Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-10

The atmosphere of political activit,
andtbere has been steady progress t,
ward that end. The last remaipip
stronghold of politics in that seryic
was the agency system. which ha
seen Its best days and was gradual
failipg2to pieces from natural or pure
" evolutionary causes. but. like al
such surviyals, was decaying sowl,
III Its later stages. II seems clear tba
It's extinction had better be made fina
new, so that the ground can be cleare,
Tor larger constructive work OH behal
Ut the Indians preparatory to their in
dHetion into the full measure OF re
sponsible citizenship. On Nov. 1 onl,
elghIeen agencies were left OH thu
roster With two exceptions, wher,
some legal questions seemed to stanc
temporarily in the way. these have
beer changed to OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES anG
their heads brought into the classified
tiyil service
Secret Service.
Last year an amendment was incor.
9orated in the measure providing for
sheasecret service which provided that
Fltcre. should be no detail from the Sc
erft service and no transfer therefrom
II is not too much to say that this
amendment has been of benefit only,
and could be of benefit only, to the
CRIMINAL classes. If deliberately in
troduced for the purpose of diminish
ing the effectiveness of war against
crime it could not have been better de-
SOD f,gt h a.
ices that had been followed to a
greater or less extent by the executive
heads of various departments for TWEEN
ty- years. To these practices VIC owe
sbe-Secu1in. Of the evidence which on.
hbled us to drive great lotteries out of
business and secure a quarter of Il
million of collars in fines from their
promoters. These practices have en-
hbied us to discover some of the most
outrageous frauds in connection with
the theft of government land and
government timber by great corpora
!lons and by individuals. These prac-
{lces have enabled us to get some OF
HE evidence indispensable in order 10
lecture the conviction of the wcaltbiest
md most formidable criminals with
Sbout the government has to deal.
both those operating IN violation of
the antitrust law and others. The
amendment iii question was of benefit
TO no one excepting to these criminals,
End 1t seriously hampers the govern
s1ept in the detection of crime and the
occurring of justice. Moreover. it not
bnly affects departments outside of
The treasury, but it tends TO hamper
The secretary of the treasury himself
In the effort to utilize the employees
of his department so as to best meet |
The requirements of the public service. |!
1t forhds bin from preventing frauds |
upon the customs service. from inves-
fieatlng irregularities in branch mipts
and assay offices, and has seriously
crippled him. 1t prevents the promo
lion of employees in the secret service,
End this further discourages good CT
tort, In its present form the restric-
Iron operates only to the advantage OF
tic criminal, of the wrongdoer.
The chief argument in favor of the
rroTi>iou was that the congressman
did not themselves wish TO be investi-
gated by secret service men Very
little OF such investigation bias been
done III the past, but it is true that the
work of the secret service agents was
partly responsible for the Indictment
and conviction OF Il senator and con
gresham for land frauds in Oregon.
| 40 not believe that it is in the public
interest to protect criminals in any
branch of he public service. and ex-
actlF as we have again aud again dur
lns Inc past seven years prosecuted
ana convicted Sncb criminals who
were III the executive branch of the
government so in my belief we should
pc given ample means to prosecute
he ~ If found in the. legislative branch.
RsitSif. this is not considered desirable
special exception could be made in t
ne law prohibiting the use of the
secret service force in investigating |
of the congress. 1t would be d
Ar better to do this than to do what r
actually was done aud strive TO pre- V
cent or at least to hamper effective ac- u
lon against criminals by the executive S
branch of the government. $
Postal Savings Banks.
again renew my Recommendation | l.
OF postal savings banks. for deposit. E
ne savings with the security of the a
:orernmeht behind them. The object G
TO encourage thrift and economy in u
he wage Garner and person of mod q
rate means, In fourteen states tho
epoSits in savings banks as reported
Q the comptroller of the currency s.
mount TO $3.50 245. 400. or 9s.4 ner u
ent Of the entire deposits, while in D
he remaining thirty-two states there I
re only S70.30S543. or 1.6 per cent i,
moving conciusively that there are II
1anT localities in the United States c;
were sufficient opportunity is not o,
wen TO the people to deposit their 4
aYlugs. Thn result is that money w
kept in hiding and nnemnloved te
is believed that in the aggregate
asst sums of money would be
roushi into circulation through tbe :,
'stlumentality OF the postal say. -