Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-17
HOUSE IS MODERATE
''Res0Iution of Rebuke" Asks
for Information.
ONLY ONE VOTE AGAINST 1T
President Is Required to Substan.
tiate Declarations in His Message.
LONGWORTH HURRIEs AWAY
Demand for Division on Vote as tod
Preamble Catches Him Un-
aWares and He Flees. .

After more than a week OF threat and
talk the House of Representatives today
took action on resolution, professedly of
censure to the President. brought in by
the Perkins special committee appointed
for the purpose.
The resolution, as will be seen by a care
full perusal. is as mild as buttermilk. and.
in the opinion of people around the Capitol
who ought to know. fully as innocuous.
The only effect of the resolution is to
call upon President Roosevelt for any in
formation he may have in support of his
statement in his annual message of 1905
with respect to any unworthy motive
which actuated members of Congress in
voting last year to adopt the Legislative
limitation contained in the sundry civil
bill upon the activities of the secret serv-
ice.
Here is the resolution as adopted by
the House practically unanimously. Only
one member. Representative Paul How
land of Ohio, voted in the negative
Later Mr.. Rowland said he was in en-
tire sympathy with the President and
believed he should have all the secret
service money he wanted.
The Resolution.
Following is the full text of the reso-
luton. together with the accompanying
preamble:
Whereas there was contained in
the sundry civil appropriation bill.
which passed Congress at it's last ses-
sion and became a law, provision in
reference to the employment of the
secret service in the Treasury Depart
ment. and
Whereas in the last annual message
of the President of the United States
to the two houses of Congress it was
stated in reference to that provision:
1T is not too much to say that this
amendment has been of benefit only,
and could be of benefit only, to the
criminal classes and 1t was further
stated, the chief argument in favor
of the provision was that the con-
gressmen did not themselves wish to
be investigated by secret service men,.
and 1t was further stated. but If this
is not considered desirable a special
exception could be made. in the law.
prohibiting the use of ths secret serv-
ice force in investigating members of
Congress. 1t would be far better to
do this than to do what actually was
done, and strive to prevent or at least
to hamper effective action against
criminals by the executive branch of
the government: and
Whereas the plain meaning Of the
above words is that the majority of
the congressman were in fear of being
investigated by secret service men and
that Congress as whole was actu-
ated by that motive in enacting the
provision in question; and
Whereas your committee appointed
to consider these statements of the
President and report to the House can
not find in the hearings before COM
mitteeS nor in the records of the
House or Senate any justification of
this Impeachment of the honor and
integrity Of the Congress; and
Whereas your committee would pre-
fer, in order to make an intelligent
and comprehensive report. just to the
President as well as to the Congress,
to have all the information which the
President may have to communicate:
Therefore, be it
Resolved. That the President be re-
quested to transmit to the House any
evidence upon which he based his
statement that the brief argument
in favor of the provision was that the
congressmen did not themselves wish
to be investigated by secret service
men, and also to transmit to the
House any evidence connecting any
member of the House of Represent
atives of the SiXtieth Congress with
corrupt action in his official capacity
and TO inform the House whether he
has instituted proceedings for the pun
ishment of any such individual by the
courts or has reported any such al
legged delinquencies to the House or
Representatives.