied with the commentator of his
superiors and the approval Of his own con-
science when he has achieved a success, is
not the proper material for the position.
The publication of detections and arrests in
all their minute details by an agent giving
his name impairs his usefulness for the fu-
ture. He is ever after a marked and a
watched man. There are more rogues than
detectives, and each rogue is, by "a sort of
freemasonry Of their own, shadow in
behalf of the fraternity. If we would have
our secret service efficient, then it must be
kept up to the standard indicated by its
name. We rarely hear anything of the Sc
cret service of the State Department. No
one thinks of prying into the operations of
that service. Is not the secret service of
the Treasury, involving many millions in
smuggling and cOunterfeiting and frauds of
ali sorts, of equal importance? We hope
that Solicitor Wilson and the Secretary, in
the reorganization of the service, willsucceed
in making it really secret, for we are fully
satisfied that by so doing they will add
many hundred fold to its efficiency.