Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-11

1t was practically decided that a res
olution be introduced in the House to-
morrow providing for the appointment OF
a selecr committee to consider the recon-
mendations made for a restoration OF the
law regarding the secret service and to
take account of the expressions in the
message which were offensive to members
of Congress A resolution has already
been prepared and is in the custody of
Rep. Perkins of New York, who, accord
ing to the present understanding. VIII
introduce it in the House tomorrow.
AS originally drafted. the resolution
contained a preamble which recited the
language used by the President and de-
clared it an unnecessary condemnation Oh
the course taken by members Of Con-
cress in corfil;inc the activity OF the Sc
cret service to the detection of counter
feiting and to the protection of the Pres
ident of the United States. AT several
of the conferences, however, IL was
thought best to make the resolution as
general as possible. 1t is thousht hkelN'
therefore. that when the resolution IS
presented the preamble will have been
eliminated 1t is understood that the
committee to be appointed If the result
tjon is adopted. will consist nj members
of the highest standing and that Rep.
Perkins will be the chairman
Indications point to non-actlon DE the
Senate on the message until after the
Houses special commission has had the
opportunity to investigate the entire mat
ter A number of Democratic senators
have informally considered the language
used by the President and as a result
Senator Culterson. the minority leader,
TODAY consulted with Senator Hale, the
new Republican leader. Senator Cunef-
son took the position that tlH message
could not be ignored and suggested that
the portion relating to the secret SER
vice he refe lred to the Senate committee
or opprOpriations for an investigation
of the operatior of the amendment con-
cerning the secret service. which was
made hy the sundry civil bill last year.
He prophesicd also that the committee
consider the re commentator Of the Pres
ident looking to the restoration CT the old
law. 1t was his opinion that such acton
would carry with it an investigation OF
the language used by the President, al
though it was not his intention that any
resolution to be offered should refer spe-
officially to that language.
The Democratic senators favor ACTON
by the Republicans, but it was minated
that If the majority party inclined to 1S-
more the matter a resolution will come
from the Democratic side of the cham
Der. At the same time they expressed the
opinion that the subject should not he
made one of party controversy and show
ed a disposition not to debate any propo-
sition which might be advanced from the
Republican side.
At a conference held during the day at
the Senate end of the Capitol number of
Republican senators were present who
have always been ready to defend any
criticism of the President. They an
nounced their decided opposition to sug-
gestions which had been made that all
that part of the Presidents message
which has given offence should be ex-
plunged from the record. At the same
time they announced they would not op-
pose any resolution providing for an IN
vestigation by the appropriations commit
tee of the amendment adopted last year