New-York tribune., 1908-12-18
HOUSE ASKS EVIDENCE
ACTION ON SECRET SER
TICE TAKEN.
Only One VOte against Requesting
Facts of Decentralization
4dOpted.
From The Tribune Bureau


Washington, Dec 17.-With only one dissent
ing voice, that of Representative Howland OF
Ohio, the House to-day passed a resolution re-
questing that the President furnish any evi-
dence in his possession showing that member
of Congress had been guilty of such official cor
ruptior would justify that portion Of his re
cent message referring to the Secret Service.
The resolution is not a beligerent one. but is
clothed in such language that the friends of the
President in the House are certain that his fire
will be drawn and that one or more members of
Congress may be embarrassed thereby. The
preamble and resolution follow:
cT Mh?Tso Thr T 9 S9ntansd in the sgndEy
its last session and became a law, a provision in
refeTenCe to the employment of the secret service
IN the Treasury Department: and,
Whereas; In the last annual message Of the Pres
Congress it stated in reference to that provi-
sion: 1t is not too much to say that this amend
EFT only: to the criminal classes And It was fur
pdGvIslon was that the Congressmen did not them
selves wish TO be investigated by secret service
not considered desirable. a special exception could
oc made in the Jaw, prohibiting the use Of the
CONGRESS-. 1t would be far better to do this than
to do what actually was done. and strive TO pre-
vent, or least hamper, effective action against
Gnnlnals by the executive branch Of the govern
+. Whereas as The plain meaning Of the above words
Is Is mat the majority Of the Congressmen were in
rear OF heing investigated by secret service men.
ana that Congress a whole actuated by that
, Whereas Your committee appointed 10 consider
these statements of the President and report
tees 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 prefer. in order
Just 10 the President well to the Congress,
to have all the information which the President
Resolved. That the President be requested TO
based MS statements that the chief argument in
favor Of the provision was that the Congressman
eTet service men, and also to transmit to the
os any an eadence connecting any member OF the
with corrupt action in his official capacity and to
ceedings for the punishment Of any such Individual
hnquenctes to the House Of Representa- tives
Representatives Perkins and Williams, mem
bers Of the special committee to investigate the
Secret Service allegations. explained the purpose
of the resolution as soon as it had been read
by the clerk
The object is" said Mr. Williams to give
the President opportunity to show on what
grounds he has made his seemingly unprovoked
attack upon the honor. the honesty, and the
reputation OF the legislative branch Of the gov
ernment."
Mr.. Perkins talked in a more moderate strain
until he inte-r,intN7 ~ Representatf--e Ben
net, of New York who wished to know II the
resolution intended as a statement of the
committee or of the House. Mr. Perkins replied
that it the judgment Of the committee. Mr..
Bennet objected 70 the portion Of the preamble
which reads The plain meaning of the above
words is that the majority of Congressman are
in fear of being investigated" and demanded
separate vote on the paragraph. Fifteen mem
bers voted with him. follows: Representa-
tfves Parsons. Hepburn. Hayes. Dawes: How
land Murdoch, Gillett Wilson Gll), Madison,
Pollard. Gaines CW. Va. Douglass, Cole, Low
den and Nelson.
No action taken to-day by the Senate
Committee Appropriations to carry out the
instructions Of the Senate that the message Of
Presiden Roosevelt relative to the Secret Ser
vice be investigated The whole matter will go
over until after the holidays, and then a meet
ing will he called by Senator Hale for the pur
pose of naming a subcommittee It is under
stood that Senator Hemenway. of Indiana, will
be appointed chairman OF the investigating